Contact Us

Maine State Chamber of Commerce
128 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 623-4568 | Fax: (207) 622-7723
​Email: [email protected]

About Our Beautiful Home

In December 2019, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce proudly moved from North Augusta to its new location in the heart of Maine’s capital city. Nestled at 128 State Street in Augusta, our new headquarters carries with it a rich and fascinating history—one we’re excited to share with you.​

Formally known as the Governor William Tudor Gardiner House, the stately mansion at 128 State Street was built in the late 1820s by Benjamin Davis. Davis, a prominent businessman, owned the Benjamin Davis Store on Augusta’s Water Street and later served as the first president of Freeman’s Bank—a predecessor of today’s Kennebec Savings Bank.
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Throughout its nearly two-century existence, the home has been a residence to several notable figures. One such individual was Colonel James Welch, who led the 19th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He was wounded in both the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia, and his legacy remains a proud part of the home’s story.

​Before World War I, the house found new life under F.H. Burgess, who transformed it into a private school operated by educator Alice Clancey.

Following the war, the mansion was purchased by William Tudor Gardiner, Maine’s 55th governor, and his wife, Margaret Thomas Gardiner. Governor Gardiner served from 1929 to 1933—two terms marked by the beginning of the Great Depression and the adoption of the Administrative Code Act, which modernized the process of issuing state regulations.

Governor Gardiner’s life ended tragically in 1953 when he died in a plane crash returning from a military reunion in Pennsylvania. Among his four children was Tudor Gardiner, a prominent New England attorney. Tudor Gardiner married Tenley Albright, the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating.

The last private residents of 128 State Street were Mr. and Mrs. William Treby Johnson, who lived there from 1935 to 1952. Mr. Johnson was a local banking executive, and after the Johnsons, the mansion transitioned into a commercial property—its role ever since.
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In 1985, the property was purchased by Donald Lagace, Sr., and is currently owned and operated by Lagace Properties, LLC. Under the care of his sons, Don Jr. and Peter Lagace, the home has been carefully preserved and continues to reflect its original charm and grandeur.

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