Employee Badge No. 233 belonged to Joseph R. Levigne.
Joe was a motorman for the Portland-Lewiston Interurban
and worked out of the Portland, Maine, station.
Androscoggin Electric Company became the owner of the
PLI in 1914 following the unexpected death of the
builder of the line, W. S. Libbey. Central Maine Power
acquired the Androscoggin Electric Company in 1920,
thereby becoming the owner of the PLI and the
Narcissus. Among the collection of the Gray
Historical Society. PWM
Research for materials related to the Portland-Lewiston Interurban took place over the past couple of weeks. This post will share some of the terrific exciting finds during the search for materials for developing the interpretation portion of the Narcissus Project. Finding materials that may help in telling this amazing Narcissus story with so many enduring storylines is paramount. The National Register of Historic Places member, Narcissus is a most worthy conduit for connecting the general public to the various intriguing storylines.
Organizations that were visited on-site, online, or responded to research inquiries in the past couple of weeks included; City Halls in Portland, Lewiston, and Auburn. Historical societies include; Androscoggin, Gray, Cumberland, New England Electric Railway, and Maine Historical. Other organizations included; Bates College Muskie Archives, Osher Map Library, Maine Archives & Museum, Cumberland County and Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds, and Penobscot Marine Museum.
It became apparent that there are railway collections (horse-drawn and electric) in Maine that could be resources for telling the very rich and colorful history of Maine's railway history. So, with Maine's Bicentennial year nearly upon us (2020), I've expanded the research to include identifying railway materials that will help tell more of the story of the importance of the railway industry in Maine.
Below is really just a glimpse of the wonderful findings in the past two weeks. We start by finding out how a former motorman of the PLI, Forest Greenwood, has popped up again and this time sharing with us his amazing gifts of donations from 1964 to the Gray Historical Society. More time will be spent in Gray to expand the search for PLI-related materials.
In 1964, Forest Greenwood donated several PLI-related
items to the Gray Historical Society as seen in this donation
card with the list of items. Forest was a motorman for the
PLI and worked out of the Lewiston, Maine station. PWM
James and Robert Greenwood, sons of Forest Greenwood,
attended a public presentation about the PLI held at the
Lewiston (Maine) Public Library in April 2018.
Forest would become one of the early motorman volunteers
attended a public presentation about the PLI held at the
Lewiston (Maine) Public Library in April 2018.
Forest would become one of the early motorman volunteers
at Seashore Trolley Museum. James is holding his father's
trolley museum motorman hat with member number 301
hat badge. Robert is holding his father's trolley museum
ticket punch and a strip of A & K Railway tickets.
trolley museum motorman hat with member number 301
hat badge. Robert is holding his father's trolley museum
ticket punch and a strip of A & K Railway tickets.
Photo courtesy of John Mercurio
The image above is from the June 28, 1941 reunion of former PLI employees.
Forest Greenwood is standing near the middle, between two fellas wearing
white shirts and ties. Joseph Levigne is seated second from the left. There are
four reunions specifically cataloged on several pages, of a nearly
100-page PLI Employee Scrapbook; June 29, 1938, June 29, 1939,
June 30, 1940, and June 28, 1941. All four of the reunions were
held in Gray, ME. The 1938 and 1941 reunions were held at the
Newbegin Hall. The 1939 and 1940 reunions were held at
the Pennell Institute Gymnasium. It is noted in newspaper articles
of the times, that combined, the total of former PLI employees and their
family members that attended each of the reunions in 1939 and 1940, well
exceeded 100 in attendance. The PLI operated a very short distance
behind the Newbegin Hall seen behind the group in this image.
Image from the PLI employees' Scrapbook in the O.R. Cummings
Collection at the Library of Seashore Trolley Museum. PWM
The dedication plaque (1937)on the front of the Newbegin
Hall in August 2018. PWM
Newbegin Hall in Gray, Maine in August 2018. The PLI
operated through the backyard seen here on the left. PWM
Forest Greenwood's PLI Rules &
Regulation Handbook. Among the
collections at Gray Historical Society.
PWM
Forest Greenwood's PLI Rules & Regulation Handbook.
Among the collections at Gray Historical Society. PWM
Forest Greenwood's PLI Rules & Regulation Handbook.
Among the collections at Gray Historical Society. PWM
Merit System of Discipline in
Forest Greenwood's PLI Rules &
Regulation Handbook. Among the
collections at Gray Historical Society.
PWM
Merit System of Discipline in
Forest Greenwood's PLI Rules &
Regulation Handbook. Among the
collections at Gray Historical Society.
PWM
Merit System of Discipline in
Forest Greenwood's PLI Rules &
Regulation Handbook. Among the
collections at Gray Historical Society.
PWM
Forest Greenwood's PLI Daily Inspection
Book. Among the collections at Gray
Historical Society. PWM
These original brass pieces from one of the
PLI interurbans will be very helpful to us
in restoring the Narcissus. We will borrow
these, and create a 3-D drawing with exact
specifications that will then be used to
cast the brass components for use on
the Narcissus. Where do they belong?
See below :) Among the collections
at Gray Historical Society.
PWM
Here is an image of the Gladiolus. One of the three
was built in 1912 for the PLI. To enter the coach, one
uses the steps. To assist passengers in stepping
up into the doorway, there are vertical wooden
handrails on each side of the doorway. These
handrails are secured to the body of the coach
using the brass components that we need to
reproduce for use on the Narcissus. Image from
O.R. Cummings Collection at the
Library of Seashore Trolley Museum.
The original "key" for operating the Narcissus! This lever
is positioned in the keyway of the controller in the
neutral position and depending on whether the motorman
needs to move the coach forward or reverse the key lever
is moved into the forward position or the reverse position
before activating the electrical current by moving the
controller handle.
The original controller handle from the Arbutus. Another
sister coach to the Narcissus. This was donated to the
Gray Historical Society by Gertrude Libbey Anthony, daughter
of W. S. Libbey, the builder of the PLI. Among the collections
at Gray Historical Society. PWM
The original brake handle from the Arbutus. Another sister
coach to the Narcissus. This was donated to the
Gray Historical Society by Gertrude Libbey Anthony, daughter
of W. S. Libbey, the builder of the PLI. Among the collections
at Gray Historical Society. PWM
PLI conductor's ticket punch. Among the collections
at Gray Historical Society. PWM
Inside an empty packet of school tickets for the
PLI. Among the collections at Gray Historical
Society. PWM
Cover of school ticket packet for the PLI.
Among the collections at Gray Historical Society.
PWM
While I was in the Lewiston/Auburn area on Wednesday, August 15, I stopped at Orphan Annie's Antiques on Court Street in Auburn. It's located across the street from the Androscoggin Historical Society and the Registry of Deeds. The owner Danny is greatly interested in the Narcissus project and has now become a resource for me in finding items that will be useful in using in our interpretation plans for exhibits and displays. Thank you, Danny!
Beautiful Presidential Campaign button from
the 1900 winning ticket of William McKinley
and his Vice-Presidential candidate, Theodore
Roosevelt. McKinley was assassinated in
Buffalo, NY in September
1901, which led to Theodore Roosevelt becoming
President of the United States. Theodore
on August 18, 1914. PWM
Inside the back of 1900 McKinley/Roosevelt
Presidential Campaign button.
PWM
A newspaper story about the life of W. S. Libbey. W. S.
Libbeys' house seen in the center photograph is located in
Lewiston. See the image below. The newspaper is among the
collection of the Androscoggin Historical Society. PWM
The former family home of W. S. Libbey in Lewiston
was seen in August 2018. PWM
1909 Deed showing the sale of a strip of property
to the Portland, Gray & Lewiston Railroad with
stipulations; including that if
the railroad was not completed or if it were
to be discontinued in the future, the property
would revert back to the original grantor or
his heirs. PWM
Colley Hill Road in Gray, ME. The PLI crossed
the road, up the hill, as seen in this
August 2018 image. It was in this general area
where on August 18, 1914, a newspaper
accounting attests to the Narcissus traveling
at a very slow pace heading downhill around a
curve approaching the Gray station, a young girl
was standing next to the tracks with her mother
in hopes of catching a glimpse and delivering
a gift to a special passenger on the Narcissus.
As the Narcissus slowly passed by,
the young girl tossed a bouquet of sweet peas
into the open doorway of the Narcissus.
TR bolted from his seat to the doorway and
grasped up the bouquet in his hand as
the Narcissus continued on to the station.
This accounting generated interest in
creating a book that will expand on the
life of a young girl growing up in Gray
during the years of the PLI. PWM
A deed Showing that Charles Colley (Colley Hill above image)
sold a strip of land to the Portland, Gray & Lewiston
Railroad (which would become the PLI). The strip
referred to would be in the image above where the PLI
would cross over Colley Hill Road. PWM
Conductors and motormen of the Lewiston Bath & Brunswick
Street Railway from 1900. The builder of this line was
State. The newspaper clipping is among the
collection of the Androscoggin Historical Society PWM
Conductors and motormen of the Lewiston Augusta, &
The newspaper clipping is among the
collection of the Androscoggin Historical Society PWM
To the right, in the center of this image at Monument Square in
Portland is where Middle Street used to be. That space is now
an open public area. The PLI interurbans from 1914 until
1993, used to cross Congress Street (seen here) from Preble
Street (on the left) onto Middle Street (formally in the center of this
image). Then onto Federal Street (just to the right of the taller
building in the background, turn left behind that building
onto Temple Street, then another left back onto
Congress Street. The coaches would discharge, then board
passengers. Lewiston is where the PLI dispatcher's office
was located on the 2nd floor of the carhouse. And as
a coincidence was also on Middle Street. The image was taken
in August 2018. PWM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We continue the restoration work on the 1912, Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban.
Click Here: Narcissus Restoration-Related Posts
Being more than a century old, the stately, "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem. This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including; time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents captivates, fascinates, then generates, interest to learn more 🙋. The majestic Narcissus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Please consider joining the epic journey to complete the Narcissus Project by making a donation today!
Click Here: Donation Options
The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one in a series of captivating stories containing an abundance of incredible coalition of narratives.
Click Here: History-Related Posts - Narcissus and Portland-Lewiston Interurban
The Narcissus is featured in the national Gold Award-winning novel, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. The "Elegant Ride" is the Narcissus. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914, between Lewiston and Portland, Maine, while campaigning for the Progressive Party candidates.
Click Here: Bookstores and Businesses promoting the Narcissus Project
Independent book publisher, Phil Morse, holding
the Gold Book Award Winner plaque for
the Middle Reader category for The Eric
Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to
award-winning Maine author,
Jean M. Flahive
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