80th Anniversary Year - Seashore Trolley Museum - A Look Back at the 60s

  The back cover of the 1969 Annual Report has Cecilia Clapp at 

the controls of 1905 Connecticut Company open car No.

838 on the mainline. This is north of where the crossing

is now to Seashore Trolley Museum's restoration shop.
The building on the right was Syracuse Station, temporarily
(1963-65) marking end-of-the-line. The station
 used to wear an old NYC station sign "Syracuse".

     Now that it is officially 2019, let's start the 80th Anniversary Year at Seashore Trolley Museum, with a look back at some of the tidbits of its operations in the 1960s. These blog posts are not meant to be detailed, a comprehensive account of the historical significance of the organization, just a fun peek back to reminisce.

Click Here for 80th Anniversary Year -Seashore Trolley Museum 1939-1919
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-A Look Back at the 50s -Seashore Trolley Museum

Click Here for the post - 80th Anniversary Year - A Look Back at the 60s -Seashore Trolley Museum
Click Here for the post - 80th Anniversary Year -A Look Back at the '70s -Seashore Trolley Museum

Click Here for The Birth of Seashore Trolley Museum Blog Post

Click Here for the 1901 Tower C Boston Elevated Railway to STM 1975 post

     The 1960s were incredibly active in all facets of the Museum as it expanded its worldwide collection and its infrastructure to store, exhibit, and expand its growing public operation. The donation of the motor generator in 1961 allowed for negotiations to start with Central Maine Power for a proposal to purchase electricity to be used in coordination with the MG set to power the Museum's operation.

The "New" Riverside car barn was featured in 1960

Annual Report. The decision was also made in 1960 for

"Reunification". To handle the equipment and public

visitors that will be at the "Shop" location following the

reunification (where the Museum campus started originally

and is currently) from Route 1 "Terminal" operation, there

was a need to extend the track, add car barn facilities,

visitor parking, and have a visitor gift shop and bathroom

facilities at the Shop location. It all was accomplished

in time for the busy summer of 1961.

1960 would be the final year of public operation at the "Terminal."

Here is 1905 Connecticut Co. No. 838 at the gift shop at the

terminal. This photo was part of a family album.

Courtesy Sharon Cummins

This family photo album includes images of their visit to the

"shops" facility at the main campus off Log Cabin Road.

This photo was part of a family album.

Courtesy Sharon Cummins

The "shops" campus had many more trolleys on display for

visitors to see and step into.

This photo was part of a family album.

Courtesy Sharon Cummins

At the terminal, 1903 Dunedin, NZ, No. 105 is out in the sun

on the left. It was stored in the building at the terminal for

several years. 1930 Liverpool double-decker tram from

Liverpool, UK. Courtesy Sharon Cummins

It was very common during the three years of the terminal

operation for a trolley ride, that visitors would visit the "shops" 

campus either before or after visiting the terminal. At the

"shops" campus, there were many more cars available to see.

Here is the 1930 Cinncinatti Car Co. No118 next to Shop 1.

Courtesy Sharon Cummins

1911 Nagasaki, Japan No. 134 at the shop lead.

Courtesy Sharon Cummins

Acquiring additions to the collection did ease up a bit in

the 60s compared to the 50s. 1914 Rome No. 279 arrived

in April 1960.

From the November-December 1960 "Dispatch", here is a list of volunteers from Saturday, November 5, 1960. These volunteers assembled for a promotional publicity program sponsored by Savogran Co. of Norwood, MA. They were promoting a new paint remover product, "Special Strypeeze". Local newspapers and radio promoted the event.  Car 925, the 1894 parlor car from Boston MTA was the chosen candidate for the task. In less than 2 hours, the whole side of 925 was stripped of approximately 14 coats of paint. Then lunch, catered by "Dot's Lunch" in Kennebunk, was served in car 134, the 1911 closed car from Nagasaki, Japan, while on the new track at the rear of Riverside carbarn. Volunteers: George Sanborn, Frank Cheney, Fred Perry, Russ Munroe, Cecilia Clapp, Paul Castiglione, Mrs. Stephenson, Ted Santarelli, John G. Smith, Clayton Sargent, Mrs. Sargent, Ernest Brigham, Evelyn Perry, Don Curry, Larry Shelvey, Art Duncan, Chalie Duncan, Lois Gardner, Paul Newsome, Mrs. Gene Corringale, Mrs. Marie Cloud Higgins, Clement K. Stodder, Glen Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Kouvlier, with Mr. Higgins of the Savogran Co. instructing.

Here is the official press release photo promoting the

Savogran Co. paint remover being used by STM volunteers

on No. 925 in November 1960. PWM photo

The back of the press release photo has the text of the

press release. PWM photo

Here's the Nagasaki Car 134 on June 25, 1960.

This photo was taken just north of Clough's Crossing

on the mainline.

Adequate shelter for the collection is mentioned on this page of the

Nov-Dec 1960 Dispatch. 

This page from the Nov-Dec 1960 Dispatch has this map that shows

the "Shops Track Layout". Remember, the term, "Shops", means

the area of the original campus started in 1939 and is part of the

current Museum campus.

1961 brought the initial construction of what would become,

after some additional construction, the restoration shop. The

 track entrance to the existing shop building is still called the

Quonset hut, even though the hut itself collapsed a few years

after this photo was taken. 

1961 Seashore Trolley Museum Campus Map

Seashore Trolley Museum, the Museum of Mass Transit, 

has its first bus listed in the roster of 1962 Historic Cars of

the Seashore Trolley Museum. 1934 Eastern Mass Street

Railway H-9 bus.

1963 brought the first trackless trolley into the collection of

Seashore Trolley Museum, Museum of Mass Transit, 1948

No. 8361 from Boston, MA.

Jan.-Feb. 1964 Dispatch kicked off the 25th Anniversary Year with a cover

that had a reprinted copy of the notice of June 18, 1939, "Swan Song"

of the B & S - Farewell to the Biddeford & Saco. The trip that started it all.

The Jan.-Feb. 1964 Dispatch continues the 25th Anniversary Year

with John E. Amlaw and  Charles A. Duncan, writing nearly three

pages of their recollections of how the young men went about getting

the collection started in 1939/40. Page of 3

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

The "Highway Monster" continued to be busy

as volunteers traveled around the country

bringing vehicles to the Museum campus. Here

the cover of the 1965 Annual Report with

1921 Hamburg, Germany No. 2710 on the

HM as it tours through Boston in front

of the Trinity Church before heading to Seashore.

1965 Annual Report has South

Boston track work, mainline view of

CMP poles are being relocated, which

allowed for track extension, the 

last roof truss placed in the new

Highwood carbarn, and 1930

Quebec interurban exits the Quonset

hut after receiving a new coat of

paint.

Maine Governor John H. Reed became

a new public trustee in 1965. This year he

and his staff negotiated a pair of Baldwin

trucks with motors from Oshawa, Ontario,

as a gift from the Canadian National

Railways. The trucks were acquired for

use in the restoration of the as yet to be

acquired, 1912, No. 14, Portland-

Lewiston Interurban, Narcissus.

        1966 was the first year that the Seashore Trolley Museum hosted the Annual Convention for the Association of Railway Museums. The convention took place on October 22 & 23, 1966. The Museum had more than 75 vehicles in its collection in 1966. A recorded daily attendance of 783 riders on August 10, 1966.

1966 brought a couple of North Shore cars to Seashore. Here is

1930 No 755. 1928 No 420 arrives - see below. 

1928 North Shore car No. 420 is loaded at the Kennebunk

train station before traveling to Seashore.

Russ Munroe took this fine photo of 755 and 420, trained,

at the end of the mainline with 1905, Connecticut open car

No. 838 in the background. This was part of a photo page

insert in the Jul.-Aug. 1966 Dispatch.

The 1966 Jul.-Aug. issue of the Dispatch had the Narcissus as the

header on the cover page. It would be three more years before

the Narcissus arrived on campus.

Mainline track extension work was a must. A photo from

the 1966 Annual Report.

Track crew. A very resourceful, hardworking group of

individuals. That can be said of the track crews throughout

STM's history, including today!

1967 Seashore Trolley Museum campus map. Proposed

carbarns are seen on the Butler Grove land

From the 1968 Annual Report

1968 Annual Report Update on the "City"

restoration work.

Maine Governor Kenneth M. Curtis

became a public trustee in 1968.

     One of the most significant announcements in 1969 was that the Museum's Chairman of the Board, John G. Smith made a donation of enough land to the East of the original triangle to permit upgrading of the "front door approach". This would lead to the creation of what is now the public entrance and road to the Museum parking lot and visitor center. Construction and track extension work also started on Butler Grove building #2, ie, Central Carbarn. The Museum campus would be undergoing more major landscape changes in 1969 and well into and through the 1970s. Last, but not least, on October 31, 1969, the Narcissus arrived on campus. Fifty years ago! 

From the 1969 Annual Report

A portion of the text in the 1969 Annual Report describing

the long-awaited arrival of the Narcissus.

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

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