Odd Fellows Block (Lewiston, Maine)

The Odd Fellows Block is a historic commercial building at 182-190 Lisbon Street in Lewiston, Maine. Built in 1876, it is an important early work of Lewiston architect George M. Coombs, then in partnership with William H. Stevens. It is a significant local example of commercial Victorian Gothic architecture, which typified Lewiston's downtown of the period. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[1]

Odd Fellows Block
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Odd Fellows Block
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Location	182-190 Lisbon St., Lewiston, Maine
Coordinates	44°5′44″N 70°13′1″W
Area	0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built	1876
Architect	Stevens & Coombs
Architectural style	Gothic
MPS	Lewiston Commercial District MRA
NRHP reference No.	86002288[1]
Added to NRHP	April 25, 1986

Description and history

The Odd Fellows Block is located on Lisbon Street, Lewiston's principal commercial downtown thoroughfare, between Ash and Pine Streets. It is a three-story masonry structure, built of brick with stone trim. The facade is irregularly arranged, its nine bays articulated in a 2-3-1-3 pattern by stone piers on the first floor, and paneled brick pilasters at the upper levels. The storefronts feature wood paneling above and below plate glass windows, and recessed entrances. The upper levels are separated by a stone stringcourse, and feature sash windows set in pointed-arch openings with alternating stone and brick voussoirs, and stone keystones. A wooden cornice projects at the top.[2]

The building was constructed in 1876, originally to house retail space on the ground floor, and meeting facilities of the local chapter of the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). The IOOF hall was used by a large number of local organizations as a meeting space. The building was designed by George M. Coombs, then early in his long and prolific career, in partnership with William H. Stevens, who died in 1880. Architecturally, the building is typical of Lewiston's commercial buildings of the period, and is one of the few to survive from that time.[2]

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
2. "NRHP nomination for Odd Fellows Block". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-12-22.