George M. Coombs (November 27, 1851 – March 27, 1909) was an American architect from Maine.
Early life
Born in Brunswick, Coombs was the son of Hannah (Morse) and John Coombs, a shipbuilder. At the age of 17, George M. Coombs moved up the Androscoggin River to Lewiston, then a booming mill town, and worked as a carpenter until 1872.[1]
Architectural career
That year, Coombs began working for Lewiston architect Charles F. Douglas. He remained with Douglas until his departure for Philadelphia in 1874. That year, he formed a partnership with Charles H. Kimball, a young architect from Portland. Due to economic instability, the two dissolved their partnership later that year, and Kimball returned to Portland. Coombs practiced alone until mid-1875, when he became the partner of William H. Stevens, another Lewiston architect. The firm of Stevens & Coombs lasted until Stevens' death in 1880. Coombs worked alone until 1896, when he established Coombs, Gibbs & Wilkinson with Eugene J. Gibbs and Harry C. Wilkinson. Wilkinson left in 1900, and Coombs and Gibbs worked together until Coombs' 1909 death.[1] Upon his death he bequeathed his share in the firm to his son, Harry S. Coombs, who had worked for the firm since 1901. With him, Coombs & Gibbs survived until 1910.[2]
Coombs became successful designing residences and institutional buildings throughout Lewiston, its twin city Auburn, and across the state, working in the prevailing Second Empire, Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles.[3] The company is now Harriman Associates.[4]
Personal life
He married Clara Coffin and they had two sons.[3] Both of them, Harry S. and Frederick N., worked for their father's firm.[1]
Legacy
Many of his works have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Designs
Kimball & Coombs, 1874:
Private practice, 1874-1875:
- George C. Chase House, 16 Frye St., Lewiston, ME (1874)[6]
Stevens & Coombs, 1875-1880:
- William Bradford House, 54 Pine St., Lewiston, ME (1876) - Demolished 2007.
- Farwell Bleachery, 39 S. Canal St., Lawrence, MA (1876–77) - Burned 1994.[7]
- Odd Fellows Block, 182–190 Lisbon St., Lewiston, ME (1876)
- Edward Little High School, 30 Academy St., Auburn, ME (1877–78) - Demolished.[8][9]
- Charles Gay House, 64 Highland Ave., Auburn, ME (1878)
- Lewiston Water Works, 38 Island Ave., Lewiston, ME (1878) - Only the gatehouse remains.[10]
- Auburn Engine House, 158 Court St., Auburn, ME (1879)[11]
- Chapel, S. Shore Ave., Squirrel Island, ME (1879–80)[12]
Private practice, 1880-1896:
- Dominican Block, 143 Lincoln St., Lewiston, ME (1882)[13]
- Music Hall Block, 200 Broadway, Farmington, ME (1882–83)[14]
- Louis J. Martel House, 122 Bartlett St. Lewiston, MA (1883)[10]
- Lothrop L. Blake House, 364 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1885)[10]
- Franklin County Courthouse, 140 Main St., Farmington, ME (1885)[14]
- First Congregational Church, 235 Main St., Farmington, ME (1887–88)[14]
- Savings Bank Block, 214 Broadway, Farmington, ME (1887)[14]
- Joseph H. Manley Cottage, 32 Club Rd., Small Point, ME (1888)
- Charles L. Cushman House, 8 Cushman Pl., Auburn, ME (1889)
- Harlow and Sanborn Pavilions, Maine Insane Hospital, Augusta, ME (1889–90) - Sanborn demolished.[15]
- Oak Street School, 36 Oak St., Lewiston, ME (1890)
- Albert M. Penley House, 233 Main St., Auburn, ME (1890)[16]
- Cole Block, 19 Main St., Bethel, ME (1891)
- Callahan Building, 276 Lisbon St. Lewiston ME (1892)
- Walter Dingley House, 46 Elm St., Auburn, ME (1892)[16]
- Bradford Peck House, 506 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1893)[1]
- Norway Savings Bank Block, 300-306 Main St., Norway, ME (1894)[17]
- L. Linn Small House, 11 Elm St., Auburn, ME (1894)[16]
- Holman Day House, 2 Goff St., Auburn, ME (1895)
- Oxford County Courthouse, 26 Western Ave., South Paris, ME (1895)[18]
Coombs, Gibbs & Wilkinson, 1896-1900:
- Peck's Dept. Store, 184 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1896)[1]
- James A. Walsh House, 253 Pine St., Lewiston, ME (1896)[19]
- Joseph Holman House, 227 Main St., Farmington, ME (1897)
- Merrill Hall, Farmington State Normal School, Farmington ME (1897–98)[14]
- Lewiston Trust and Safe Deposit Building, 46 Lisbon St., Lewiston, ME (1898)
- Bank Building, 38 Main St., Livermore Falls, ME (1899-1900)[20]
Coombs & Gibbs, 1900-1910:
- John D. Clifford House, 460 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1900)[6]
- Mt. Kineo House (Remodeling) and Cottages, Northwest Piscataquis, ME (1900) - Hotel demolished.[21]
- Masonic (Gateway) Building, 11 Lisbon St., Lewiston, ME (1901–02)[22]
- George Bonnallie House, 485 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1902)[6]
- Lewiston Public Library, Park & Pine Sts. Lewiston, ME (1902)
- First National Bank Building, 157 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1903)[10]
- Fort Fairfield High School, Main & School Sts., Fort Fairfield, ME (1903) - Demolished.[23]
- Maine Trust and Banking Co. Building, 192 Water St., Gardiner, ME (1903) - Altered.[24]
- First National Bank Building, 18 Market Sq., Houlton, ME (1907)
- Kennebec County Courthouse Annex, 95 State St., Augusta, ME (1907)[25]
- Philo Reed House, Main St., Fort Fairfield, ME (1907)
- Wallace H. White House, 449 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1907)[10]
- Kora Temple, 11 Sabattus St., Lewiston, ME (1908–10)
- Clifford Building, 217 Main St., Lewiston, ME (1909)[10]
- Gray and Staples Halls, Maine School for the Feeble-Minded, New Gloucester, ME (1909)[26]
- Norway Grange No. 45, 15 Whitman St., Norway, ME (1909)[27]
- Callahan Block, 282 Lisbon St., Lewiston, ME (1910)[2]
- Main Building, Central Maine General Hospital, Lewiston, ME (1910)[28]
Gallery
| Music Hall and Savings Bank Blocks, Farmington, 1882 and 1887. |
|
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Peck, Bradford House NRHP Nomination. 1994.
- 1 2 Second Callahan Block Historic Resource Inventory. 1983.
- 1 2 Maine Historical Society (1919). Maine: A History, Volume 4. New York, New York. p. 205.
- ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- ↑ Rockland Residential Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1987.
- 1 2 3 Main Street-Frye Street Historic District NRHP Nomination. 2008.
- ↑ Skulski, Ben. Images of America: Lawrence, Massachusetts. Vol. 2. 1997.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Receipts and Expenditures of the City of Auburn, for the Fiscal Year Ending February 29, 1879. 1879.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Receipts and Expenditures of the City of Auburn, for the Fiscal Year Ending February 29, 1878. 1878.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Historic Lewiston: A Self-Guided Tour of Our History, Architecture and Culture. 2001.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Receipts and Expenditures of the City of Auburn, for the Fiscal Year Ending February 29, 1880. 1880.
- ↑ Shettleworth, Earle G., Jr. Images of America: Victorian Augusta. 2008.
- ↑ Dominican Block NRHP Nomination. 1979.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Farmington Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1994.
- ↑ Maine Insane Hospital NRHP Nomination. 2001.
- 1 2 3 Main Street Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1989.
- ↑ Norway Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1988.
- ↑ Bennett, Randall H. Bethel, Maine: An Illustrated History. 1991.
- ↑ American Architect and Building News 7 March 1896: xix.
- ↑ Engineering News 10 Aug. 1899: 45.
- ↑ Engineering Record 20 Oct. 1900: 382.
- ↑ Brickbuilder June 1901: 131.
- ↑ School Board Journal June 1903: 31.
- ↑ Smith, Danny D. and Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr.. Postcard History Series: Gardiner. 2008.
- ↑ Engineering Record 27 April 1907: 53.
- ↑ American Architect 30 June 1909: 8.
- ↑ Norway Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1988.
- ↑ Engineering Record 30 April 1910: 61.
External links
