The Hidden History of Portland, Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles Building

The State of Maine has 13 Bureau of Motor Vehicles locations across Maine, but none have the unique history that the BMV building in Portland has. If you've ever had to go to the odd-shaped building on Presumpscot Street to register your car, take a driving test, or renew your license, you may not have been aware of what the building you were standing in was previously used for.

The building was vacated by its original owner in 1956. Since then, it has been renovated extensively to house not only the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, but several other businesses as well.

The building is a half-circle, as you can see from this Google Maps satellite image.

It's an odd shape for a building until you know what it used to be.

This photo was taken on June 20, 1956, showing a Grand Trunk Railroad steam locomotive being turned on a giant turntable to back into or out of a stall at the Grand Trunk Round House on Presumpscot Street. The stalls were used to store locomotives that were not in use or needed to be serviced. This photo was taken on the last day of service for the Presumpscot Street Round House, as operations moved down to India Street.

The next photo was taken on the backside of the building as you see it today. I tried to get a shot as close to the same spot as the original.

So the next time you have to register your car at the Portland BMV, take a look around the waiting room (especially up at the ceilings), and you may still be able to get a hint of what the building looked like in the steam locomotive era.