Maine Preservation

Funds go for maintenance and large-scale rehabilitation, from structural repairs at a Patten cultural center to carpentry repairs at a Blue Hill historic house museum.

Maine Preservation is calling for nominations for its 2026 Most Endangered Historic Places. Previous listings have included bridges, mill buildings, churches, clock towers, schools and even whole neighborhoods.

The designation creates opportunities for investment and supports local property owners through access to historic tax credits.

The awards recognize grassroots efforts advocating for important places, creative activation of underused open spaces, long-haulers who steward historic buildings and legacy businesses that serve as cornerstones of Maine’s downtowns.

Funds will be used to rehabilitate the Old Hancock County Sheriff’s Home and Jail, a 19th-century building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hebert Construction’s renovation of the circa 1870s Dr. Milton Wedgewood House in Lewiston is being recognized by Maine Preservation as one of its 2026 honorees for excellence in historic preservation.

Maine restoration expert Jonathan Taggart was part of a team that restored a historic Hay and Peabody Seth Thomas Clock on Congress Street in Portland.

The Maine Development Foundation awards recognize efforts in communities that are part of its Maine Downtown Center program.

Maine Preservation's list highlights significant historic structures facing costly repairs, structural failures and legal quagmires.

Recipients include the Poland Spring Preservation Society and the International Cryptozoology Museum in Bangor.