Hammond Hall
Schoodic Arts for All Awarded $24,000 Grant to Support Hammond Hall Rehabilitation
March 24, 2025
Schoodic Arts for All is pleased to announce that it has received a $24,000 grant from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission to help develop architectural plans for the restoration of Hammond Hall, a historic community gathering space in Winter Harbor. Schoodic Arts for All holds a long-term lease on the building from the Winter Harbor Historical Society. Funding for this project was provided in part by the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service.
Built in 1904 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004, Hammond Hall has been at the heart of local life for more than a century. The hall hosts performances, town meetings, and a variety of community events. However, recent assessments have identified structural issues that must be addressed to preserve the building and ensure its continued use.
“This grant is a crucial step toward securing Hammond Hall’s future,” said Lisa Salsbury, Managing Director of Schoodic Arts for All. “Having detailed architectural plans will allow us to plan and phase the restoration properly while meeting historic preservation standards.”
Anna Woolf, Artistic Director of Schoodic Arts for All, emphasized the hall’s role in the community. “In addition to its historical significance, Hammond Hall is also the heart of our organization. It’s where artists take the stage, children discover their creativity, and neighbors come together. Preserving this space means safeguarding a vital part of Winter Harbor’s identity.”
The grant funding will support the hiring of architects and engineers to create a roadmap for the restoration. These plans will guide repair efforts and help secure additional funding to complete the work.
Scroll down for more information on Hammond Hall and its history.
Hammond Hall - A Brief History
Hammond Hall was built in 1904 by Edward J. Hammond, a local businessman and landowner. He donated the land to the Town of Winter Harbor in 1902, with the intent of building a new town hall.
Since then, Hammond Hall has served as an anchor to Winter Harbor’s Main Street. Over the years, the building has had many uses and hosted many events in the community, including town meetings, dances, theater productions, and basketball games. It was home base for a community youth center and there was even a bowling alley in the basement at one time!
Today, Hammond Hall serves as the performance venue for Schoodic Arts for All. Musical and theatrical performances are the primary use of the Hall, along with serving as a meeting place for several community groups and local non-profits. The Town of Winter Harbor’s Annual Meetings are also still held there.
Hammond Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, a hundred years after it was built.
Additional History and Interesting Fun Facts
The total cost to build the Hall was $7,482
Originally, the upper floor was to be completely finished and rented to the Masons and five large dormers were placed on the roof to let in more natural light. The Masons found other accommodations and only the balcony and an office for the selectmen were built. The dormers were removed in the mid 1960’s.
The Hall was dedicated on New Year’s Eve 1903 with a ceremony and ball.
The Hall was not referred to as “Hammond Hall” until the new gym was built in the 1980’s, but was simply called “the Town Hall”.
Beginning in 1909, when the Winter Harbor High School was opened, school events and dances were held at the Hall and high school graduations were also held there from 1913 to 1952.
During the Great Depression, surplus food was stored and distributed at the Hall.
During World War II, it served as a location for draft registration and the issuing of ration cards. Training for Civil Defense was also held at the Hall and there were three consecutive evenings of victory dances held at the end of World War II.
Winter Harbor Town meetings have been, and continue to be, held at the Hall since it was built. High school classes were required to witness town meetings from the balcony as a practical lesson in civics.
The Board of Selectmen met in the upstairs office every second Monday evening to perform Town business.
The floor of the Hall was a half-court basketball court where local school tournament games were played.
Silent films were shown, accompanied by a pianist. Traveling shows often performed at the Hall.
Use of the building declined in the 1950’s, after the Town Office relocated and Sumner High School was built. It was voted to give the building to the Winter Harbor Historical Society in the 1980’s.
Hammond Hall - Present and Future
Due to age and having been built on ledge without adequate drainage, the Hall currently suffers from moisture damage. A major multi-year project to rehabilitate the Hall is taking place to address this damage.
Hammond Hall today
Edward J. Hammond - local businessman and landowner who donated the land to the Town of Winter Harbor and built the Hall in 1904
Historic photo of Hammond Hall with original dormers
Photo courtesy of the Penobscot Marine Museum
A Postcard of Hammond Hall from 1907
Photo courtesy of the Penobscot Marine Museum
In 2002, Schoodic Arts for All began renting the Hall from the Historical Society, beginning many years of performances, workshops, art exhibits, and other events.
In 2004, Schoodic Arts for All undertook a major restoration, including removing asbestos, bringing the building up to fire code, redoing the roof, and putting in a new furnace.
Source: Edward J. Hammond and His Hall by Allan Smallidge
