National Register of Historic Places

Primrose Hill Historic District

Belfast, Waldo County, Maine
Listed
October 2, 1973
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
73000150

About this property

The Primrose Hill Historic District encompasses a group of high-quality 19th century residences in Belfast, Maine. Set on Church and High Streets between Primrose and Anderson, this area is where the elite of early 19th-century Belfast built their homes. Four of the five most prominent houses are Federal, while one is Gothic Revival in style. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The Primrose Hill area of Belfast was developed after High Street was laid out in 1805. The part of High Street north of the city's central business district is elevated, with commanding views over the downtown and harbor beyond. As such, it became a desirable location for the city's elite to live. The historic district, when described in 1973 for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, described only five properties, extending along High Street from Primrose Street south to a triangular junction with High and Church Streets, and then south on Church Street to Anderson. Its bounds, however, are actually larger, as a portion of Anderson Street (between Church and Waldo Streets) was included in a 1993 amendment to the Belfast Historic District due to its earlier inclusion in this district. (The Belfast Historic District was intended to completely include this district). On the east side of High Street stand two of the district's finer houses. The Benjamin Field House is a Federal style two-story wood-frame house, with a hip roof, while directly to its south is the 1824 Benjamin Haseltine House, also Federal style. On the west side of High Street, opposite the Field House, stands the Johnson-Pratt House, built in 1812 for the son of one of Bowdoin College's founders. It has an elaborate Ionic portico, which was added about 1830. To its south stands the 1859 Gothic Revival House of Charles Haseltine, and the Anderson House, one of Belfast's finest brick Federal-style houses, stands further south; it was the residence of Hugh J. Anderson, a Governor of Maine. Houses on Anderson Street include a fine Gothic Revival cottage built by a ship's captain about 1853. National Register of Historic Places listings in Waldo County, Maine

Location

Belfast, Waldo County, Maine
44.42218, -69.01257

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURECOMMERCEPOLITICS/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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Primrose Hill Historic District

This page lists Primrose Hill 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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Primrose Hill Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

First Church of Belfast
Industrial
0.3 mi
Belfast Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.3 mi
Belfast Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Listed
0.3 mi
Belfast Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.3 mi
Hayford Block
Civil War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Primrose Hill Historic District listed on the National Register?

Primrose Hill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 2, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Primrose Hill Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Primrose Hill Historic District?

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

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

More in Waldo County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Waldo County.

Explore WaldoCounty ›

More historic places in Maine

Browse all historic places in Maine.

View Mainehistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Maine history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Mainehistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Primrose Hill Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report