Auburn in Androscoggin County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)
Foss Mansion
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Le Manoir Foss
Auburn, Maine
| — | The Museum in the Streets | — |
The Horatio and Ella Foss Mansion, completed in 1917, is one of the architectural "grande dames" of Auburn, blending Georgian Revival and Spanish influences. Foss owned Dingley, Foss & Company, shoe manufacturers. Ella Foss willed the home to the Woman's Literary Union (WLU) in 1941. In 1892, twenty-eight clubs joined in the WLU for the "intellectual, cultural, and educational advancement of its members and the community." They supported the settlement movement and advocated for education reform and public libraries. Many women's organizations formed in the late 1800s, providing women with political training and public influence decades before they gained the right to vote. The WLU remains active today.
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Erected 2019 by The Museum in the Streets. (Marker Number A8.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Women. In addition, it is included in the The Museum in the Streets: Auburn-Lewiston, Maine series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1917.
Location. 44° 5.621′ N, 70° 13.621′ W. Marker is in Auburn, Maine, in Androscoggin County. It is on Elm Street just west of Main Street (Maine Route 136), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 19 Elm St, Auburn ME 04210, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Edward Little House 1827 / La Maison d'Edward Little 1827 (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Development of New Auburn / Le Nouvel Auburn (about 500 feet away); River Pollution and Restoration / Pollution et Restoration de la Rivière
Credits. This page was last revised on March 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 16, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 931 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 16, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
