Dismukes Hall

Dismukes Hall

  • <p>Photograph of the exterior of Dismukes Hall, 2012- Collection of the Maine Maritime Academy</p> <p>Dismukes Hall</p>
  • <p>Photograph of Dismukes Hall, c. early 20th century- Collection of the Castine Historical Society</p> <p>Eastern State Normal School</p>
  • <p>Photograph of students in the practice school classroom, c. early 20th century- Collection of the Castine Historical Society</p> <p>Eastern State Normal School</p>
  • <p>Panorama photograph of Dismukes Hall, c. late 19th century- Collection of the Castine Historical Society </p> <p>Eastern State Normal School</p>
  • <p>Photograph of the interior of Dismukes Hall, 1922- Collection of the Castine Historical Society</p>

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How many buildings have accommodated two separate colleges?

The building now known as Dismukes Hall was built in 1872 to house classrooms and offices for Maine’s second teacher’s college, the Eastern State Normal School. The college was established as part of a trend to improve and standardize education in Maine. The Normal School trained hundreds of teachers until World War II.

With war looming, Maine Maritime Academy was founded in 1941. The United States was in desperate need for those with military training, so the Academy launched an accelerated eighteen-month course for naval and merchant marine officers.

The two schools shared the future Dismukes Hall for a year. Maine Maritime Academy took full possession of the property when the Normal School closed in 1942.

Dismukes Hall is named for Rear Admiral Douglas E. Dismukes, the first superintendent of the Academy. Today the building includes a laboratory, classrooms, offices, and the Kennaday Planetarium, serving the Academy’s approximately 950 students.

For more information, please visit the Maine Maritime Academy website: https://mainemaritime.edu/