The historical buildings and structures of Yarmouth, Maine, represent a variety of building styles and usages, largely based on its past as home to almost sixty mills over a period of roughly 250 years. These mills include that of grain, lumber, pulp and cotton. Additionally, almost three hundred vessels were launched by Yarmouth's shipyards in the century between 1790 and 1890, and the homes of master shipwrights and ship captains can still be found throughout the town.
Yarmouth's 2010 Comprehensive Plan identified "historic character" as one of five key topics facing the town. The plan proposed policies and strategies to ensure that "buildings of historic significance will be maintained while allowing the buildings to be improved, modernized and expanded."
In 2017, the town hired historic building consultant Margaret Gaertner to conduct a historic architectural survey of the Village area of Yarmouth. This was completed in September 2018.
The Maine Historic Preservation Commission has found many of Yarmouth's historic buildings eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, in addition to the twelve that are already included.
In December 2017, the first phase of a "reconnaissance-level architectural survey" of the town's "village core" was commissioned by its Department of Planning & Development. The surveyed structures, across 773 acres, included houses, barns, churches, bridges, dams "and objects such as memorials and water troughs."
In 2019, the town began to develop a historic preservation ordinance, with proposed historic district boundaries, regulations and guidelines. The three potential historic districts that were recommended were Upper Village, Lower Village and Royal River Manufacturing Company.
National Register of Historic Places
In 2018, Yarmouth adopted a Demolition Delay ordinance, which prohibits demolition of properties on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places. Twelve properties in Yarmouth are currently listed on the Register. The oldest (the Cushing and Hannah Prince House) dates from 1785; the "newest" (the Grand Trunk Station) was built in 1906, replacing a structure built in 1848. They are ranked in chronological order below.
Cushing and Hannah Prince House, 189 Greely Road
North Yarmouth and Freeport Baptist Meeting House, 3 Hillside Street
Ammi Mitchell House, 333 Main Street
Russell Hall, North Yarmouth Academy, 141 Main Street
Academy Hall, North Yarmouth Academy, 129 Main Street
Capt. S. C. Blanchard House, 317 Main Street
Capt. Reuben Merrill House, 233 West Main Street
First Universalist Church, 97 Main Street
First Parish Congregational Church, 116 Main Street
Camp Hammond, 275 Main Street
Cousins Island Chapel, 414 Cousins Street
Grand Trunk Station, 288 Main Street
In 2018, a further 46 properties older than fifty years were identified as being potentially eligible for individual listing.
Lower Falls
Also known as the First Falls, Lower Falls was the location of several mills from the 17th century onward, while — on the southern side of today's East Main Street Bridge — was Yarmouth's harbor, where many hundreds of ships were built and launched between 1740 and 1890.
Lafayette Street
Lafayette Street is what State Route 88 becomes at the Cumberland Foreside and Yarmouth town line. It was originally known as Atlantic Highway.
28 Lafayette Street, which stands beside the stone marker honoring Walter Gendall, was built in 1750.
Across the street at number 33, (William) Reed's Machine Shop was built in 1952, the business having moved here from East Elm Street and Leighton Street. It has been owned since 1973 by Stephen Welch. Alex Mansfield's Garage formerly stood at the location.
Pleasant Street
Connects to Lafayette Street at the top and bottom of its hill above the harbor.
Marina Road
Marina Road is the right-hand turn at the Staples Hill split with Main at East Main. It was one of the two access roads to the harbor from Main Street.
Original owner Peter Allen tore down the Hannah Russell House at 3 Marina Road and built the current structure in 1881. Until 2018 it was home to the business Women to Women.
Herman Seabury, a shipyard foreman, was the original owner of 9 Marina Road in 1890. It remained in his family for sixty years.
Number 22 is believed to date from around 1800.