Later converted to a line car (work car), Portsmouth,
Kittery and York Street Railway (PK&Y) No. 4 is shown
here on Government Street at Kittery Foreside in 1897.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway summary/images from the book, "Atlantic Shore Line Railway" by O. R. Cummings, presented as Transportation Volume 4 by the Connecticut Electric Railway and the National Railway Historical Society-Connecticut Chapter - June 1950 Re-issued January 1957. And text/images are also taken from an O. R. Cummings book, "Trolleys To York Beach: The Portsmouth Dover & York Street Railway", Bulletin No. 1, New England Electric Historical Society, December 30, 1964. Some text/images may be from the NEERHS 2015 publication, "The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946. Additional images will be credited.
To see the online version of the 1957 book, Atlantic shore Line Railway: Its predecessors and its successors at Bangor Public Library here
Click Here for the post: Ninety Communities in Maine had Electric Railway Service!
Click Here for the post: 57 Million Passengers Carried on Electric Railways in Maine in 1915!
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of the Portland Railroad 1860-1941
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of the Calais Street Railway 1894-1929
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of Aroostook Valley Railroad 1909-1946
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Fryeburg Horse Railroad 1887-1913
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Norway and Paris Street Railway 1894-1918
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Skowhegan & Norridgewock Railway 1894-1903
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Benton and Fairfield Railway 1898-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Somerset Traction Company 1895-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Fairfield and Shawmut Railway 1903-1927
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Waterville, Fairfield, & Oakland Rwy 1887-1937
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Trolleys to Augusta, Maine 1889-1932
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Rockland, South Thomaston, & St. George Rwy
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Biddeford and Saco Railroad Co. 1888-1939
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Mousam River Railroad - 1892-1899
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Sanford & Cape Porpoise Railway 1899-1904
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Street Railway 1889-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Railway & Electric Company 1905-1925
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Rwy 1896-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Penobscot Central Railway 1898-1906
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Hydro-Electric Company 1925-1945
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath St Rwy 1898-1907
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville St Rwy 1907-19
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway 1919-1941
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland & Brunswick Street Railway 1902-1911
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Auburn & Turner Railroad 1905-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Auburn, Mechanic Falls & NorwayStRwy1902-7
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Atlantic Shore Line Railway 1900-1910
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland-Lewiston Interurban - It Begins 1914
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland-Lewiston Interurban - The End 1933
Trestle of the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway
over the York Harbor & Beach Railroad at Seabury in York, ME.
The railway vehicle on the trestle is the single-truck flat car,
"B", which was built in 1898. O. R. Cummings Collection
Portsmouth, Kittery, and York Street Railway
At the southeasterly corner of York County, the Kittery & York Electric Railroad was incorporated on March 27, 1893, to build from Kittery through Kittery Point to York Villiage, York Harbor, and York Beach, and to operate a ferry across the Piscataqua River between Kittery and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. On March 19, 1895, the charter was extended two years, and late in 1896, Amos F. Gerald of Fairfield, ME, one of Maine's best-known street railway promotors acquired control, and on February 2, 1897, another two-year extension was granted with the name of the company changed to the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway.
Construction began in the spring of 1897, the route extending from Badger's Island, Kittery, where a ferry landing and waiting station were built, over locations named in the Kittery & York Electric Railroad's charter, a distance of 15.1 miles. Commenting on the PK&Y construction in 1897, the State Railroad Commissioners' report said of it, in part: "This is the longest electric railroad construction in Maine during the year."
Map by Charles D. Heseltine in 2015 publication, "The
Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946.
The first ferry was purchased second-hand in 1897. The used ferry was renamed the "New March". It turned out to be unsatisfactory, and a small steamer, the "Mystic", was leased and later purchased.
War hysteria gripped the nation after the sinking of the battleship "Maine" in Havana Harbor in Cuba on February 15, 1898, and on March 15, the PK&Y found it necessary to deny rumors that the "New March" would be converted into an armored cruiser for the defense of Portsmouth Harbor.
The "New March" was destroyed by fire in 1899 and was replaced by the "Kittery" in 1900.
Crossing the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, NH, and
Badger's Island, Kittery, ME, is the double-ended ferry,
"Kittery," was built at Kennebunkport, ME in 1900.
In the 2015 book by NEERHS, "The Illustrated Atlas of
Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946
Water-side view of the terminal at Badger's Island, Kittery, ME
shortly after the arrival of the new ferry, "Kittery" in 1900.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The station building and covered walkway, as well as wagon
lane, appear in this view of Badger's Island landing in Kittery.
O. R. Cummings Collection
After crossing the Piscataqua River, passengers disembarked
from the ferry and boarded a trolley car at this waiting station
on Badger's Island. This depot had a waiting room and a
refreshment stand. Postcard from O. R. Cummings
Collection in the 2015 book by NEERHS "The Illustrated
Atlas of Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946
Ceres Street ferry landing in Portsmouth, NH, seen here as
the Atlantic Shore Line Railway (ASLRy) Ferry Landing,
originally was built by the Portsmouth, Kittery & York
Electric Railway (PK&Y) in 1897. The PK&Y would be
absorbed by the Portsmouth, Dover & York Street Railway
(PD&Y) in 1903 and in 1906 the PD&Y merged with and
lost its identity to the ASLRy. O. R. Cummings Collection
The road, as a whole, was a very crooked one, both horizontally and vertically, and because of its following the shore, some 13 pile trestles totaling nearly 1.3 miles in length, were required to cross the numerous creeks, coves, and harbors along the route. Ten waiting stations of wood frame construction were erected at different points along the line in 1897. All being of tasteful design, they resembled the summer houses or gazebos popular at the turn of the century and most were open to the breezes during the summer months, being enclosed with shutters or windows during the other seasons.
A wooden frame carhouse and a brick power station were built at Kittery Point, with another carbarn at York Beach. Rolling stock of four single-truck closed cars, two 10-bench, 4-wheel opens, and seven, 14-bench, double-truck opens was purchased from the Briggs Carriage Company in Newburyport, MA.
The rambling Kittery Point carhouse was built by the PK&Y
in 1897. Located near Hutchins' Corner (at the intersection
of Pepperell and Chauncey Creek Roads) and was 45 feet by
175-feet erected on piles over a tidewater swamp. It had a
capacity of 12 cars and included some repair facilities.
The power station is at the rear. O. R. Cummings Coll.
A drawing showing the layout of the PK&Y carhouse.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Operations began on August 12, 1897, when the first car traversed the entire line. However, until the 27th of that month, only limited service was given, with two cars running over the 4 miles of line between Badger's Island and the Kittery Point carhouse. Regular service to York Village commenced on October 6th and to York Harbor and York Beach on June 30th of 1898.
PK&Y No. 4 near the intersection of Chauncey Creek and
Tenney Hill Roads, Kittery Point in 1897.
O. R. Cummings Collection
One of the original Briggs Carriage Company (Amesbury,
MA), 14-bench open cars of the Portsmouth, Kittery & York
Street Railway in Kittery, Maine. Here you see the typical
side-of-road construction and winding track. When these
cars were first in use, they bore no numbers. Image
from Howard T. Moulton within the O. R. Cummings Coll.
Turning from New March Street into Government Street,
Kittery, one of seven 14-bench open cars purchased in 1897
by the PK&Y from the Briggs Carriage Company,
Newburyport, MA. O. R. Cummings Collection
Turning from New March Street into Government Street,
Kittery, one of seven 14-bench open cars purchased in 1897
by the PK&Y from the Briggs Carriage Company,
Newburyport, MA. O. R. Cummings Collection
Trolley car crossing Locke's Cove trestle, near what later
became the main entrance to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,
Kittery, Maine. O. R. Cummings Collection
Crossing Calls' trestle between Kittery Point and Cutt's
Island en route to York Beach. O. R. Cummings Collection
The longest trestle between Kittery and York was that across
Brave Boat Harbor. The view is taken from Kittery's end of the span.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The very first pile drawbridge in America, Sewall's bridge,
across York River in York, was built in 1761, had to be
strengthened to permit the use of electric cars.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Negotiating the sharp curve at The Willows, York Beach.
O. R. Cummings Collection
An enthusiastic crowd greets the first trolley to York Beach
on the afternoon of August 27, 1897
O. R. Cummings Collection
Late in 1899, the railway purchased St. Aspinquid Park, a pleasure resort on the north end of York Beach, near the mouth of the Cape Neddick River. The park contained a casino, restaurant, and menagerie and was attractively landscaped with walks, carriage drives, and rustic arbors. On June 27, 1900, the PK&Y opened a short extension from its original terminus at York Beach northerly to St. Aspinquid Park, a distance of .43 mile, and installed a 220-cell storage battery at York Beach carbarn.
Kittery Point bridge across Spruce Creek, York Harbor &
Beach Railroad trestle and coal wharf where the PK&Y
received fuel for its power plant appear in this 1898 view.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway was one of the first street railways in New England to operate a railway post office car, being given a 4-year contract in 1897 to carry the mail between Portsmouth and York Harbor.
Original mail car "A" of the PK&Y at York Beach circa 1899.
O. R. Cummings Collection
During the summer of 1901, Maine Governor, John F. Hill attempted to secure the necessary charters to construct an electric railway from York Center through his native town of Eliot to the New Hampshire state line at the Eliot bridge across the Salmon Falls River, and over the bridge to Franklin Square in Dover. In pursuance of that purpose, in 1902, he organized the Berwick, Eliot & York Street Railway in Maine and the Dover & Eliot Street Railway in New Hampshire.
Governor Hill acquired a large interest in the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway. In 1903, the Berwick, Eliot & York Street Railway was given additional powers by the state legislature, including permission to purchase or lease the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway, and other local railways. Subsequently, the Berwick, Eliot & York Street Railway changed its name to the Portsmouth, Dover & York Street Railway (PD&Y) and on November 1, 1903, the PD&Y took over the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway. Though "officially" still an operating railway entity within the corporate structure of the PD&Y until 1917, the merge truly ended the PK&Y.
The total cost of the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway as of June 30, 1903, was $511,837, covered in part by $221,700 in common capital stock (2,217 shares at $100 par) and $200,000 in 6 percent 20-year gold bonds, issued as of March 1, 1897, and maturing on March 1, 1917. There were 108 stockholders, 28 of whom were Maine residents, with a total of 706 shares.
We are still in need of funds for creating the interpretation programs that will tell this fascinating 100+-year-old story of the Narcissus. For information on donation options, scroll down this post and find the one that best fits your position. Fund 816 to help with the restoration and Fund 817 (PLI Education-Interpretation programs ) should be noted when making a donation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click Here for the post that has the short virtual 3-D video of the digital model of the Narcissus, with components added to the file from earlier this year (the gold leaf file had not been added yet).
Restoration work continues on the Narcissus. The Narcissus is more than 110 years old now and has so many incredible stories to share. The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one of those incredible stories.
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.
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
Seashore Trolley Museum Promo Video
The paperback edition of Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride can be purchased online through the Seashore Trolley Museum's store website. Books purchased through the Museum's website directly benefit the Museum and the Narcissus project.
Click Here to go to the Museum Store web page to order online
Click Here to go to the Amazon page to order the ebook or audiobook online
Paperback books are available at these local bookstores in Maine:
Center for Maine Crafts, West Gardiner Service Plaza
The Book Review, Falmouth
The Bookworm, Gorham
Letterpress Books, Portland
Maine Historical Society Store, Portland
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, Portland
Morph Gallery & Emporium, Kennebunk
New Gloucester Historical Society, New Gloucester
Nonesuch Books and More, South Portland
Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport
Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shops, All Locations
Thompson's Orchard, New Gloucester
Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride
by Jean M. Flahive
Illustrations by Amy J. Gagnon
Listen to a 2-minute, 30-second, Retail Audio Sample of the Audiobook
Millie Thayer is a headstrong farmer's daughter who chases her dreams in a way you would expect a little girl nicknamed "Spitfire" would-running 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.
A resource for teachers
Companion curriculum State-standard-based units,
vocabulary, and reading activities for use in grades 3-8
are available online as downloadable resources through
Seashore Trolley Museum's website
www.trolleymuseum.org/elegantride/
Maine Historical Society has created eight companion lesson units in Social Studies and ELA that were inspired by Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride - These State-standard-based lesson plans for use in grades 6, 7, and 8 are easily adapted for use in grades 3-5. Vocabulary and Reading activities for grades 3-8 along with the eight lesson plan units are available free and may be downloaded through Seashore Trolley Museum's website www.trolleymuseum.org/elegantride/
Go to the Teacher Resource Page in the pull-down for more details.
A 60-second intro to Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride by author, Jean Flahive
Click Here to watch the video on YouTube
Award-winning author, Jean M. Flahive
Please Consider a Donation to the Narcissus Project to help us tell the incredible story of the Narcissus through the interpretation portion of the Narcissus Project.
Here is an example of how donations to the Narcissus Project now will help with the interpretation portion of the project. The interpretation programming will include exhibits, displays, and education programming. In 2019, through generous donations to the Narcissus Project, we were able to conserve, replicate, and have high resolutions digital image files made of the original, 1910, 28.5-foot long, surveyor map of the elevation and grade of the 30-mile private right-of-way of the Portland, Gray, and Lewiston Railroad (Portland-Lewiston Interurban) Click Here
Thank You!
the crowd gathered in Gray, Maine on August 18, 1914.
Image courtesy of Gray Historical Society
The Narcissus as the Sabattus Lake Diner in Sabattus, Maine,
circa 1940. Photo by John Coughlin in the Kevin Farrell
Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum
L. Henri Vallee (right) and family members in the
Narcissus, when it was Vallee's summer camp in
Sabattus, Maine circa 1958. Photo courtesy Daniel Vallee
Inside the Donald G. Curry Town House Restoration Shop, the Narcissus is in the midst of major work as we strive to complete its restoration. We are now planning the interpretation portion of the Narcissus Project. Donations to the Narcissus Project may be used in the future to help tell the incredible 100-plus-year-old story of the Narcissus. Your donation to the Narcissus is helping to make the dream of the project's success, a reality.
See below for Donation options -
It starts with YOU
Your Donation Matters
Make a Donation TODAY
Please Help the Narcissus.
Donation Options to Help the Narcissus Project:
The New England Electric Railway Historical Society
is the 501c3 organization that owns and operates the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME, and the National Streetcar
Museum in Lowell (MA).
The New England Electric Railway Historical Society registered with the IRS (EIN# 01-0244457) and was incorporated in Maine in 1941.
Check or Money Order ***** should be made payable to:
New England Electric Railway Historical Society
In the memo: for a donation to the Interpretation programming
please write: PLI Education Fund 817
For a donation to help with the restoration write: Narcissus Fund 816
Mail to: Seashore Trolley Museum
P. O. Box A
Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Credit Card ***** donations can be one-time donations or you
may choose to have a specific amount charged to your card
automatically on a monthly basis. Please contact the Museum bookkeeper, via email at finance@trolleymuseum.org or by phone, at 207-967-2800 ext. 3.
Online Donations - may be made by using a Credit Card:
Click Here to make an online donation through the Museum's website - When at the Donation page: Fill in donor info, etc., when at "To which fund are you donating? Scroll down to "Other" and type in: 816 Narcissus, then continue filling in the required information.
Click Here for PayPal - to make an online donation: you can use email: finance@trolleymuseum.org and in the message box write:
For "Narcissus Fund 816" - if supporting the restoration
For "PLI Education Fund 817" - if supporting Interpretation programs
Donation of Securities ***** We also accept donations of
securities. You can contact the Museum bookkeeper, via email at finance@trolleymuseum.org or by phone, at 207-967-2800 ext. 3,
for brokerage account information for accepting donated securities.
BONUS ***** If you work for a company/corporation that will
"match" an employee's donation to an approved 501c3 non-profit
educational organization, please be sure to complete the necessary paperwork with your employer so that your donation is matched :)
Questions? ***** Please contact Narcissus project sponsor:
Phil Morse, narcissus@gmail.org or call 207-985-9723 - cell.
Thank You :)
Thank You for our Current Funding Partners
* 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation - 2020/2018 - Major Gift, 2017/2014 Matching Grants
* Renaissance Charitable Foundation (LPCT) by Fiduciary Trust Charitable Giving Fund
* Renaissance Charitable Foundation (LPCT) by Fiduciary Trust Charitable Giving Fund
* Mass Bay RRE - 2018 Railroad Preservation Grant
* Thornton Academy (Saco, ME) - Staff & Alumni - Matching Grant Challenge 2014
* New England Electric Railway Historical Society (Kennebunkport, ME) - Member Donations
* Amherst Railway Society - 2015 Heritage Grant
* National Railway Historical Society - 2016 & 2015 Heritage Preservation Grants
* Enterprise Holding Foundation - 2015 Community Grant
* Theodore Roosevelt Association - Member Donations
* John Libby Family Association and Member Donations
* The Conley Family - In Memory of Scott Libbey 2018/2017/2016/2015
* The W. S. Libbey Family - Awalt, Conley, Graf, Holman, Libbey, McAvoy, McLaughlin, Meldrum, O'Halloran, Salto, - 2018/2017
* The Hughes Family 2017/2016/2010
* New Gloucester Historical Society and Member Donations
* Gray Historical Society and Member Donations
* Gray Public Library Association - Pat Barter Speaker Series
* Scarborough Historical Society - PRR/PLI
* LogMein - Matching Employee Donation
* IBM - Matching Employee/Retiree Donations
* Fidelity Charitable Grant - Matching Employee Donations
* Richard E. Erwin Grant - 2017/2016
The Narcissus, with interior back-lit, stained glass windows is majestic.
Make a donation today to help restore the interior of this Maine gem.
Help Theodore Roosevelt's Maine Ride get back on track! Once restored,
you will be able to ride in luxury on this National Register Treasure at
Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.
PWM photo
Please Consider Making a Donation to the project of the National Register of Historic Places member, Narcissus. We are currently raising funds to advance the restoration and to tell the incredible story of this Maine gem.
Various News stories during the summer of 2015 about the
Narcissus and its connection to Theodore Roosevelt. TR
was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914.
Patricia Pierce Erikson photo
The Narcissus - July 31, 2015. Make a donation today.
Help Theodore Roosevelt's Maine Ride get back on track!
Once restored, you will be able to ride in luxury on this
National Historic Treasure at
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