Casco Castle Trolley Park was one of several trolley parks
that Amos Firz Gerald was involved with creating.
Postcard PWM
Electric street railway companies might not have considered themselves complete without having a pleasure resort destination available for their patrons during the golden years of the trolley era. The Casco Castle Park, in South Freeport, Maine, was created to provide the Portland and Brunswick Street Railway a destination for visitors to help the railway company increase the number of passengers using its trolleys.
"Camillia" is like its sister combination cars, "Alice", "Dorothy", "Flora",
and "Lida," carried passengers and light freight and express
(see the sliding door on the side on the left). Seen here at the trolley stop
at Casco Castle Park, South Freeport.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_29_041
This blog post features images from the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway and the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway Casco Castle Park. Much of the text and some images are from the book, Trolleys to Brunswick, Maine 1896-1937, and Portland Railroad Part 1 & 2 also published by O. R. Cummings. Additional images are credited individually. Several photos and some text are from the book, The Trolley Parks of Maine, by Amber Tatnall, Randy Leclair, and Doreen Rogan: New England Electric Railway Historical Society - 2012, where several entries are credited to the Freeport Historical Society from the "The Story of Casco Castle." All others are credited as noted.
Letterhead from the Casco Castle Park, South Freeport.
Click Here: for more on Trolley Parks in the heart of Maine by Seashore Trolley Museum.
Click Here: to read the lengthy history of Riverton Park in Portland
Click Here: to read the history of Merrymeeting Park in Brunswick
Click Here for the post: Ninety Communities in Maine with Electric Railway Service
Click Here for the post: 57 Million Passengers Carried on Electric Railways in Maine in 1915
Incorporators of the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway, and the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway, included Amos F. Gerald and other associates of his who were involved with other electric railways in Maine. Amos Fitz Gerald was a fan of castles. This may be why he was known as The Electric Railway "King" of the Pine Tree State. Click on his name to read his biography, Amos Fitz Gerald. He was
one of many Maine entrepreneurs and inventors who were involved with street railways in the early days.
Brunswick-Freeport-Yarmouth Map from the 2015 NEERHS book,
"The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946"
Casco Castle Park
The attractions at Casco Casco Park, created by the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway Company during the summer of 1902, included a large stone tower called the "Castle," which was 100 feet tall built with local stone, had an electric elevator, and observation stations. The three-story casino was of wood frame construction, with a roof that included a roof-top garden, with stone-colored shingles, ornate spaced squared openings on the top of the walls, along with a zoological garden campus with a zoo that, like Merrymeeting Park, included, bears, wolves, deer, monkeys, cattle, and buffalo.
A postcard of the Casco Castle Park casino shows the broad piazzas
extended entirely around the building on the first and second floors
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_031
Bountiful meals were served in the casino dining room. The Shore dinner was 50 cents. Other popular offerings included; lobster stew, steamed clams, boiled lobsters, and various side dishes and desserts. Overnight accommodations could house one hundred guests who paid a mere three dollars for a night's stay, which included meals.
The casino had a spacious ballroom and beautifully appointed parlors. There were regular musical performances and community singing activities.
The park provided a wide variety of amusements; moonlight sails, picnicking, tours of the gardens, swimming, baseball, and tennis.
A postcard of the Casco Castle Park casino shows the beautiful grounds on
the side opposite the sea view.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_032
A man feeding some grass to a buffalo in the zoo at Casco Castle Park
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_038
A 300-foot long, suspension bridge spanned a deep ravine over Spar Creek, between the park and the trolley line. Besides which - as at Merrymeeting Park (Brunswick, Maine) - was constructed a covered platform and an enclosed waiting room for the comfort and convenience of the passengers.
The covered platform and enclosed waiting room of the Portland &
Brunswick Street Railway stop at Casco Castle Trolley Park.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_043
14-bench, open car, No. 7 at the Casco Castle Park station. This car
could carry 70 passengers. These open cars were affectionately
called, "Breezers," air conditioning of the day.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_042
The suspension bridge spanned a deep ravine between
the Casco Castle Park and the trolley line.
Casco Castle Park was also served by the Harpswell Steamboat Company, steamers of which stopped at South Freeport en route between Portland and Harpswell Center.
A favorite summer trip for many was to ride on the steamer from Portland to South Freeport in the morning, spend a few hours or so at the Casco Castle, and return to Portland by trolley in the late afternoon or early evening.
No. 11, "Camilla" at the Casco Castle Park with the suspension bridge
and the casino in the background.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_29_040
The conductor seated with the motorman at the controls of the open car
No. 7 while at the Casco Castle station.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_044
Unfortunately, Casco Castle Park, like Merrymeeting Park (Brunswick, ME) was not a profitable undertaking for the railway company, and on March 17, 1910, with the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway in the throes of financial difficulties, the property was sold to E. S. Everett of Cook, Everett, & Pennell of Portland.
Postcard of the Casco Castle Park showing views from
four locations. O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_036
About four and a half years later, On September 8, 1914, the casino was destroyed by fire and that was the end of Casco Castle Park.
The tower at Casco Castle seen above is still smoldering
after the fire that destroyed the Casco Castle casino.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_039
After the fire, the suspension bridge was removed and relocated to an
amusement park in Lewiston.
O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_034
The ruins of the casino were cleared away and the suspension bridge was removed and relocated to an amusement park in Lewiston. The stone tower was left standing and is still there today and can be viewed from Freeport's Winslow Park on Staples Point Road
Casco Castle Tower as seen on private property.
Photo from the Facebook Group, Photographers of New
England, Chris Fiddy Tucker post 1/28/2024
Casco Castle Tower as seen on private property.
Photo from the Facebook Group, Photographers of New
England, Chris Fiddy Tucker post 1/28/2024
We are still in need of funds for creating the interpretation programs that will tell this fascinating 110+-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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Restoration work continues on the Narcissus at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. The only surviving interurban of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad. 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
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 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.
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-resolution 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 every month. 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.
Photo by Patricia Pierce Erikson
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
