$40,000 Donation From 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation For the Narcissus

Narcissus Project manager, Phil Morse, is holding the $40,000

check from 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation, with

lead restoration technician, Donald Curry to the right and

1912  Narcissus in the background. The photo was taken

in Seashore Trolley Museum's Donald G. Curry Town House

Restoration Shop in Kennebunkport, Maine on

January 23, 2018. PWM

"The 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation is proud to be able to match this very important project and looks forward to assisting with other grants in the future. The Narcissus Project has been a special project to Art Jones and Joe Brogan for a long time and they are thrilled that they are seeing real progress."
Sheila Cook
Secretary
20th Century Electric Railway Foundation

The 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation in La Canada, CA first provided a matching grant opportunity to benefit the Narcissus in the fall of 2014. We had 90 days to raise the initial $10,000. Once raised, donations would be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to the full $10K. We were successful that fall in raising the full $10K in ninety days. The largest portion was donated by individuals who were either staff members or alum from my employer in Saco, Maine, Thornton Academy.

In the months following the successful matching grant campaign, I would occasionally send project progress updates to the secretary of the 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation. Later in the autumn of 2015, the Foundation secretary at the time called me to discuss the progress of the Narcissus Project. That conversation led to a discussion about other future plans for the Museum. Ultimately, from that conversation, two separate matching grant opportunities were offered to the Museum. Starting early in 2016, the $40,000 matching grant to benefit the Narcissus was kicked off, followed later by a $75,000 matching grant challenge to benefit Seashore Trolley Museum's Preserve & Protect capital campaign. The initial goal for both of these very generous and important fundraising opportunities for the Museum was met in 2017!

Later in 2017, our paperwork was prepared, sent to the Foundation, and verified, and a $40,000 check for the Narcissus Project was issued and mailed to the Museum late last week.

As the project manager for the Narcissus Project, it is very exciting and humbling, to receive so many donations from so many different people, families, non-profit organizations, and grantors with the common goal of helping to raise the money necessary to continue the work to restore the only surviving Portland-Lewiston Interurban, the Narcissus. Let's keep it going 😀

Thank you to everyone who has helped Narcissus to this point. We still need to continue to collectively spread the word about the project. I encourage you to invite others to join the effort to bring this beauty back into being the majestic, elegant, operating representative of Maine's premier electric interurban railway.

One way to explain what the Narcissus Project is about is by sharing the posts from the Narcissus Project blog: www.narcissus1912.blogspot.com

Lots of folks find the posts very interesting.

Currently, the blog has surpassed 120,000 total page views! 

The blog is a great way to spread the news of Narcissus.

Let's keep it going......

What's next for Narcissus? 2018

Restoration work will continue on the exterior of the Narcissus. 

The image above was taken 10.23.17 PWM All roof ribs were removed, repaired,
primed, and replaced. Ten needed to be replaced. The left side has had
its end boards secured to the roof rib tenons. The right side end boards are
nearly all in place. 

Donald Curry working on securing the right end boards to the
roof ribs tenons. 10.23.17 PWM

Major side sill and bolster work is in the early stages.

The bolsters will be removed, assessed, repaired, pieces replaced

as necessary, primed, painted, and then reinstalled. Side sills and

their attached channel steel lengths will be removed, assessed,

repaired, and replaced as necessary. 10-23-2017 PWM

Morrison Hill Station

Over several weeks from July until the end of October, the petite 1915 Portland-Lewiston Interurban waiting station, originally located in West Cumberland (ME) had; its window and door sills replaced and painted. Window trim boards replaced and painted, metal roof edges repaired and painted, the west-facing roof panels sanded and painted, exterior walls (yellow) north, south, and west repainted, and the tiny wooden electrical box that feeds the 600 volts (DC) lights of the building fully rebuilt, primed and painted, and many interior upgrades. All these improvements (and a few more to follow) are in preparation for the building to be the home of an exhibit next season about the Portland-Lewiston Interurban.

This picture was taken on October 23, 2017. 1915 PLI Morrison Hill Station
looks great with fresh upgrades and paint. PWM

Inside Morrison Hill Station. New floating oak flooring, newly painted
kickboards, and new kickboards and trim were painted and awaiting
installation. 10.20.17 PWM

Interior of Narcissus

Patented interlocking rubber floor tiles in the smoking compartment
and down the center aisle of the passenger body floor of the Narcissus.
We will be seeking contractors and prices on making new tiles, as
well as seeking solutions to properly repair the tiles for possible reuse.
10-23-2017 PWM

Seats for the Narcissus. We will make all 20 walk-overs, and mohair plush
upholstered seats from scratch. We have prices from two foundries
to cast all the various metal components. Funding the cost to
cast original patterns and then the various components is the
highest priority for fundraising now. Image of Interior of 1912,
Portland-Lewiston Interurban No. 16, Clematis. This
image has the viewer peering down the aisle towards the number
two end of the Clematis. Image from Seashore Trolley Museum 

One of the newly restored (5 of 8 completed so far)

mahogany sash windows that are contained in the two

bulkheads. Additional interior work will include rewiring

the Narcissus. When the body was the Vallee summer home,

120-volt household wiring was added and much of the original

wire was removed. October 2017 image 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