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Historic district created in downtown Dover-Foxcroft

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Center Theatre announced that the downtown Dover-Foxcroft National Commercial Historic District had been officially recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and had been entered on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to a statement by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, the designation indicates that the district has been documented, evaluated and considered worthy of preservation and protection as part of our nation’s cultural heritage.

The Center Theatre led the effort to create the district, including hosting several public hearings and discussions with local property owners, organizations, and the town of Dover-Foxcroft. The district brings official recognition to the historic nature of the downtown business district in Dover-Foxcroft and will help businesses and organizations find new sources of funding for development and renovations.

“We were notified by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission that on September 10th the historic district had been added to the National Register of Historic Places,” said Patrick Myers, the Center Theatre’s executive director. “The commission has been very supportive and helpful throughout the effort and we’re very grateful for their assistance. The creation of the district is a feather in the cap of Piscataquis County and we hope it will create opportunities for development for several of the buildings within the district.”

The district encompasses an area in downtown Dover-Foxcroft bounded by the Observer Building, home of the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society, to the east, and the Center Theatre and a neighboring building to the west. 

According to Myers, there may also be an effort made to expand the original district to include more buildings further to the west now that the district has been created.

The 19 buildings currently within the Dover-Foxcroft National Commercial Historic District comprise a visually cohesive grouping of commercial, institutional and mixed-use buildings constructed between 1836 and 2020 which “collectively retain a high degree of historic integrity,” according to the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. These buildings express the distinct characteristics of 19th and 20th century types, periods, and methods of construction used in rural Maine communities. Three of the buildings, for which the architects have been identified, demonstrate the influence of the Greek Revival, Romanesque Revival, Italianate, early 20th Century Commercial, and Art Deco styles.

The Center Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to make arts, education, and entertainment accessible to their rural communities to engage and inspire. For more information on the Center Theatre, visit www.centertheate.org, or contact the Center Theatre at 207-564-8943.

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