National Register of Historic Places

Rockport Historic District

Rockport, Knox County, Maine
Listed
May 27, 1976
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
76000099

About this property

The Rockport Historic District encompasses the historic town center of Rockport, Maine. Arrayed around the head of its harbor, the town's most significant period of development was in the mid 19th century, because of lime processing and other industries. The town has a well-preserved collection of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture from that period. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The area that is now Rockport was originally part of Megunticook Plantation, which was settled in the 1760s and incorporated as Camden in 1791. The Rockport area was called Goose River, but was renamed Rockport in 1852 and separated from Camden in 1891. Its small harbor was an early shipbuilding center, and in the 19th century became an important center of ice harvesting and the extraction of lime. Its fortunes declined late in the 19th century, but were boosted by the start of the summer tourist trade. The historic district is arrayed along a series of roads that curve around the head of Rockport's harbor. Its principal roads are Pascal Avenue, from School Street in the west to Main Street, Main Street from Summer to Central Streets, and Central Street and Russell Avenues to Winter Street. The district further extends a short distance along streets that cross these, and include clusters of residential streets north of Pascal and east of Main Street. It covers 70 acres (28 ha) and includes 127 buildings. The majority of them are wood frame residences, in some combination of Greek Revival and Italianate styling. Prominent commercial buildings include the 1835 Granite Block on Main Street, and the Romanesque brick Carleton-Shepherd Block, built in 1891. National Register of Historic Places listings in Knox County, Maine

Location

Rockport, Knox County, Maine
44.18669, -69.07400

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
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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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

Rockport Historic Kiln Area
Listed
0 mi
TIMBERWIND (Schooner)
Industrial
0.1 mi
Mequnticook Golf Club
Listed
0.5 mi
Conway House
Colonial
1 mi
Spite House
Industrial
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rockport Historic District listed on the National Register?

Rockport Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Rockport Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Rockport Historic District?

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

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

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