WATERVILLE — The Foster-Redington House has been entered in the National Register of Historic Places, according to Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., Dirctor of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. This designation indicates that the property has been documented, evaluated and considered worthy of preservation and protection as part of the nation’s cultural heritage.
During the last 19th and early 20th centuries the Foster-Redington House that was the home of two prominent men. The Queen Anne-style house was constructed by Moses C. Foster in 1883 as his own residence, and at the time was recognized as the first example of this architectural style in Waterville.
Foster was a celebrated and prolific builder and contractor with important commissions for public buildings, churches and hotels throught Maine and New Hamshire, as well as in Washington, D. C. and New Brusnwick Canada. Frank Redington married Foster’s daughter Carrie Mae in 1890. Within two years the couple had moved into Foster’s house which they shared with him until just before his death in 1906.
Redington was a prominent business man who served as the Mayor of Waterville and the president of the local board of trade, the latter a title that Foster also had held. During Redington’s tenure at the positions several important civic improvements were undertakn, including the building of City Hall, a new high school, and an important railroad bridge. The Foster-Redington House is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic places as an excellent and locally-early example of a Queen Anne style house.
The property also has statewide significance for its association with the contractor Moses C. Foster and local significance for its association with Frank Redington. The areas of significance are architecture and commerce. The period of significance commences when Foster built the house in 1883 and closed in 1923 upon the death of Redington.
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