Criterion C: Architecture
Period of Significance: 1850
Local Level of Significance
The Summer Street Block from 1850 is a two and one-half story frame building designed with Greek Revival style detailing. It is located in downtown Biddeford, York County, Maine and sits at the prominent intersection of Summer Street and Alfred Street, the latter being one of the principal commercial streets in the city. The property is locally significant under National Register Criterion C, in the area of Architecture as a rare surviving antebellum apartment block and the only surviving building of its type in Biddeford. While there are several examples of two-family houses from the mid-19th century, there are no other early examples of multi-family dwellings on the scale of the twelve-unit Summer Street Block. The Summer Street block is a well-preserved example of its type - a mid-19th century multi-family apartment block - and is one of the more intact antebellum residential buildings in Biddeford. A street survey of downtown Biddeford (and the residential streets in Saco adjacent to the mills) revealed that the mid-nineteenth century housing stock has generally undergone substantial alteration, with typical changes including synthetic siding, removal or covering of trim, door and window replacement, entry enclosures, and additions. The Summer Street Block has remained remarkably intact and possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. The period of significance for the nomination is 1850, the year in which the Summer Street Block was constructed.