Sagadahoc Preservation Incorporated (SPI) owns the Winter Street Center. It is comprised of two buildings: one an 1843 Gothic Revival style church the other an attached parish hall. It is located directly across from the Patten Free Library, Library Park, and the Zorach Spirit of the Sea Fountain. The church has not been utilized for nearly 60 years and it was last renovated in 1890 by John Calvin Stevens. The buildings were at risk of being demolished in the late 1960’s; Sagadahoc Preservation Incorporated (SPI) was formed in 1971 to save them. Both are on the National Register, both as a stand-alone building as well as a contributing building to the national and local historic districts. SPI Trustees (all volunteers) have maintained these buildings with membership dues, grants, and fundraising events for the last 53 years.

The Winter Street Church was designed to accommodate 300 people on the main floor and an additional 100 people on the balcony. It is connected to the Annex by a hallway. The Annex has three floors, a full basement, a large meeting room (Diane Francis Hall), and three office rooms on the third floor with an open meeting area. The Annex has a certificate of occupancy for 270 people on the main floor. The Annex basement is used as office space for SPI, volunteer researchers, and as a kitchen; the second floor is rented to community groups and Sagadahoc Preservation members for private events; the third floor’s office space is not used due to a missing fire escape.

Your input is needed to guide SPI’s future decisions. Please answer the following survey questions before April 30, 2024, to be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the 2024 Historic House & Garden Tour.