Searsport, Maine 207

Searsport, Maine 207

This angled view eastward across Main Street shows the Merithew Block, the two-story clapboard commercial building beyond it, the tower of the Methodist Church, and part of the residential neighborhood across the street. The sign for Leach Street is posted on the corner of the Merithew Block at the far right. Several men, some perched in the windows and doorway of the S.M. Webber clothing store, visit on the sidewalk - possibly posed by the photographer to animate the scene. A horse and carriage stand outside the drug store; another horse and wagon are at the far left in front of the furniture store. Painted signs on the brick Merithew Block mark also the George Smith & Son and F.A. Curtis businesses. A telephone logo sign and the presence of poles along the street indicate the post-1900 date of the image. With its plain brick facade, ornamented only by plain cut granite trim, the Merithew Block, built in 1847, is typical of commercial buildings built on the Maine coast during the early to mid 19th century.