Gorham Savings Bank has opened its newest branch in the historic Grand Trunk Railroad Depot on Main Street Yarmouth, after a year-long restoration project.

The restoration project is a collaboration with historic preservation property developer and owner of the Depot, Ford Reiche, who has rehabilitated four other properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Halfway Rock Light Station at the mouth of Casco Bay and the Grand Trunk Line station in Gilead.

Additionally, Gorham Savings Bank worked with the town of Yarmouth, Village Improvement Society, and landscape architect Sarah Witte to improve the green space, pathways, lighting, and other aspects of Village Green Park — the public area surrounding the branch.

“We strongly believe in making a positive impact in the communities we serve. When the opportunity to help restore this historic landmark presented itself, we believed it was an excellent way to invest in Yarmouth,” said Steve deCastro, president and CEO, Gorham Savings Bank.

“This is a first-rate restoration project and very good outcome for the building and surrounding area,” said Reiche.

“We’re grateful to Ford for his vision and leadership throughout this process, and thank you to the town officials who helped make this project a reality. We’re thrilled to be part of the Yarmouth community,” said deCastro.

The new Yarmouth branch includes a drive thru video teller machine with extended hours, open until 6pm weekdays, which allows customers to not only access and deposit funds as they might at an ATM, but also call on a remote teller at the Bank’s customer service center in Gorham, who will appear on the screen via video link and provide assistance with more specialized transactions.

During branch hours, three on-site employees will be on hand to help customers.

The branch expands the Bank’s existing Yarmouth presence, which includes the Gorham Savings Bank Community Board Room at Handy’s on Main Street, which opened in 2017 and is available for community and business meetings at no cost.

This is the second building on the National Register of Historic Places that the Bank has helped restore in the last three years. The first was the Grand Trunk Railway Company building at the corner of India and Commercial Streets in Portland, which the bank restored in 2017.

About the Grand Trunk Railroad Depot
A focal point on Main Street and source of local pride, the station was built in 1906 and originally owned by the Canadian National Railway Company. Active for 60 years until train line stopped servicing the area, the Village Improvement Society bought the property in 1968 to save it from demolition. In 1979 the property was added to the National Historic Register of Historic Places.