Coordinates: 44°5′26″N 69°51′9″W / 44.09056°N 69.85250°W / 44.09056; -69.85250

Southard Block

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Southard Block
Southard Block, October 2022
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 411: Malformed coordinates value.
Location25 Front Street, Richmond, Maine
CoordinatesLua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Area0 acres (0 ha)
Built1882 (1882)
Built bySouthard, T. J.; Rollins, T. M.
Part ofRichmond Historic District (ID73000146)
NRHP reference No.72000079[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPFebruary 23, 1972
Designated CPNovember 12, 1973

The Southard Block is a historic commercial building at 25 Front Street in the village center of Richmond, Maine. Built in 1882, it is one of the small community's prominent commercial buildings, with distinctive Second Empire styling. It was built by T.J. Southard, the town's leading shipbuilder of the period. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[1]

Description and history

[edit | edit source]
HABS photo, 1971

The Southard Block stands in the village center of Richmond, on the west side of Front Street at the junction with Weymouth Street. It is a 2-1/2 story brick building, with a dormered mansard roof providing a full third story. It has a single storefront on the ground floor, with two bays of display windows on each side of a central recessed entrance; these elements are framed by cast iron elements, including pilasters at the building corners. The second floor is five bays wide, with sash windows set in segmented-arch openings topped by brick headers with stone keystone and shoulder elements. The main roof cornice is deep and studded with medallions, and the roof dormers have fully pedimented gables.[2]

The town of Richmond was a major shipbuilding center on the Kennebec River in the mid-19th century, and T.J. Southard was its most prominent builder and businessman, operating not just a shipyard, but also a local dry goods store, grist mill, and cotton mill. This building was constructed by Southard in 1880–83, and served as the heart of his empire. The interior retains original elements associated with his bank vault and counting room.[2] It now houses a local senior center.

See also

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). with photos from 1972
[edit | edit source]

Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons