Built in 1913 by John D Lary

A small bungalow in the North Deering neighborhood

Standing across the street from the old Rainbow Mall, it is something of a landmark on Washington Avenue.

John Dana Lary was a native of Berlin New Hampshire. His connection to Portland stems from a mortgage given in 1894 to several associates in Berlin for a development on Long Island in Casco Bay. The plan didn’t work and Lary foreclosed in 1895. He soon built a cottage on the island along with endeavoring to develop the property further. John purchased the land for our subject from the heirs of Arthur C Libby in 1912. By the time the Richards 1914 Atlas of the city of Portland was compiled, our subject was built.

904 Washington Avenue on the Richards Atlas of the City of Portland : 1914
Portland Public Library Digital Commons

What John Lary built is a small house that measures 24′ on the street. 14′ back, the porches end and the house expands to 36′ wide and runs another 19′ back. It is 2 stories although the second cannot have much headroom. Details are minimal. The porch posts slim and somewhat Colonial Revival in style. The windows are modern in style and vary according to internal need and functions. The real centerpiece of the facade is that lovely second-story window.

In 1918 tragedy struck the Lary family when John Jr died of influenza at the age of 24. He had, it would seem, always been sickly and was studying at the University of Maine when he died. In 1919 John Lary sold 904 Washington Avenue to Adelaide Hamilton. Adelaide was born in Canada in 1874 and married Dana Hamilton of Cumberland, possibly Chebeague Island, in 1894. They had 2 children. Dana caught, bought, and sold fish as well as clerking in various markets. Adelaide was a milliner at the F.H. Butler Millinery Shop on Middle Street.

Postcard view of Middle Street ca: 1911. F.H. Butler Millinery is on the right. Maine Memory Network

Adelaide Hamilton sold 904 Washington Avenue in 1923. The 1924 tax record has her name typed in as the owner then crossed out and the new owners names written in in hand. Those names were Solon & Della Conner.

904 Washington Avenue in 1924. Maine Memory Network

Solon & Della Conner were from Exeter & Jefferson New Hampshire respectively. Solon served in WWI before graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in forestry. They married in Pembroke NH in 1922.  They had 3 children. What Solon did during the 20s isn’t clear. The 1926 city directory simply gave his profession as ‘forester’. The 1930 census said he was selling refrigeration equipment. What is clear is, with the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933, Solon Conner found his calling’. By June of that year, Solon was the supervisor of the first CCC camp at Mount Desert. His crew was involved in construction of various projects in the Eagle Lake area. Solon also was involved in treating White Pine blister rust in various parts of the island. In 1935, Solon left Mount Desert to head the state of Vermont’s White Pine blister rust control program. The family moved to Montpelier before settling in Barre.

When the Connors moved to Vermont in 1935, they rented 904 Washington Avenue for a few years. As this was during the Great Depression, it is not surprising that they did not attempt to sell it right away. The tenants were a couple originally from Massachusetts named Francis & Beulah Sullivan. They had 2 daughters. Francis was the credit manager for the GMAC branch on the 8th floor of the Chapman Building. The Sullivans moved to the Eastern Promenade when 904 Washington Avenue was sold to Charles & Florence Baker in 1940.

Charles and Florence Baker were both born in Yarmouth in 1885. Charles’ father was a pipe fitter while Florence’s work as a laborer in a pulp mill. They married in Somerville MA in 1906. 1906 was the year Charles started working for the US Postal Service. He worked there for 43 years. At the time of his retirement, he was the superintendent of the ‘Executive Office” which was in the US Court Building on Pearl Street. The Bakers had 2 children who were adults and living on their own when Charles & Florence purchased our subject.
Charles Baker died in January of 1964. Florence sold 904 Washington Avenue the following year. The purchasers were Kenneth & Margaret Packard. I cannot find any information on the Packards. They sold our subject in 1973. The purchasers were Lawrence and Edna Flaherty. Other than Lawrence attending Cheverus High, I can find nothing on the Flaherty’s. The property was sold to a real estate firm in 1996 who passed it between various members of the firm until 2002 when it was sold to the Woman’s Literary Union who sold it in 2011.

904 Washington Avenue is listed as a single-family home. It is a rental property. The condition is very good.