National Register of Historic Places

Soldiers Memorial Library

Hiram, Oxford County, Maine
Listed
October 15, 2008
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
08000992

About this property

The Soldiers Memorial Library is the public library of Hiram, Maine. It is located at 85 Main Street in the center of the small town, in a small concrete-block building erected in 1915–16. It is architecturally significant as one only two library buildings in the state built using ornamental concrete blocks, and was for this reason listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. The library building was designed by Boston architects Robert Wambolt and Amos A. Lawrence, and is set on a small grassy lot with several small memorials to the community's soldiers in front. It is a small single-story structure, with a hip roof and a projecting hip-roof entry facing north. The walls are fashioned out of concrete blocks that are rusticated on the outside, except for corner quoins, basement courses, and a single belt-course just below the roof, which are smooth-faced. The entry section has two bays, the left one with the main entrance, which is slightly recessed, and the right one with a grouping of three sash windows. Window trios also appear on the side facades. The roof has typical Craftsman style, with extended eaves and exposed rafter tails. The interior is divided into several small rooms. The circulation desk is immediately right of the entrance, with the main book collection in the southeast corner (later augmented by stacks added to the basement). Much of the remaining space is taken up by reading areas, one of which features a massive cobblestone fireplace. A plastered section of the chimney above the mantel has bronze plaques affixed, identifying all but one of the town's military service personnel who served in wars from the American Revolution to the Spanish–American War. Construction of the library was made possible by a gift from Mrs. Virginia Gordon and other local residents, with the stipulation that it be in memory of the town's war participants. It is not known why or how Robert Wambolt was chosen as the principal architect; this library is his only known work in Maine. National Register of Historic Places listings in Oxford County, Maine

Location

85 Main St.
Hiram, Oxford County, Maine
43.88188, -70.79728

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
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
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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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
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Rivers & Rail
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Nearby Historic Sites

Hubbard-Cotton Store
Industrial
0.6 mi
Watson, John, House
Industrial
1.4 mi
Wadsworth Hall
Industrial
1.5 mi
Burnell Tavern
Colonial
3.5 mi
Dyke Mountain Annex
Industrial
4.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Dummer's War — Lovewell's Fight
1725Colonial
12.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Soldiers Memorial Library listed on the National Register?

Soldiers Memorial Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 2008.

What type of historic resource is Soldiers Memorial Library?

Soldiers Memorial Library is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Soldiers Memorial Library?

The period of significance for Soldiers Memorial Library is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Soldiers Memorial Library?

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