2018 Teddy Roosevelt Days - A Wonderful Weekend

Many happy guests seated in the 1901 Connecticut Car

Company open-trolley car No. 303 just before departure for

an early evening ride on Seashore Trolley Museum's

heritage electric railway. The ride followed a wonderful

opening reception with programs for the 2018 Teddy

Roosevelt Days fundraising event to benefit the

1912 Portland-Lewiston Interurban No. 14,

Narcissus. PWM

The arrival of the two vintage horse-drawn

vehicles on loan from Skyline Farm & Carriage

Museum in North Yarmouth, Maine, that would

be on exhibit during the weekend event. Both

vehicles would have been in use in 1901

when Tower "C", seen here in the background,

began its service as a switching station for

the Boston Elevated Railway. PWM

The circa 1880s multi-use wagon would have carried people

and also would be used to carry produce to market.

The seat can easily be removed or relocated

anywhere along the open wagon body. It has a rear

tailgate that opens and closes. A very common wagon during

the timeframe that Theodore Roosevelt was in Island Falls,

Maine in 1878 & 79. Was also very popular out west during

the 1880s when  Roosevelt and his friends and Maine guides,

William Sewall & Wilmot Dow were his ranch hands while
living with Roosevelt in North Dakota.
Photo courtesy of Kathy Allen Merrill

Guests arrive at Seashore Trolley Museum and registered

between 3 pm and 4 pm.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Allen Merrill

     Guests included members from historical societies in Falmouth, Cumberland, Gray, New Gloucester, and of course Seashore Trolley Museum. Earlier this year, Donald Curry and I had done presentations about the Portland-Lewiston Interurban in the communities of West Falmouth, West Cumberland, and Lewiston. Another guest at Friday's opening gala was Jean Flahive. Jean has been contracted through Maine Authors Publishing to write an early reader historical fiction chapter book about the Narcissus.

Guests look over the many silent auction items displayed

to bid on. Generous donors of silent auction items allowed for

100% of the proceeds from the auction and raffle items

go to the Narcissus Project.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Allen Merrill

Shortly after 4 pm, guests boarded 303 for a short ride to the 

1915 Portland-Lewiston Interurban waiting-station from

Morrison Hill in West Cumberland, Maine, where they would

disembark then take a short walk to the

Donald G. Curry Town House Restoration Shop

for a tour and slideshow of the Narcissus

and the restoration progress. PWM 

Picture-perfect late afternoon. Guests on 303 before making

their way to Morrison Hill Station. PWM

A grinning Theodore Roosevelt greets the guests at

Morrison Hill Station. Inside the station is an

exhibit on the PLI and the Narcissus. The Narcissus

would pass and occasionally stop at the station from

1915 through 1933 as it sat along the line in

West Cumberland.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Allen Merrill

The Narcissus is decorated with images and directional arrows

along its side sills and the lower section of the vestibule. These

are for guests during their tour to see where the various

components operate the National Register of Historic

Places icon.  PWM

The tour began with guests along the visitor gallery being

addressed by Ernie Eaton & Donald Curry. Ernie & Donald

are the lead restoration staff and volunteers working on

the Narcissus. The next stage of the tour was for guests to

go downstairs and be seated to watch & listen to

a presentation on the restoration. PWM

The number one end of the Narcissus with images of

headlights. PWM

Photos and a detailed drawing showing the exact location of

all components that will be attached to the underside of the

Narcissus. PWM

More photos and location points. PWM

Photos describing the patented interlocking rubber floor tiles

that are in the smoking compartment and down the center

of the passenger compartment. PWM

Drawing of the complicated brake system. PWM

Old photographs are so helpful when locating or verifying

the locations of components on the Narcissus. PWM

     Upon the conclusion of the tour and presentation at the shop, guests returned to the visitor center by trolley and enjoyed a meet-and-greet reception with food and beverages. This was followed by Phil Morse, project manager of the Narcissus Project, opening the evening program by welcoming guests. Phil asked the guests to have a moment of silence to honor two gentlemen who were dedicated to the Narcissus and had passed away since the 2017 Teddy Roosevelt Days event. Daniel Vallee and Norman Downs. Dan's father, J. Henri Vallee had purchased the body of the Narcissus in the 1930s for use as the family summer camp at Sabattus Pond. Dan spent the first eighteen summers of his life living in the Narcissus. Norm had pictures of the Narcissus from when it first arrived at Seashore in 1969. He, like Dan, and so many others with a connection to the Narcissus that have gone before them, so wanted to see the Narcissus restoration completed. 

     Phil then continued with his opening remarks to the gathered guests and gave his sincere thanks to Arthur Jones and Joseph Brogan, principals of the 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation for the very generous pledge (a check for one-half of which had arrived that very afternoon) of a gift that will fund the remaining costs associated with completing the restoration of the Narcissus. Phil went on to say that additional funds, above those needed for restoration, are still needed for the costs that will be associated with researching, creating, and implementing the interpretation portion of the Narcissus Project. This portion of the project is to tell the incredible story of the Narcissus that has taken place over more than one hundred years. This will be done through static and online exhibits, displays, and curriculum programs. The ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the restoration of the Narcissus and the unveiling of the interpretation programs is expected to take place in the fall of 2021.

     Then Phil introduced the first of two guest speakers, Sheila Libby Alexander. Sheila is a Board member of the Skyline Farm & Carriage Museum in North Yarmouth, Maine. Sheila explained how the Farm & Museum started and the various collections and activities carried out by the members of the organization. She also explained the history of the 1880s wagon on display. She then spent time explaining the story of how the 1840s circa Libby Family sleigh came to become part of the collection of the Museum and the steps taken to clean the original hand-painted winter scene on the exterior of the back panel of the sleigh. The guests were captivated by her presentation.

Sheila Libby Alexander starts her talk.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Allen Merrill

Guests were very engaged as Sheila spoke.

PWM

The Libby sleigh on display - PWM

     Following the conclusion of Sheila's presentation, Phil introduced the second guest speaker,          Donna Davidge. Donna is the owner of the Sewall House & Yoga Retreat in Island Falls, Maine. 

Phil first met Donna during a trip to Island Falls to visit Bible Point in the fall of 2015. Theodore Roosevelt would walk to this spot to read his Bible while he was in Island Falls staying at the Sewall House. William Sewall and William's nephew, Wilmot Dow, were Roosevelt's guides during Roosevelt's three trips to Island Falls in 1878 & 1879. Sewall and Dow, and later their families, would join Roosevelt in North Dakota in the mid-1880s. Sewall & Dow were ranch hands for Roosevelt and built his Elkhorn Ranch and then lived on the ranch with him and with their families. The original mirror from the Elkron Ranch was on display at the Seashore Trolley Museum during the 2016 Teddy Roosevelt Days weekend. The mirror is in the collection of the Presque Isle Historical Society in Presque Isle, Maine.

     Donna is the great-granddaughter of William Sewall and owns the original Sewall House where Theodore Roosevelt lived during his three visits to Island Falls, Maine in 1878 & 1879.

Donna Davidge, the owner of The Sewall House & Yoga

Retreat, tells the guests of her great-grandfather, William

Sewall, and how he and Theodore Roosevelt were

life-long friends. PWM

While Donna was expressing her passion for nature and

her emotional connection to her grandfather, a few guests

were brought to tears. PWM

Donna brought original artifacts from the Sewall House.

Correspondence between Theodore Roosevelt, Mrs.

Roosevelt, and Donna's grandfather, William Sewall. PWM

Guest speaker Donna Davidge pauses to have her photo taken

with the group behind her. (l-r) Her great-grandfather,

William Sewall, Wilmot Dow, and Theodore Roosevelt in

Island Falls, Maine ca February 1879

Houghton Library, Harvard University 

Photo courtesy of Ernie & Ann Eaton

L-R - Guest speaker Donna Davidge sits in the front seat with

motorman Ed Dooks at the controls of the 1901 Connecticut

open car trolley No. 303 before departing for the early

evening ride along the Museum's heritage electric railway.

PWM

     The raffle winners on Friday night were:

• J. Melanson - Book (1923) "Theodore Roosevelt" by Lord Charwood
• N. Latham - the Ashwood barrel pen - wood from the Narcissus
• S. Snowman - the Pinewood barrel pen - wood from the Narcissus
• K. Merrill - Poplar wood barrel pen - wood used in the Narcissus
• G. Snow - "Volunteer" - Teddy Days T-shirt (new XL) - 1 of 2 original 100 shirts from 2015

     The 50/50 winner drawn at the end of the day on Sunday 7.22.2018:

• T. Tello - Mr. Tello was very generous and donated the winnings back to the Narcissus Project

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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