Narcissus 1912 Renovation Project: August 2019

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Reviews are Arriving: Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride

The cover for the new book is by Maine artist, Amy J. Gagnon,

from Mount Desert Island. Amy also created the twenty-eight

beautiful individual ink/pen sketches for the book. Click on

Amy's name is above to see her Google home page where

there are links to her Twitter and Instagram pages.

Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride

We are on track for Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride to be printed and available for purchase during the fall of 2019...

Theodore Roosevelt leaning out of the train doorway of the

Portland-Lewiston Interurban No. 14, Narcissus, as he

addresses the gathered townsfolk in Gray, Maine on August

18, 1914. Roosevelt had experienced something special

as he and the Narcissus were approaching the Gray station

moments earlier. Image courtesy Gray Historical Society

Millie Thayer is a headstrong farmer's daughter who chases her dreams in a way you would expect a little girl nicknamed "Spitfire" would run full tilt and with her eyes on the stars. Dreaming of leaving the farm life, working in the city, and fighting for women's right to vote, Millie imagines flying away on a magic carpet. One day, that flying carpet shows up in the form of an electric trolley that cuts across her farm. A fortune-teller predicts that Millie's path will cross that of someone famous. Suddenly, she finds herself caught up in events that shake the nation, Maine, and her family. Despairing that her dreams may be shattered, Millie learns, in an unexpected way, that dreams can be shared.

One year ago, I was very happy to release a blog post announcing that award-winning Maine author, Jean M. Flahive, had agreed to write a young reader's historical fiction chapter book that would benefit the Narcissus Project. I am now, very happy to report, that the book, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride, will be released this fall! Below are some blurbs/reviews from a few individuals who read the manuscript after being professionally edited by Maine Authors Publishing in Thomaston, Maine. For an autographed copy of Jean's book in time for distribution as a holiday gift; advance mail orders of the new book received by the Museum Store of Seashore Trolley Museum, before November 15, 2019, will receive an autographed copy of the new book, signed by Jean M. Flahive. So, stay tuned for details on the release date, etc., in the coming weeks.

Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride

by Jean M. Flahive

Cover Art and Sketches by Amy J. Gagnon

$14.95 paperback (US)

ISBN: 978-0-578-54473-1

Library of Congress Card Control: 2019909872

“Like she's done in her previous books, Jean Flahive expertly rolls back the years, bringing us back to the arrival of interurban rail in small-town Maine. These "electric traveling machines" change young Millie's life forever, opening up new worlds of possibility. She visits the city, rides with suffragettes, and even meets Theodore Roosevelt. An eye-opening and entertaining ride - you won't want the train to stop! Highly recommended.”

Andrew Vietze; award-winning author of Becoming Teddy Roosevelt.

"Along with being a beautiful story, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride contain many of the core elements that Roosevelt himself held dear. Understanding history, and appreciating nature. Telling a good story. Loving children. At the same time profoundly personal and expansively historical, this book is ultimately about finding new life in things with deep underlying value."

Michael R. Canfield has published two books on observation and note-taking. Author of Theodore Roosevelt in the Field, and editor of Field Notes on Science and Nature

"An absolutely deeelightful story bringing to life a young farm girl growing up in Theodore Roosevelt's time, meeting him and his mentor Bill Sewall, and experiencing World War I's effect on urban Maine and the devastation of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. The portrayal of hard work, honesty, and community self-support is a model for all to follow. Having recently visited the "Narcissus" restoration, the colorful romanticizing of Maine's interurban trolley really resonated with me."

Jay Perrell, The Friends of Sagamore Hill

"As the great-grand-daughter and current holder of the legacy of the Sewall House, the history of TR's friendship with William Sewall held within its walls, the chapters that include the story of their friendship beautifully woven into the touching story of the girl with the flowers, reflecting their friendship and my great grandfather's temperament as well."

Donna Davidge; great-granddaughter of William W. Sewall - Sewall House, Island Falls, Maine

"Flahive paints a vibrant picture of rural life in the early 1900s. The tremendous life shifts that occurred through the arrival of the trolley, the challenges of learning current news, the Great War and its impact on families and lives at home, women's suffrage, and difficult life choices are woven into a moving, believable, and engrossing tale that puts the reader squarely in the lives of its characters."

Marie Betts Bartlett, author of The Little Yellow Trolley Car

I liked this book. For me, it was one of those books that stays with you, nudging thoughts of historical values contained within the storyline that takes place in the early 1900s along with deftly woven articulate text that pertains to scientific concepts such as electricity, interurban trolleys, political turbulence, women's suffrage, and WW1. Author, Jean Flahive is masterful at pulling the reader into her story during this notable time. Her realism wraps itself around the life of a young spontaneous Maine farm girl who dreams big! The believable tale kept me reading well into the night and then sharing much of the historical and scientific frameworks with my husband; a 6th-grade science teacher. Our lively discussions prompted him to place this book on his classroom reading list.

Lyn Smith, Reading Specialist, Pre-K-2, Kennebunk Elementary School, Kennebunk, Maine

"Jean M. Flahive skillfully describes the arrival of the interurban trolleys in Maine and how they changed both the landscape and lives of Mainers forever. Her captivating characters meet at the crossroads of progress and politics, taking the reader on a journey of anticipation, wonder, and the reality of a changing world."

Marie Dostie, Consulting Teacher, Gifted Education, Auburn Middle School, Auburn, Maine

"This novel is truly rich in history...the dialogue flows and seems natural to that time."

Lisa LaBrecque, Sixth-grade reading teacher at Thornton Academy Middle School, Saco, Maine

"Flahive's book explores a lesser-known episode from the later life of Theodore Roosevelt; she imbues the story, told from her perspective of a young girl growing up at the turn of the century, with humor and heart."

Heather G. Cole, Curator, Literary & Popular Culture Collections at John Hay Library, Brown University

"Jean M. Flahive brings to life early twentieth-century rural Maine through the eyes of young spitfire Millie Thayer. With the arrival of the Narcissus electric trolley and a mysterious prediction by a fortune-teller, Millie's small-town world is suddenly filled with exciting possibilities, from encounters with former president Theodore Roosevelt to chance meetings with suffragettes. Flahive weaves in historical context about not just local Maine history, but also topics like women's suffrage, changing party politics, World War I, and the Spanish Flu. Theodore Roosevelt lovers, train enthusiasts, students, and educators alike will enjoy this well-researched and entertaining book."

Karen Sieber, Humanities Specialist for the McGillicuddy Humanities Center at the University of Maine, and, serves remotely as the Outreach Coordinator for the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University

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

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

Sunday, August 18, 2019

1911 Nagasaki Tram No. 134 Renovation & Arts Integration Experience - Intensive Week Summary

Donated to Seashore Trolley Museum in 1960, by the

Nagasaki Electric Tramway Co. Ltd. of Japan to

commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of

trade between the United States and Japan. Built 1911,

No. 134 originally operated in Osaka, being transferred to

Fukuoka in 1929 and to Nagasaki in 1953.

Text and photos for this blog post came from Facebook posts on Seashore Trolley Museum's page, Seashore Trolley Museum archival sources, and this blogger.

In August (2019), Seashore Trolley Museum hosted a week-long Nagasaki Tram Renovation & Arts Integration Experience. Led by local artist and new museum member, Ann Thompson of Friends of Aomori. With a grant from the Maine Humanities Council and the Maine Arts Commission, the idea to transform Nagasaki Tram No. 134 was off and running. Fine Paints of Europe was a generous donor to the project with their donation of nine gallons of paint for the makeover.

Several Seashore Trolley Museum members and volunteers were inspired by the energy around this project and donated their time to work alongside the six youth artists from the community who applied to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Together these young minds - Thalia Tucker, Metis Tucker, Blake Pennington, Carlie Hutchins, Amy Bradford, and Nia Farago-Dumsch - took the lead and transformed the tram outside and in. Outside by applying a new coat of paint and inside by creating woodblock printmaking to tell the story of one of the tram's operators, Wada Koichi, who lived in Nagasaki pre-and post-World War II, that would be on display inside No. 134 after a fresh coat of paint was applied.

Inside No. 134, left, seated, museum volunteers and staff,

standing, Ann Thomson, and seated right, the six students

that participated in the intensive week-long Arts Integration

Experience at Seashore Trolley Museum.

A little background on No. 134 and its travels to Kennebunkport, Maine from Nagasaki, Japan.

No. 134 spec sheet with description.

Nagasaki (Japan) Street Car No. 134 was being

demonstrated to some, of the many guests that

attended the presentation ceremony when the photo

was taken in 1960. The scene is just north of Clough

Crossing on the mainline. Note the bow trolley. The

car was shipped via the United States aboard the

Pioneer Minx. Shelvey photo

No. 134, which was built with vestibules, has straight, vertically sheathed sides (instead of the convex-concave panels) and a railroad roof, the last so-called because it was traditionally used on steam railroad coaches before being applied to streetcars. The monitor, instead of ending abruptly with the flat board or window that was a vestige of the horsecar eyebrow, continues over the vestibule, tapering down to the roofline at the end of the car.

No. 134 has longitudinal seats but these are very short to permit a maximum standing capacity. The truck on the car was built in the United States and it is equipped with General Electric motors.

When shipped to the United States from Japan aboard the SS Pioneer Minx, it was protected by a giant, wood-slatted crate to prevent being damaged in transport.

Letter Below:

New England Electric Railway Historical Society 25 April 1960

Biddeford Road

Kennebunkport, Maine

U. S. A.

Dear Sir :

It is a pleasure for me and my company to be able to favorably consider your request and to present to you free of charge our streetcar #134.

The streetcar concerned must be happy to join her friends from all over the world in your museum.

At the time we saw her off, our local newspaper reported the event as a wedding with the headline, "Nagasaki Streetcar Becomes..a bride...in the United States".

I hope personally and on behalf of all the employees who have loved her that she will be happy and well forever under your kind and thoughtful care.

Sincerely,

Kansuke Wakiyama

President

Nagasaki Electric Tramway Co. Ltd.

43 Dekidaiku-machi

Nagasaki, City, Japan

Photos with descriptions that explain the project.

Day 1

Standing, Lyell Castonguay, guest woodblock printing expert,

with the six students participating in the project, in the

museum's upstairs meeting room in the visitor center.

Day 2 - included students priming the exterior of Nagasaki tram No. 134 in the morning, a midday Skype interview with Janice Nimura, author of Daughters of the Samurai, followed by an afternoon continuing to refine their drawings for the woodblock narrative installation that will later be displayed in No. 134.

Day 3 - Morning painting continues, followed by classwork as they begin carving their woodblock prints and watch the movie, The Cats of Mirikitani for additional inspiration.

Day 4 & 5 - More painting and carving.

Day 6 - The painting was wrapped up in the morning followed by a midday Skype with Susan Southard, author of Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War, then they continued their woodblock work and refinements of the work in the afternoon.

Day 7 -The Celebration - Several students, museum volunteers, and staff prepare No. 134 for the 4 pm celebration, to install the woodblock prints with captions inside 1911 No. 134 from Nagasaki, Japan. Taiko Maine Dojo performed at the celebration. Scroll down these next few pages and see the incredible work these young artists were inspired to create. Stunning!

Ann Thomson may be reached through

Instagram

annthompsonmetalsmith@instagram.com

Work on exterior components of Nagasaki tram No. 134, not included in this amazing project, still requires your help. You can help with needed repairs to replace the canvas on the roof and apply a fresh coat of paint, repairs to one end of a vestibule, and recreate roll signs.

Please consider a donation to help complete these exterior repairs. Visit www.trolleymuseum.org/support/donate and designate your gift to the Nagasaki Tram, fund #773.

Special thanks go out to Restoration Shop Technician Heidi Schweizer for taking the lead on the restoration half of the tram project and to volunteers Jim Mackell, John Mercurio, Karen & Ed Dooks, and Tom Tello for working alongside the students. Thanks to Restoration Shop Team, led by Randy Leclair and Brian Tenaglia, and the Yard Department Crew, led by Dan Vardaro and Ricj Pascucci, for helping relocate No. 134.