Built ca: 1858 for Peter & Armina Nollet/Nollett

A whimsical Greek Revival in the Libby’s Corner neighborhood.

You cannot help but smile when you see it.

Peter Nollet was a native of Quebec where he was born in 1822. He was a mariner who seems to have arrived in Portland around 1845 or a bit earlier. In 1847 he married Armina Oak/Oakes in Portland. Armina was born in 1826. Peter and Armina were the parents of a year old daughter, Emily, when they married. Where they were prior to building our subject is not clear. Both Peter’s and Armina’s names appear on lists of mail waiting for pick up at the Post Office in 1854 & 55. These were the days before free delivery of mail. In fact, there was a charge of 1 cent per letter payable on pick up. The Nollets first appear in a city directory in 1858, living on Congress Street in what is, presumably, our subject house.

The house Peter and Armina Nollet built is,  under the exterior details, a pretty common form. With a stair hall and one bay of rooms, it is what I call an ‘East Ender’ and can be found all over Portland, with most being contemporary to our subject. As is often the case, it extends deep into the lot.

The 1860s saw Peter at sea and Armina and Emily keeping house. By 1870 he had left the sea and was working as a store clerk. Emily was teaching school at the West School which was in Libby’s Corner but I am not sure where. She served as principal for a few months in 1871 before leaving in December. Emily Nollet married Charles Moores on New Years Eve. Moores was born in Madrid Maine in 1839. Charles was working on the family farm in 1870 and there are no Moores in the 1874 city directory. As they were living with Peter & Armina in 1880, we can presume they moved in after marrying. In 1880, Charles was working as a ship chandler on Customs House Wharf.

Armina Nollet died of cancer on June15, 1880. She was 54 years old. Peter moved to selling used sewing machines on Commercial Street before buying and selling used clothing from a small shop at 445 Fore Street. In the 1880s, Peter & Emily purchased land on nearby Frederic Street and built a pair of apartment buildings. They were still owned by the family in 1924 and were nothing to look at.

By 1900, Peter had retired and 1043 had passed to Emily & Charles. Charles was working as a night watchman. Also living here were Erwin & Harriet Dill. The Dills were 44 & 37 years old respectively and newly married in 1900. Erwin was a salesman. Peter Nollet died of diabetes complications in June of 1904 at the age of 81. Charles Moores died of complications from prostate surgery In July of 1909. He was 69 years old. Emily stayed here along with Wesley and Mary Jane Galbraith.

As can be seen from the tax image from 2008, much of the exterior detail we see today is less than 20 years old and, hiding under there, is a more ‘formal’ Greek Revival house. It is probable that the previous siding was failing and the owner decided to liven things up a bit. It sure catches the eye. It is interesting to see how the new siding was integrated into the original details with the pilasters and architrave being retained as a ‘frame’ for the new materials.

Wesley and Mary Jane Galbraith were from the St John New Brunswick area and had come to the US in 1902. They married in 1909. Wesley was a carpenter. They had 2 sons, Wesley Jr in 1910 and Delma in 1911. They moved to a house on Burnham Street that was owned by Mary Jane’s father by 1920 even after purchasing a 3 family house on Huntress Street in 1919. By 1930, they were living on Huntress Street. Mary Jane worked as a stitcher in the shoe shop on Lowell Street for many years.

The bay windows on 1043 Congress Street are odd things. The front bay seems pretty ‘normal’ at first but, when studied, we discover that it doesn’t fit the building it is on. The cornice line cuts into the roof line of the main house and is higher than the roof. That has to be a source of leaks. Also, the bay is too wide. It is uncomfortably placed between the corner pilaster and the entrance. The current porch and steps are crammed against it in a less than optimal manner.

The bay on the south east, drive way, side carries the same proportions and, at first glance, seems better integrated than the front. But, it doesn’t fit the height of the wall in any way. It’s cornice is marooned in a sea of clapboard. The second floor window line is at the base of the architrave! It leads me to wonder, as on 296 Spring Street, are they original? Did the house that Peter and Armina build and live in even have bay windows? Were they added after Armina died? Wesley Galbraith was a carpenter. Did he add them? The masonry of the foundations are nearly identical but the bay is separated from the main block so that doesn’t say yes or no. My guess is they are not original. They weren’t common for the style and period. But, it’s a guess. In the end, it is a puzzlement.

In 1926, Emily Moores was living at 1043 Congress along with Charles & Eva Cowan. Charles was 74 years old in 1924 and working as a machinist for the Maine Central Railroad. Emily Nollet Moores died on April 15, 1927 at the Congress Square Hotel where she had recently moved. Wesley Galbraith purchased 1043 Congress Street from her estate that same year. The 1942 city directory shows Wesley & Mary Jane living here along with Delma and his wife Rachel. The Galbraiths owned the property until 1967. Wesley Galbraith died in 1968 & Mary Jane in 1973.

In 1972, the Maine Department of Transportation took, through eminent domain, 2 strips of land from 1043 Congress Street. One was from the front allowing Congress Street to be widened. The second was from the south east side of the property to facilitate the creation of Marston Street. This was all for the creation of Interstate 295 and marks the point in time when this section of Congress Street was converted from two-way to one-way traffic.

1043 Congress Street is listed as a 2 family home. The condition is very good.