National Register of Historic Places

Gorham Historic District

Gorham, Cumberland County, Maine
Listed
October 1, 1992
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
92001298

About this property

The Gorham Historic District encompasses the traditional central civic area of Gorham, Maine. Incorporated in 1764, the town center is composed of a small cluster of civic and commercial buildings at School and Main Streets, with some residential properties radiating away. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, the district abuts the Gorham Campus Historic District, the historic core of the campus of the University of Southern Maine. The town of Gorham is located northwest of Portland, Maine, inland from the coast of southern Maine. The town's early settlement began in the 1730s, but it did not grow significantly until the 1750s. By then, the area that is now the center had begun to take shape, with School Street (Maine State Route 114) running north–south, and Main Street (United States Route 202) running east–west, accompanied by a small grid of side streets. The only surviving 18th-century buildings in the town center are the First Congregational Church (1797), and a 1760s house that was moved into the center area in the 1830s. The remaining buildings were built mostly in the 19th century, in a variety of styles. The town's growth was influenced by the founding of Gorham Academy, which opened in 1806, and whose campus, located immediately northwest of the center, is now home to the University of Southern Maine. Most of the buildings in the district are residential houses built of wood; there are a few prominent brick commercial buildings located on School Street and at its junction with Main Street. The district is roughly L-shaped, extending from the junction of School and Main north and west, including properties on the north side of Main Street between School and Academy Streets, on the south side of College Avenue between those two streets, and along School Street from Main to a point a short way north of Church Street. It covers about 25 acres (10 ha), and includes 42 buildings, all of which are historically significant. National Register of Historic Places listings in Cumberland County, Maine

Location

Gorham, Cumberland County, Maine
43.68005, -70.44474

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTCOMMERCEARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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 Gorham Historic District

This page lists Gorham 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
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Spotlight
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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

Gorham Campus Historic District
Industrial
0.1 mi
Academy Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Art Gallery
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Baxter House
Industrial
0.2 mi
South Street Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Hilton's Expedition (Maine 1703)
1703Colonial
1.6 mi
Scarborough Raid
1675Colonial
8.3 mi
Fort Loyal Massacre
1690Colonial
9.5 mi
Burning of Falmouth (Maine)
1775Revolutionary War
9.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Gorham Historic District listed on the National Register?

Gorham Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1992.

What type of historic resource is Gorham Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Gorham Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Gorham 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 Gorham Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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