National Register of Historic Places

Chestnut Street Historic District

Camden, Knox County, Maine
Listed
March 22, 1991
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
91000325

About this property

The Chestnut Street Historic District encompasses a predominantly residential part of Camden, Maine, United States, which represents a cross-section of the town's architectural history, and of its transition from a shipping center to a summer resort community. The district extends south from the town common, along Chestnut Street, and then east to Dillingham Point. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. The town of Camden is centered on the mouth of the Megunticook River on the west side of Penobscot Bay in the Mid Coast region of coastal Maine. It was first settled in the 1760s, but did not experience significant early development until the 1780s, after the American Revolutionary War. Its early industry was shipbuilding, which was augmented in the mid-19th century by lime quarrying. Both industries declined in the late 19th century, and were eventually replaced by the summer tourist trade. Chestnut Street extends roughly southeast from the town common, which is located just south of the river, and roughly parallels the western bank of the river, above Bay View Road, which provides direct access to the waterfront. Originally farmland in the early days of the town, the area is now home to some of Camden's oldest surviving buildings, especially along Wood and Pleasant Streets, which were laid out as a subdivision just south of the common. As the town grew, residential development took place along Chestnut Street, resulting in a number of fine mid-19th century Greek Revival and Italianate houses. Camden's earliest summer houses were built at Dillingham Point, marking the southern point of the river's mouth, in the 1880s, and the area now sports several fine Shingle style houses. The point is also where the fine brick 1830s Cape style Ogier house stands; it was built by one of the area's early settlers, and was later transformed into a summer house. National Register of Historic Places listings in Knox County, Maine Media related to Chestnut Street Historic District (Camden, Maine) at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Camden, Knox County, Maine
44.20557, -69.06225

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREEDUCATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Chestnut Street Historic District

This page lists Chestnut Street Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Camden Yacht Club
Industrial
0.1 mi
US Post Office-Camden Main
Industrial
0.2 mi
WENDAMEEN (Yacht)
Industrial
0.3 mi
Herald Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Camden Opera House Block
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Chestnut Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Chestnut Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 22, 1991.

What type of historic resource is Chestnut Street Historic District?

Chestnut Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Chestnut Street Historic District?

The period of significance for Chestnut Street Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Chestnut Street Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Chestnut Street Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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