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U. S. Custom House in Portland, ME by A. B. Mullett

This well-maintained building now houses several U.S. Government officials including OSHA [Occupational Safety….]

The interior still has some original features designed by A.B. Mullett, including the clock surrounded by writing desks which are incorporated into the clock design. The staircase and railings at the entry are the same design A. B. Mullett created for the U.S. Treasury building West Wing staircase, but on this one, gold leaf was used to highlight the railing posts. There are many similarities between the ground floor of this building and the North wing of the Treasury Building in Washington, DC, including use of marble. The main difference here is that by the time this was constructed Congress had been lobbied strongly by American companies to make better use of American materials which included American marble.

More on the architectural design of this building can be found in A. B. Mullett: His Relevance in American Architecture and Historic Preservation . See especially the chapter by Dr. Lawrence Wodehouse.