The Buck Memorial Library is the public library of Bucksport, Maine. It is located at 47 Maine Street in the center of the town, in an architecturally distinguished Gothic Revival stone structure designed by George A. Clough and built in 1887. The building was a gift from the family of Richard Buck, a descendant of Bucksport founder Jonathan Buck, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The building is a 1-1/2 story structure, fashioned out of rough-cut ashlar Blue Hill granite with dressed granite trim, and covered with a gabled slate roof. The building has an L-shaped plan, with a forward projecting gable end at the left, and the entrance located under a porch in the crook of the L. The interior, which has retained all of its original finishes and woodwork, and is laid out with the librarian's desk and office in the center, a reading room to the right, and the stack area to the left. The building is one of four small-town Maine libraries designed by Boston architect George A. Clough, who summered in his native Blue Hill.
In the Fall of 2017 Knox Masonry was selected to undertake the final phase of the Buck Memorial Library restoration project. The project scope involves removing the entire granite face and brick wall backing.
Each granite block was carefully photographed and cataloged to ensure each piece was put back in its exact original location. Mortar samples were taken and an exact replica of the original mix was formulated to use in the rebuilding process. The project will resume this spring 2018.
The Photos Above courtesy of the Buck Memorial Library
The photos below are courtesy of Knox Masonry.
Stay Tuned for updates to this amazing historical renovation.