LEWISTON — It’s taken decades to get Lewiston’s Grand Trunk Rail Depot back into shape and open to the public, but the city’s historic preservation officers said it’s been a worthy effort. The restored Lincoln Street building, owned by the Lewiston Railroad, now houses the popular Rails restaurant.
Speaking at an event to honor the preservation work on Thursday, Bill Clifford, chairman of Lewiston’s Historic Preservation Review Board, offered praise to the railroad company and to restaurant owner Stephen Dick for their efforts.
“It’s been a terrific job,” Clifford said. “I was very impressed with the job you’ve done.”
“We applaud the directors of the railroad company for sticking with the depot for so many years,” board member Doug Hodgkin said. “There were so many voices calling for tearing down this building. We congratulate you on the renovations you’ve done to the exterior and the interior, while maintaining the external architecture and appearance.”
Hodgkin recounted the history of the depot and its importance to the community. It was built in 1874 as a destination on the historic Grand Trunk Railroad.
“This depot became a more convenient arrival point for thousands of immigrants, most of whom were seeking work in the mills,” Hodgkin said. “It’s a commonplace observation that this was the Ellis Island for these new arrivals.”
The rail line stopped using the depot in the 1960s and sold the building. Since then, it’s been used as an upholstery shop and a children’s clinic, he said.
“There were frequent proposals to establish a museum in the building, but the only results came when the depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979,” Hodgkin said.
The railroad bought the building in 2003.
Dick Trafton, president of the railroad, said he’s glad it’s being used. Rails opened last fall and has become a popular spot.
“We had visions of improving the building to be a useful structure in the downtown, memorializing the railroad’s history,” Trafton said. “It could have been a variety of other uses. The reality is the historic preservation has been completed, it has a current valuable use and people are coming downtown to use it.”
The depot was one of two Lewiston projects recognized by city officials, including Clifford and other members of the board, for 2015. The Kora Shrine Temple’s facade renovation and window replacement at 11 Sabattus St. was also honored.
Kora Shrine Potentate Rick Hersom and Past Potentate Barry Gates accepted the award for the $450,000 renovation.
Gates said the group is ramping up for a $3 million interior renovation project.
“The front of the building is what we show to everybody. They all see that,” Gates said. “But the infrastructure of the building needs upgrades. We need to do a new roof this summer, we’re going to need a new heating system and the electrical system is in pretty rough shape.”
The four-story red brick building, with its Moorish design elements and white terra cotta window ornaments, dates back to 1908.
Gates said the work signals the Shriners’ intent to make the building more open to the public. That begins next Thursday when the Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast will be held there. Shriners will host tours of the building, showing off historic murals and ceremony halls.
“It’s been pretty much a closed building for the 100 years it’s been around,” Gates said.
The building is hosting Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School’s prom this year, as well.
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