Augusta in Kennebec County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)
D.W. Adams Department Store / Le grand magasin de D.W. Adams
Augusta, Maine
— The Museum in the Streets® —
In 1910, Delbert W. Adams opened a store on Water Street offering "strictly first-class goods at a fair margin of profit." In 1920, Adams moved across the street to 190 Water Street, where the store operated until it closed in 1982. The Bussell & Weston Co. building and inventory that Adams purchased in 1920 gave him the location he wanted, and he gave Augusta one of the biggest markdown sales ever! Pictured here are clerks who worked at D. W. Adams in 1960: Dot Woodard, Florence Lennon, Beatrice Rich, Margaret Lee, Eleanor Goodwin, Marion Alcop, Nellie Cloutier, and Rene Pelletier. The 1909 building is significant today as an unaltered early 20th century department store. Chicago style windows mark the upper floors and large display windows line the store façade.
Erected by The Museum in the Streets®. (Marker Number 12.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the The Museum in the Streets®: Augusta, Maine series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.
Location. 44° 18.995′ N, 69° 46.411′ W. Marker is in Augusta, Maine, in Kennebec County. Marker is on Water Street north of Oak Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 191 Water Street, Augusta ME 04330, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Old Fort Western on the Kennebec (a few steps from this marker); An Ornament to the City / Un joyau de la ville (within shouting distance of this marker); A New Look for Water Street / Un nouvel arrivant dans Water Street (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Great Fire / Le Grand incendie (about 400 feet away); They Were Superior Buildings / Des bâtiments pittoresques (about 400 feet away); Birds and Fish of the Kennebec (about 600 feet away); Old Fort Western / Le vieux Fort Western (about 600 feet away); First Kennebec Bridge / Le premier pont du Kennebec (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Augusta.
Also see . . . The Museum in the Streets Tour Map, Augusta, Maine. (Submitted on December 9, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 9, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 485 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 9, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 3. submitted on September 6, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 4. submitted on December 9, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.