William R. Miller (architect)

William R. Miller
Born	1866 Durham, Maine
Died	1929
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Bates College
Occupation	Architect

Maine architect William Robinson Miller (1866-1929) specialized in richly ornamented Romanesque- and French-Revival buildings. Born in Durham, Maine, Miller attended Bates College and the School of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1891-1892).^[1]

The firm of William R Miller was located in Lewiston, Maine and lasted from 1896 until 1907. The firm designed schools, libraries, hotels and churches as well as private residences throughout the Maine.

In 1907, Miller partnered with Raymond J. Mayo (1879-1966), and shortly after, moved the practice to Portland, Maine. The practice continued to work on commissions in small towns across Maine.

In 1926, Lester I Beal (1887-1966) became a partner, and this firm lasted until shortly before Miller's death.

Architectural Works

Schools

Jordan High School

School, Winthrop Center, 1900, Demolished*
Wilson School, Dunn Street, Auburn, 1900, Demolished
Jordan High School, Lewiston, 1901–02, Extant*
Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, 19 McKeen Street, Brunswick, 1903, Altered
Coburn Dormitory, Colby College, Waterville, 1903, Demolished*
Manual Training Building (L. C. Bates Museum), Good Will Home, Hinckley, 1903, Extant*
Morse High School, Bath, 1903, Demolished*
High School, South Paris, 1903, Demolished
School, Wilton, 1903, Demolished
Bancroft-Foote Cottage, Good Will Home, Hinckley, 1904, Altered
Administration Building, Maine Industrial School for Girls, Hallowell, 1905, Extant
High School, Lisbon Falls, 1905, Extant
Charles R. Moody School, Good Will Home, Hinckley, 1905–06, Extant*
Lawrence High School, Fairfield, 1906–07, Altered*
Purington Hall, University of Maine Farmington, 1913-14, Extant*
South (changed to Mallett in 1940) Hall, University of Maine Farmington, 1925, Extant*

Libraries

Carnegie Library, Waterville
Carnegie Library, Auburn

Lawrence Library, Fairfield, 1900–01, Extant*
Cutler Library, Farmington, 1901–02, Extant*
Carnegie Library, Waterville, 1903–04, Extant
Carnegie Library, Auburn, 1903–04, Extant

Hotels

The Gerald Hotel in 1905

Gerald Hotel, Fairfield, 1899-1900, Altered* ^[2]
Great Northern Hotel, Millinocket, 1900, Demolished* ^[2]
Hotel Rumford, Additions, Rumford Falls, 1901, Demolished
Hotel, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, 1903, Unlocated
Hotel, Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia, 1903, Unlocated
Hotel for George Pike, West Stewartstown, New Hampshire, Undated and Unlocated*

Churches

Wesley Methodist Church, Washington Street, Bath, 1898–99, Extant
First Congregational Church, Gray, 1900, Extant
People's Baptist Church, Bath, 1901–02, Demolished*
Episcopal Church, Millinocket, 1902, Altered*
Universalist Church, Sabattus Avenue, Lewiston, 1903, Extant*

Residences

William Greenleaf House, 9 Vine Street, Auburn, 1898, Extant
Samuel R. Penney House, 38 Maple Street, Mechanic Falls, 1900, Extant
H. B. Estes Cottage, Pine Point, Old Orchard, c. 1900, Extant
Almorit R. Penney House, 36 Maple Street, Mechanic Falls, 1900, Demolished
Charles V. Penney House, Spring Street (Relocated to Pleasant Street), Mechanic Falls, 1900, Altered
Two Houses for Great Northern Paper Company, Millinocket, c. 1900, Unlocated*
Snell House Hotel, Houlton, 1901, Demolished
George W. Bean House, 67 Webster Street, Lewiston, 1903, Altered
Five Cottages for C. F. Maines, Lewiston, 1903, Unlocated
J. R. Goodspeed House, Village View Road, Wilton, 1906–07, Extant*
J. R. Fairchild House, Hoyts Island, Belgrade, c. 1906, Unlocated

Miscellaneous

St. Mary's Hospital, Lewiston

Lewiston Daily Journal Building, 12-16 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, 1897, Demolished
C.M. Rice Block, Market Square, Houlton, 1897, Extant
The Lewiston, Brunswick and Bath Street Railway Company Carbarn, Lower Lisbon Street, Lewiston, 1899, Demolished
Knights of Pythias Block, South Paris, 1900, Altered
Casco Castle and Tower, South Freeport, 1902, Demolished(Tower Extant)*
St. Mary's Hospital, Lewiston, 1902, Extant
McGillicuddy Block, Lisbon Street, Lewiston, 1903, Altered*
R. H. Greenleaf Block, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1903–04, Demolished
Somerset Railroad Station, Madison, 1904, Extant
A. H. Shaw Stable, High Street, Bath, 1904, Extant*
H. A. Furbish Bank, Rangeley, 1905, Extant
Fire Station, Skowhegan, 1905, Extant
General J. A. Hill Tomb, Oak Hill Cemetery, Auburn, 1905, Extant*

Maine Historical Society maintains a collection of drawings by William R. Miller and successor firms. These consist primarily of working drawings on linen. When drawings exist they are noted with asterisks in the list of commissions. In addition, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission has plans and elevations for the Somerset Railroad Station in Madison.

References

↑ Shettleworth, jr., Earle G.; Reed, Roger G., eds. (1984). A Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Maine. Augusta, ME: Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
1 2 Bryant Franklin Tolles (30 June 2008). Summer by the Seaside: The Architecture of New England Coastal Resort Hotels, 1820-1950. UPNE. p. 155. ISBN 978-1-58465-576-3. Retrieved 13 October 2012.