The Schoolhouse and The City: Portland’s Buildings For Learning
From one-room schoolhouses to grand civic libraries, the buildings where Portland learned tell a story as rich as the city itself. This opening program grounds the Temples of Knowledge series in local and lived history, opening with an illustrated talk by Julie Larry that traces the history and architecture of schools, libraries, and other buildings that have shaped education in Portland over generations. Julie will be joined by panelists Bob Greene and Rick Romano for a moderated conversation bringing together historians and community members with direct ties to specific schools, spotlighting buildings that have fostered knowledge and the neighborhoods that grew up around them.
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Mechanics’ Hall, 519 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
Fee: $10 for the general public.
*If you've made a donation to GPL in the last year, please use the code GPLLOVE for $3 off the ticket price as thanks for your support!
Details: This is an in-person event only. The Arts District Garage, 511 Congress Street, is the preferred parking partner for Mechanics’ Hall. Street parking and other parking garages available nearby.
MEET OUR SPEAKERS
A native of Portland, Bob Greene is at least the eighth generation of his family to be born in Cumberland County, Maine. He can document a wedding in New Gloucester in 1783. After majoring in journalism at the University of Kansas, Bob eventually joined The Associated Press where he covered the funeral of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and racial disturbances in the Midwest. Later, as The AP’s tennis writer, Bob traveled the world following the sport. When he retired, he returned home to Maine where his genealogical search for his family led him to study the state’s history. He currently teaches a “Black History of Maine” course at the University of Southern Maine’s senior college while continuing his dedicated search for the world’s finest wine.
Julie Larry is the Senior Architectural Historian at Black Diamond Consultants. Formerly the Director of Advocacy at Greater Portland Landmarks, she has also served as President of the Board of Trustees and is currently an Advisory Trustee. As a partner for eighteen years at ttl-architects, an architecture and preservation firm in Portland, she was responsible for the restoration of the Castle in Deering Oaks and the Portland Observatory. She currently lives in Biddeford and serves on Biddeford's Historic Preservation Board.
Rick Romano is the owner of Papi & Romano Builders, a Portland, Maine general contracting firm he has led since its founding in 1977. A Munjoy Hill native, he brings deep roots in the city's historic neighborhoods to his work, and under his leadership the firm has built a reputation for historic preservation and sensitive renovation alongside new home building.
The Schoolhouse and The City: Portland’s Buildings For Learning was the first program in Temples of Knowledge, a three-part in-person series tracing a consistent thread: how buildings providing education and fostering knowledge have been designed and reimagined, past and present. From school buildings converted to new uses, a department store turned art college, to institutions that have long supported informal and adult education, Portland has a wealth of educational buildings. These programs will highlight their architectural and social significance, the role they play in our communities, and their reinvention to meet today's needs.
These programs are presented in partnership with Greater Portland Landmarks and Mechanics' Hall, with generous sponsorship by Developers Collaborative, a community-based development firm. The series will be complemented by virtual talks and site visits offered by Greater Portland Landmarks, providing additional ways to explore the architecture of learning.
Please email Aimée Keithan or call 207.358.7064 with questions!
