George M. Coombs

George Millard Coombs
Born	November 27, 1851 Brunswick, Maine
Died	March 27, 1909 Lewiston, Maine
Nationality	United States
Occupation	Architect

George M. Coombs (November 27, 1851 – March 27, 1909) was an American architect from Maine.

Born in Brunswick, Coombs was the son of Hannah (Morse) and John Coombs, a shipbuilder. At the age of 17, George M. Coombs moved up the Androscoggin River to Lewiston, then a booming mill town, and worked as a carpenter until 1872.

That year, Coombs began working for Lewiston architect Charles F. Douglas. He remained with Douglas until his departure for Philadelphia in 1874. That year, he formed a partnership with Charles H. Kimball, a young architect from Portland. Due to economic instability, the two dissolved their partnership later that year, and Kimball returned to Portland. Coombs practiced alone until mid-1875, when he became the partner of William H. Stevens, another Lewiston architect. The firm of Stevens & Coombs lasted until Stevens' death in 1880. Coombs worked alone until 1896, when he established Coombs, Gibbs & Wilkinson with Eugene J. Gibbs and Harry C. Wilkinson. Wilkinson left in 1900, and Coombs and Gibbs worked together until Coombs' 1909 death. Upon his death he bequeathed his share in the firm to his son, Harry S. Coombs, who had worked for the firm since 1901. With him, Coombs & Gibbs survived until 1910.

Coombs became successful designing residences and institutional buildings throughout Lewiston, its twin city Auburn, and across the state, working in the prevailing Second Empire, Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles. The company is now Harriman Associates.

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