Story
The Guy P. Gannett House on State Street in Augusta was built as a wedding present for the newspaper magnate and his wife Anne in 1911. Designed by noted Boston architect Thomas M. James and built for $20,000, the large Mediterranean Revival-style house was a showcase for the latest architectural tastes and trends, filled with modern conveniences such as an elevator for firewood, electric lights, a central vacuum, and a gas-fired hot water heater. The house was also paired with the first purpose-built automobile garage in the city. At the time, only the wealthiest could afford to construct a standalone structure solely for the storage and upkeep of an automobile. This signal of success and prestige was amplified by matching the level of architectural detail seen on the house. The multi-lite garage doors are framed by Tuscan columns that echo the porticos of the house. The clipped-gambrel roof garage is clad in large, beveled clapboards and features a pair of dormers, wide overhanging eaves and brackets, and pilasters that divide the side elevations into three bays, each featuring twelve-over-twelve double-hung windows.
Guy P. Gannett succeeded his father as president of the nationally distributed Comfort magazine and later developed a communications empire that included publications like the Portland Press Herald and Kennebec Journal, radio station WGAN, and its later TV affiliate. Anne Macomber Gannett was the President of the Augusta Women’s Suffrage Association and later the first woman to sit on the National Republican Committee. Following the family’s move to Portland in 1927, the house’s next major occupant was the Maine State Planning Office from the 1970s until 2010. The property was listed on the National Register in 1983 and is a part of the larger Capital Complex Historic District in Augusta, which includes the neighboring Governor’s residence, Blaine House.
In 2015, Genie Gannett and Terry Gannett Hopkins, two of Guy’s granddaughters purchased the property with plans to transform it into the First Amendment Museum (FMA). They envision a space to tell the story of their family enterprise, newspaper publishing, and the importance of a free press for American democracy. The nonprofit museum has since restored the slate roof, completed lead paint abatement, rebuilt the chimneys and porticos, and restored windows and decorative ironwork.
Threat
The garage features prominently in plans for the FAM campus. With almost half the footprint of the house and standing two stories tall, it has the potential to provide significant support space. The preservation and reuse of the building, however, is in jeopardy. Engineering reports in 2016 and 2021 highlighted the worsening structural integrity of the garage. FAM completed temporary stabilization measures in 2021, but a permanent fix is needed imminently. Along with reinforcing the frame, the entire building needs to be lifted and set onto a new foundation. Deferred maintenance on the exterior has led to water damage, rot, and significant paint loss. The garage will also need a new roof.
Ancillary buildings are often torn down or lost through neglect, so the survival of the Gannett garage is significant. Early automobile garages are particularly prone to loss as they were often replaced with larger garages as cars continued to grow in size.
How to get involved
The garage has become a priority for the First Amendment Museum, which recognizes that without timely action, the structure and consequently, a piece of the property’s history will be lost. The institution intends to permanently fix the garage and incorporate it into the larger museum complex to serve as a space for events, lectures, and ancillary exhibits. To directly support the First Amendment Museum’s efforts to save the Gannett House garage, visit their website - https://firstamendmentmuseum.org/.
Take a walk around your town or neighborhood and search for historic, purpose-built garages. These structures can be standalone or attached and often feature architectural elements that mirror the house they serve. Besides being reminders of a past era of transportation, these historic garages serve as convenient workshops, studios, or in the case of larger garages, potential spaces for the creation of an accessory dwelling unit!
Photo Credits: First Amendment Museum, Department of Interior; Maine Preservation
