Originally named the
Hall of Agriculture, the building was later renamed
Winslow Hall in honor of Edward Brackett Winslow, who served as president of the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine from 1908 to 1911. One could almost call this a three story building, as it has two and a half storys plus half of a basement above ground. A little bit Second Empire and a little bit Roman Revival in style, the Roman Revival being most evident in the front entrance. Though there is much stone trim on the building, the majority seems to surround the entrance. To the sides are squared pilasters with Ionic capitals and plain bases, supporting a pedimented portico with a pair of cornices, the lower one having heavy dentils, and an curved pediment, within which is the word
WINSLOW. Below the dentiled cornice is the word
AGRICULTURE. Both words appear to be formed with copper letters. Just inside each capital is the date, "19" to the left and "08" to the right. The double wood framed doors, set well back within the portico, are each three panel with glass filling each panel. Above is a multi-paned semicircular transom.
Designed by William Hart Taylor of Boston, today this building houses the following departments:
• College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture
• College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture
— Research and Development
• Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station
• Maine Food and Agricultural Center
• School of Economics
The building is one of the ten which contribute to the original
University of Maine at Orono Historic District, added to the National Register in 1978.
Winslow Hall, completed in 1909, was dedicated as the “Hall of Agriculture,” then was renamed Winslow Hall for Edward Brackett Winslow, president of the Board of Trustees at the University of Maine from 1908 to 1911. William Hart Taylor of Boston designed the building.
Winslow Hall provided administrative space for departments that formed the College of Agriculture and had classrooms and laboratories for agriculture courses. Bronze plaques honoring promoters of Maine agriculture in the 19th and early 20th century line the stairwells.
The building continues in its original use, serving as home of the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture.
From the University of Maine