Criterion C: Architecture
Criterion Consideration B: Moved property
Period of Significance: 1851
Local Level of Significance
The Gilead Railroad Station was built in 1851 during the construction of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad in Gilead, Oxford County, Maine. The building is the oldest extant station associated with the Grand Trunk Railroad which leased the Atlantic and St. Lawrence line and is the oldest known railroad station in Maine. The small two room building is a utilitarian construction typical of early stations. It was originally located to the east of its present location on the southern side of the railroad tracks. To save the building, it was moved in 1991 to a site in Auburn and rehabilitated. It was returned to Gilead in 2009 and placed in its current location. Because the building was moved without prior authorization, it was removed from the National Register as required by program regulations. However, even after the most recent move, the building is eligible at the local level under Criterion C for its architectural significance as an early railroad station building type. It meets Criteria Consideration B as a moved property because it is significant primarily for its architectural value. The period of significance is the 1851 construction date. The building has integrity of design, materials, and workmanship. It is farther from the rail line than it was historically, but its setting and association with the nearby railroad add to its integrity.