After the opening of the new road to Lisbon in 1846, most of Lewiston’s important commercial buildings began to be sited in this promising area, eventually drawing trade away from Main Street and the central Haymarket Square. Farmers now had easy access for their products, and the railway brought workers for the new mills as well as goods for the rapidly expanding city. This mid-century upsurge in trade led to the building of most of Lisbon Street’s grander buildings. One of the earliest, the College Block, occupies the site which was once John Cole’s farm, bought from him for $3,000 by the Lewiston Water Power Company. After a further sale to the Franklin Company, this site was developed in 1865 into a single-story brick building called Lisbon Hall. The location was central to the developers’ plans, linking the city’s two major business districts, Lisbon and Lincoln Streets. In time two stories were added and it came to house many stores, offices, a meeting room, and the city’s first library, the Manufacturers and Mechanics Library Association. Lisbon Hall also served as a provisional City hall and can be called Lewiston’s birthplace. In addition it served as a social center for the newly-arrived immigrants from Canada, who gathered there for musical and religious assemblies. The name “College Block” was given to the building when Benjamin Bates gave his share to the new college.