William R. Miller

William Robinson Miller (1866–1929) was an American architect from Maine. He specialized in richly ornamented Romanesque- and French-Revival buildings. Born in Durham, Maine, Miller attended Bates College and the School of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1891–1892).

The firm of William R. Miller was located in Lewiston, Maine, and was in business from 1896 until 1907. The firm designed schools, libraries, hotels and churches, as well as private residences throughout the state.

In 1907, Miller partnered with Raymond J. Mayo (1879–1966), forming the firm of Miller & Mayo. Shortly after, they moved the practice to Portland, Maine. The practice continued to work on commissions in small towns across Maine.

In 1926, Lester I. Beal (1887–1966) became a partner, and this firm lasted until shortly before Miller's death.

Architectural works

Schools

School, Winthrop Center, 1900, Demolished* Wilson School, Dunn Street, Auburn, 1900, Demolished Jordan High School, Lewiston, 1901–02* Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, 19 McKeen Street, Brunswick, 1903, Altered Coburn Dormitory, Colby College, Waterville, 1903, Demolished* Manual Training Building (L. C. Bates Museum), Good Will Home, Hinckley, 1903, Extant* Morse High School, Bath, 1903, Demolished* High School, South Paris, 1903, Demolished School, Wilton, 1903, Demolished Bancroft-Foote Cottage, Good Will Home, Hinckley, 1904, Altered Administration Building, Maine Industrial School for Girls, Hallowell, 1905 High School, Lisbon Falls, 1905 Charles R. Moody School, Good Will Home, Hinckley, 1905–06* Lawrence High School, Fairfield, 1906–07, Altered* Purington Hall, University of Maine Farmington, 1913–14* South (changed to Mallett in 1940) Hall, University of Maine Farmington, 1925*

Libraries

Lawrence Library, Fairfield, 1900–01* Cutler Library, Farmington, 1901–02* Carnegie Library, Waterville, 1903–04 Carnegie Library, Auburn, 1903–04

Hotels

Gerald Hotel, Fairfield, 1899–1900, Altered* Great Northern Hotel, Millinocket, 1900, Demolished* Hotel Rumford, Additions, Rumford Falls, 1901, Demolished Hotel, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, 1903, Unlocated Hotel, Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia, 1903, Unlocated Hotel for George Pike, West Stewartstown, New Hampshire, Undated and Unlocated*

Churches Wesley Methodist Church, Washington Street, Bath, 1898–99 First Congregational Church, Gray, 1900 People's Baptist Church, Bath, 1901–02, Demolished* Episcopal Church, Millinocket, 1902, Altered* Universalist Church, Sabattus Avenue, Lewiston, 1903*

Residences William Greenleaf House, 9 Vine Street, Auburn, 1898 Samuel R. Penney House, 38 Maple Street, Mechanic Falls, 1900 H. B. Estes Cottage, Pine Point, Old Orchard, c. 1900 Almorit R. Penney House, 36 Maple Street, Mechanic Falls, 1900, Demolished Charles V. Penney House, Spring Street (Relocated to Pleasant Street), Mechanic Falls, 1900, Altered Two Houses for Great Northern Paper Company, Millinocket, c. 1900, Unlocated* Snell House Hotel, Houlton, 1901, Demolished George W. Bean House, 67 Webster Street, Lewiston, 1903, Altered Five Cottages for C. F. Maines, Lewiston, 1903, Unlocated J. R. Goodspeed House, Village View Road, Wilton, 1906–07* J. R. Fairchild House, Hoyts Island, Belgrade, c. 1906, Unlocated

Miscellaneous

Lewiston Daily Journal Building, 12-16 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, 1897, Demolished C.M. Rice Block, Market Square, Houlton, 1897 The Lewiston, Brunswick and Bath Street Railway Company Carbarn, Lower Lisbon Street, Lewiston, 1899, Demolished Knights of Pythias Block, South Paris, 1900, Altered Casco Castle and Tower, South Freeport, 1902, Demolished (Tower Extant)* St. Mary's Regional Medical Center, Lewiston, 1902 McGillicuddy Block, Lisbon Street, Lewiston, 1903, Altered* R. H. Greenleaf Block, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1903–04, Demolished Somerset Railroad Station, Madison, 1904 A. H. Shaw Stable, High Street, Bath, 1904* Rangeley Trust Company Building, 1905 Fire Station, Skowhegan, 1905 General J. A. Hill Tomb, Oak Hill Cemetery, Auburn, 1905*

The Maine Historical Society maintains a collection of drawings by William R. Miller and successor firms. These consist primarily of working drawings on linen. When drawings exist they are noted with asterisks in the list of commissions. In addition, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission has plans and elevations for the Somerset Railroad Station in Madison.