Pownalborough Courthouse, Colonial courthouse in Dresden, Maine.
Pownalborough Courthouse is a wooden building with three stories, a hip roof, and a five-bay facade with a central entrance. Pilasters and a decorative cornice frame the entryway, giving the front elevation classical proportions.
The building was constructed between 1761 and 1769 as the first courthouse for Lincoln County. The Goodwin family owned and maintained it for nearly two centuries until 1954.
The courthouse displays how colonial justice systems operated, with original documents and furnishings from that era on view. Visitors can see how the building shaped the community and what role it played in people's daily lives.
The building is open to visitors from May through October, with guided tours explaining how the structure served different purposes over time. Plan your visit in advance since access is limited to the warmer months.
The building simultaneously operated as a courthouse, tavern, church, dancing school, and post office, making it the center of colonial community life. This multi-purpose use reveals how essential a single structure could be to a small settlement.
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