AUGUSTA – Descendants of the publishing magnate Guy Gannett want to turn his Mediterranean Revival house in Augusta into an interactive First Amendment museum that appeals to students and adults.
The house — behind the Blaine House, within walking distance of the State House — was vacated recently when the State Planning Office moved down the street.
Additional Photos
It has 5,000 square feet of usable space and a carriage house that’s in good condition, according to an assessment of the property completed recently by Lachman Architects & Planners of Portland.
On Tuesday, members of the Gannett House Working Group met briefly to talk about the future of the building.
Genie Gannett, granddaughter of Guy Gannett, said she got involved with a state facilities planning group about 10 years ago because of her interest in the old family home. Now that the building is vacant, she said, her family is prepared to fund a museum that teaches about the First Amendment.
As envisioned by the family, the museum would promote understanding of freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and chronicle the work of the Gannett family in Maine’s media industry.
A vision statement on a brochure provided by the family says:
“The Gannett House Project will keep current its interactive exhibits concerning city, state and national issues. We will create and maintain an ongoing digital library of the state’s newspapers, past and present. The Gannett House Project will further connect the story of one Maine family’s contribution to a national ideal: a free press as watchdog, the guardian of democracy.”
The brochure describes interactive exhibits in which students could learn about becoming a television reporter, or compare today’s rap music to protest songs of the 1960s to highlight issues of free speech. Possible exhibits also include discussions about bloggers and their rights and responsibilities.
The family also has proposed lecture programs, workshops and seminars, and outreach programs to “tell the stories of citizens who have stood up for freedom.”
The house was a wedding gift from William H. Gannett to his son, Guy.
Built in 1911, it was described as Augusta’s most progressive home because of its unique architecture and “numerous mechanical conveniences,” according to the National Register of Historic Places.
Guy Gannett and his family lived in the home for about 10 years before moving to Portland when his publishing company bought The Portland Press Herald. The home was privately owned for several years until the state acquired it and turned it into office space.
William Gannett, born in Augusta, was a successful entrepreneur who sold patent medicine and founded Comfort magazine, which once had a circulation of more than 1 million copies.
He and Guy Gannett founded the Gannett Publishing Co., which first bought the Waterville Sentinel, followed by the Press Herald, the Portland Sunday Telegram, the Portland Evening Express and the Daily Kennebec Journal.
Gannett later expanded to broadcast media, including WGAN radio and what is now WGME television.
Guy Gannett died in 1954. His daughter, Jean, continued to expand the company until she died in 1994. The family sold the company’s newspapers in 1998.
From the state’s perspective, the family’s idea for a First Amendment museum has several advantages, said state historian Earle Shettleworth.
Because of its proximity to the governor’s mansion — only a fence separates the properties — the state wants to continue to own the home for security reasons, he said.
It’s also historically and architecturally significant, and can be considered the gateway to the complex of buildings that often draws visitors, including the Blaine House, the State House, and the state museum and archives.
“This use allows the state to retain ownership but to free itself of the fiscal responsibility of maintaining the house,” he said.
Chip Gavin, director of the state Bureau of General Services, is writing a report on the idea, which will be considered next month by the Capitol Planning Commission. From there, it would be forwarded to the new administration and the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee for consideration.
“I think it’s very exciting,” Shettleworth said. “The First Amendment is the essence of our democratic system at all levels of government.”
MaineToday Media State House Writer Susan Cover can be contact at 620-7015 or at:
scover@mainetoday.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.