The historical buildings and structures of Yarmouth, Maine, represent a variety of building styles and usages, largely based on its past as home to almost sixty mills over a period of roughly 250 years. These mills include that of grain, lumber, pulp and cotton.Ancient North Yarmouth and Yarmouth, Maine 1636-1936: A History, William Hutchinson Rowe (1937) Additionally, almost three hundred vessels were launched by Yarmouth's shipyards in the century between 1790 and 1890, and the homes of master shipwrights and ship captains can still be found throughout the town.Images of America: Yarmouth, Hall, Alan M., Arcadia (2002)
Yarmouth's 2010 Comprehensive Plan identified "historic character" as one of five key topics facing the town. The plan proposed policies and strategies to ensure that "buildings of historic significance will be maintained while allowing the buildings to be improved, modernized and expanded.""Do You Know...About Yarmouth's Historic Properties?" - Yarmouth Historical Society, March 2020
In 2017, after the formation of a Historic Resources Steering Committee, the town hired historic building consultant Margaret Gaertner to conduct a historic architectural survey of the Village area of Yarmouth. This was completed in September 2018.Architectural Survey Yarmouth, ME (Phase One, September, 2018 - Yarmouth's town website)
The Maine Historic Preservation CommissionMHPCPC at MaineStateMuseum.org has found many of Yarmouth's historic buildings eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, in addition to the twelve that are already included.
In December 2017, the first phase of a "reconnaissance-level architectural survey" of the town's "village core" was commissioned by its Department of Planning & Development. The surveyed of 547 properties and 773 structures, across , included houses, barns, churches, bridges, dams "and objects such as memorials and water troughs.""Project Report Reconnaissance-Level Architectural Survey of Yarmouth, ME MHPC Project ID# YPI2018 Phase One – 2018" - Town of Yarmouth website
In 2019, the town began to develop a historic preservation ordinance, with proposed historic district boundaries, regulations and guidelines. The three potential historic districts that were recommended were Upper Village, Lower Falls and Royal River Manufacturing Company. A Preservation Plan was published in 2020.
A 2021 Historic Preservation Advisory Ordinance identified ten Local Historic Landmarks, three Historic Districts and three Historic Objects. Many are located in the Gilman Road and Pleasant Street areas, which leads to the possibility of it being a future historic district.Plan Yarmouth: Comprehensive Plan 2024 – Town of Yarmouth
National Register of Historic Places
In 2018, Yarmouth adopted a Demolition Delay ordinance, which prohibits demolition of properties on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places.CHAPTER 701, ZONING ORDINANCE, Town of Yarmouth, Maine - Town of Yarmouth official website Twelve properties in Yarmouth are currently listed on the Register.Yarmouth Historical Society: The National Register of Historic Places The oldest (the Cushing and Hannah Prince House) dates from 1785; the "newest" (the Grand Trunk Station) was built in 1906, replacing a structure built in 1848. They are ranked in order of construction below.
Cushing and Hannah Prince House (built in 1785), 189 Greely Road North Yarmouth and Freeport Baptist Meeting House (1796), 3 Hillside Street Ammi Mitchell House (c. 1800), 333 Main Street Russell Hall (1841), North Yarmouth Academy, 141 Main Street Academy Hall (1847), North Yarmouth Academy, 129 Main Street Captain S. C. Blanchard House (1855), 317 Main Street Captain Reuben Merrill House (1858), 233 West Main Street First Universalist Church (1859), 97 Main Street First Parish Congregational Church (1867), 116 Main Street Camp Hammond (1889), 275 Main Street Cousins Island Chapel (1895), 414 Cousins Street Grand Trunk Station (1906), 288 Main Street
In 2018, a further 46 properties older than fifty years were identified as being potentially eligible for individual listing.
Lower Falls
Also known as Falls Village or The Falls, Lower Falls (named for the nearby First Falls) was the location of several mills from the 17th century onward, while—on the southern side of today's East Main Street Bridge—was Yarmouth's harbor, where many hundreds of ships were built and launched in the century between 1790 and 1890.
Lafayette Street State Route 88 becomes Lafayette Street at the Cumberland Foreside and Yarmouth town line. It was originally known as Atlantic Highway.
28 Lafayette Street, which stands beside the stone marker honoring Walter Gendall, was built in 1750.Vision Government Solutions - 28 Lafayette Street
Across the street at number 33, (William) Reed's Machine Shop was built in 1952, the business having moved here from East Elm Street and Leighton Street.Yarmouth History Center Newsletter, Fall 2019, page 5 It has been owned since 1973 by Stephen Welch."Yarmouth is looking to reconnect itself" - Portland Press Herald, August 2, 2012 Alex Mansfield's Garage formerly stood at the location."Main Street Yarmouth through the eyes of Carl Winslow" - Yarmouthville Newslatter, Winter 2016
Pleasant Street Connects to Lafayette Street at the top and bottom of its hill above the harbor. Marina Road
Marina Road is the right-hand turn at the Staples Hill split with Main Street. It was one of the two access roads to the harbor from the village.
Original owner Peter Allen tore down the Hannah Russell House at 3 Marina Road and built the current structure in 1881. Until 2018 it was home to the business Women to Women.
Herman Seabury, a shipyard foreman, was the original owner of 9 Marina Road in 1890. It remained in his family for sixty years.
Number 22 is believed to date from around 1800. Number 36 was built around 1840.
The last building on Marina Road before the Lafayette Street intersection is number 59. Built in 1900 by Harry Dean as a tearoom, it later became a shoe-repair shop, an antique store and an office. It is, as of 2023, a nutritionist business.
Main Street Maine State Route 115 for the entirety of its route through Yarmouth, it is home to a mix of homes and businesses. North Yarmouth Academy is located on both sides of the street's mid-section.
Portland Street
The northern (village) end of the street is the historic part. As its name implies, the southern section, across Route 1, eventually leads to Portland, the largest city in Maine. After around , it reaches an intersection with Elm Street, the earlier route into the city.
Storer Street Off the northern end of Portland Street, Storer Street runs behind the First Parish Church. It is named for Ammi Storer, who was the first to run a business in the brick building at the corner, next to the church.
Number 23 was originally the home of papermaker William Hawes in 1850. The house was moved from Main Street around 1867, when the church was built.
High Street High Street, a cul-de-sac, is off the northern section of Portland Street. Rocky Hill Road runs from the end of High down to Marina Road.
Shipbuilder Elbridge Hutchins lived at 5 High Street, which was built in 1900.
73 High Street, built in 1868, was the home of John R. Gooding.
85 High Street was built by Solomon Sawyer in 1877 and remained in his family until 1984.
Bridge Street
Bridge Street crosses the Second Falls at the Sparhawk Mill. It connects to Main Street to the south and Willow Street to the north.
School Street School Street, which runs beside and behind Merrill Memorial Library, takes the motorist on and off Route 1 South, as well as providing access to the William H. Rowe School.
In 1889, Dr. Herbert A. Merrill had a dental practice in the rear of his house, built four years earlier, in Brickyard Hollow on Main Street. It has since been moved to 26 School Street.Images of America: Yarmouth, Alan M. Hall (Arcadia, 2002), p.44 It is the building now occupied by InSight Eyecare on the InterMed campus.
York Street York Street takes the motorist on and off Route 1 North.
Number 17 dates to around 1852, while number 22 was built around 1850. Brickyard Hollow The section of town between the Upper Village and Lower Falls was known as Brickyard Hollow, named for the brick-making business that was located across the street from the Masonic Hall (now the restaurant Gather) at 189 Main Street, which was built in the 1870s. A muddy valley up until the beginning of the 20th century, the area was eventually reclaimed as a civic center by the laying down of a two-foot layer of black ash, from Forest Paper Company, to level it out.
Main Street The middle section of the Main Street, located between Lower Falls and Upper Village.
Upper Village
Upper Village is the section of town between Brickyard Hollow to the east and Main Street's intersection with Elm Street to the west.
Main Street
In contrast to today, people who lived near "the Corner" of Elm and Main Streets in the 19th century would not think of shopping at the Lower Falls end of the latter thoroughfare. For over 150 years, much of the retail activity in the Upper Village occurred in the area of the Brick Store at 357 Main Street. Some of the oldest buildings on Main Street are those on its southern side, clustered between the Catholic and Baptist churches.Images of America: Yarmouth, Alan M. Hall (Arcadia, 2002), p.26 The Daniel Wallis House at 330 Main Street, for example, was built around 1810. Around the middle of the 19th century, Captain Cushing Prince Jr. (1786–1869)Cemetery Records at YarmouthMEHistory.org moved here from his historic house on Greely Road which he inherited from his father, Cushing Prince (1745–1827).
Baker Street Baker Street, near the North Yarmouth and Freeport Baptist Meetinghouse, connects Church and Cumberland Streets.
Number 22, a cape with a central chimney, is believed to have been moved from near 233 West Main Street. It was on its current site by 1859.
Number 40 dates to 1850. It is the former home of John L. Lovell.
Number 45 was moved from the corner of Main and East Elm around 1890. It was built at its original home in 1825.
Center Street
Center Street is off the southern side of Main Street and connects to Cumberland Street. It was formerly known as Woodbury's Lane.
Another barber shop, Larry's, stood on Center Street.
20 Center Street is the home of Winslow Station, which served as the town's only fire station from 1953 until the mid-1990s. It was used by the fire department until 2004. The building, which was constructed in 1930, is dedicated to Carl Henry Winslow, who was the fire chief for seventeen of the forty-four years he was in its ranks."Yarmouth seeks proposals for historic fire station" - The Forecaster, June 28, 2017
32 Center Street, a brick side-hall Greek Revival, was the home of Captain Samuel Baker circa 1850.
The circa-1785 home of Dr. Ammi Ruhamah Mitchell stands at 33 Center Street.
Charles W. Jordan lived at 45 Center Street, while 65 Center Street was the home of Edward H. Smith.
Church Street
Formerly known as Baptist Street, Church Street runs between West Elm Street and Hillside Street, ending across from the Baptist Meetinghouse.
Cumberland Street Cumberland Street runs between South Street and Hillside Street, crossing West Elm Street en route.
Captain Joseph Bucknam lived at 3 Cumberland Street, a home built by Jeremiah Loring in 1847.
A Catholic church was built on Cumberland Street in 1879. The location was chosen out of fear that it would be vandalized if it was built on Main Street, for Yarmouth was a predominantly Protestant town at the time. The structure still stands as a private home, having moved to 73–75 Cumberland Street, but it is turned sideways to the street.Images of America: Yarmouth, Alan M. Hall (Arcadia, 2002), p.25
East Elm Street