July 15, 1939 - Biddeford and Saco Railroad open car No. 31 heading to its new home in Kennebunkport. As described by Ted Santarelli in his interview below. Car 31 was connected to a tow truck which was connected to a second truck. The second truck was attached to the front of the wrecker to keep the front wheels of the tow truck on the road. The weight of the streetcar made the front wheels lift off the ground. Image courtesy of Seashore Trolley Museum.
As the Seashore Trolley Museum has just concluded its regular season public operations for 2021, I thought a reflection as to how it all began in 1939, 82 years ago, would be nice. Below is a link to an interview with Ted Santarelli and his first-hand accounting of how things unfolded and how the first couple of streetcars were acquired (1900 open car No. 31 from the Biddeford & Saco Railroad and 1906 interurban No. 38 from Manchester & Nashua Street Railway.)
Thank you to Ed Dooks for recording the interview and digitizing the original VHS tapes.
"This is the way we started, with one car, with no great thought that we were going to have more cars or that we would develop into a museum of this size."
Ted Santarelli, October 10, 1987
Click Here for the post - "The Birth of Seashore Trolley Museum - An Interview with the Founder".
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum - A Look Back at the 50s
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum-A Look Back at the 60s
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum-A Look Back at the 70s
Click Here for the post - "1901 Tower C Boston Elevated Railway to STM 1975"
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum-A Look Back at the 60s
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum-A Look Back at the 70s
Click Here for the post - "1901 Tower C Boston Elevated Railway to STM 1975"
Click Here for the post - The Saga of Northampton Station Coming to Maine 1990
Click Here for the post - 50 Years Ago on Halloween - Narcissus Arrived at Seashore Trolley Museum
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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
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