Built 1832 (1832) Opened 1832 Added to NRHP 10 October 1975 | NRHP Reference # 75000208 Area 4,000 m² | |
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Location ME 4 at Salmon Falls River, South Berwick, Maine Architectural style Greek Revival architecture | ||
The Portsmouth Company Cotton Mills Counting House is a historic industrial building at Main and Liberty Streets in South Berwick, Maine. Built in 1832, it is the only surviving element of the Portsmouth Company Cotton Mill, one of several textile mills operating in South Berwick in the 19th century. It is now home to the Old Berwick Historical Society, which operates it as the Counting House Museum. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Description and history
The Portsmouth Company Counting House is set at the southern corner of Liberty Street and Main Street (Maine State Route 4), on the eastern bank of the Salmon Falls River. It is a 2-1/2 story brick structure, set on a granite foundation and topped by a steeply-pitched gabled roof. The gable ends are fully pedimented, with a recessed triangular panel in which a three-part rectangular window is set. The building corners are pilastered, with an entablature encircling the building below the roof. The south-facing main facade is five bays wide, with the bays articulated by brick pilasters. The entrance is in the center bay, providing access to three rooms on the first floor and a large open space on the second. The interior has well-preserved Greek Revival woodwork.
The Portsmouth Company Mill was established in 1832, and operated for many years under the control of the Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based Hale family. Although this building is traditionally given a construction date of 1832, architectural evidence suggests that it may have been built about 1850. The mill was one of several operating on the river in the South Berwick area; this is the only building of the company to survive. It is now owned by the Old Berwick Historical Society, which uses it as a museum and meeting space.