Oak Street School | |
| |
Location | 36 Oak Street, Lewiston, Maine |
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Coordinates | 44°5′55″N 70°12′58″W / 44.09861°N 70.21611°W |
Built | 1890 |
Architect | George M. Coombs |
Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 76000190 [1] |
Added to NRHP | October 8, 1976 |
The Dingley Building, formerly the Oak Street School, is a historic municipal building at 36 Oak Street in Lewiston, Maine. Built in 1890, it is a distinctive local example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, designed by local architect George M. Coombs. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. [1] It now houses the Lewiston school system's administrative offices.
The Dingley Building stands near the eastern edge of Lewiston's commercial downtown area, on a lot bounded by Middle, Oak, and Bates Streets. It is a two-story masonry structure, built of red brick with stone trim. It is covered by a tall hip roof, and is set on a raised basement, from which it is separated by a stone beltcourse. The main entrance is recessed in a large round-arch opening, which shelters the stairs providing access. The entrance is set in a projecting gabled section, from which a turret rises at the left corner, topped by an open belvedere and a convex circular roof. Windows in the projecting section above the entrance are set in round-arch openings, in a group of four on the second level, and in a Palladian-style group of three in the gable. [2]
The school building was designed by architect George M. Coombs and was built in 1890. [3] The name was changed to the Dingley Building in 1899 in honor of Nelson Dingley, Jr., a former governor of Maine and longtime congressman from Maine's second district. [3] It was later used as an elementary school, then the headquarters for the Lewiston Board of Education. [3] It remains the central office for the school district today. [4] The Lewiston Historical Commission also meets in the building. [5]
A lightning bolt struck the Dingley Building in June 2008, causing no injuries, but resulting in moderate damage to the wooden tower as well as utilities. [6]