Postcard with the Parlor Car "Merrymeeting" carrying
a "Special Party" of passengers to Island Park on
Lake Cobbosseecontee in Winthrop, ME. c 1910
O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum
2009_2_20_160
Incorporators of the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath 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. Amos included castle-like aspects to the trolley casino at Merrymeeting Trolley Park and at Casco Castle Trolley Park in South Freeport.
Click Here: to read the history of the Casco Castle Trolley Park
Click Here: to read the history of the Underwood Spring Trolley Park
Click Here: to read the history of Merrymeeting Park in Brunswick
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 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
The following description of the Merrymeeting Parlor Car is from the 1959 O. R. Cummings publication, Trolley Parlor Cars of New England."
The "Merrymeeting" was a double-truck parlor car built by the Briggs Carriage Company of Amesbury, MA, for the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway, for a cost of $7,000.
Bath carhouse of the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway
with parlor car, "Merrymeeting." c1899
O.R.Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum
2009_2_25_013
Delivered in May 1899, the regal coach was 40 feet in overall length, with an enclosed section that was 20 feet long and two observation platforms, each 10 feet in length. These platforms were enclosed by ornamental iron grillwork. The enclosed section had five large windows, ornamented with stained glass trimmings on each side. Olive green plush draperies were at the windows and doors. Wicker chairs and four tables for card players were set about on the green carpet. All interior woodwork was of mahogany and the car was lighted by 42 incandescent lamps.
The interior view of the parlor car, "Lawrence" of the
Newport & Fall River Street Railway was built in 1898 by
the Newburyport Car Company. The wicker chairs and card table
are similar to those that were in the "Merrymeeting."
O. R. Cummings collection at Seashore Trolley Museum
2009_2_49_064
The car was painted green with straw trimmings and proudly bore its name in gold letters on the convex side panels of the enclosed section. The "Merrymeeting," incidentally, was the only car with air brakes on the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath for several years, being equipped with an axle-driven compressor.
The "Merrymeeting" at Tacoma Inn near Lewiston c 1905
O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum
The "Merrymeeting," which could be chartered for $10 a day, was taken over by the Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street Railway in 1907 and remained on the active roster as late as 1917. It was then stored until about 1920 when its trucks were removed for use on a freight car and the body was scrapped.
The "Merrymeeting" parlor car with a special party of
passengers. c 1900-1917 O.R. Cummings Collection
at Seashore Trolley Museum 2009_2_49_007
The "Merrymeeting" at the New Meadows Inn station in Bath, ME.
c 1910 photo by Arthur Foster in the O.R. Cummings
Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum 2009_2_20_090
The "Merrymeeting" at the Tacoma Inn near Lewiston
O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum
2009_2_21_027
The "Merrymeeting" at the Lewiston carhouse c 1900.
This carhouse was built in 1899 and burned down late in 1903.
O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum.
The Merrymeeting on the Brunswick flat, en route to
Freeport and Yarmouth (ME) when it was part of the
Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street Railway c 1907-1917.
George E. Cantara photo in the 1959 O. R. Cummings
publication, Trolley Parlor Cars of New England"
The "Merrymeeting" parlor car in Sabattus (ME) at the interchange
with the Maine Central Railroad.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_21_022
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
The photo above of the Merrymeeting parlor car is also shown on page 28 of Central Maine Power Company's newsletter, The Exciter Magazine - 1960 - The Electric Railroad Edition. The caption has the date as August 18, 1914, and states: "Probably the most celebrated passenger to be carried on a Maine trolley was former President Theodore Roosevelt."
I like that statement. On that day, 8/18/1914, Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the luxury, high-speed car, Narcissus, as he used the Portland-Lewiston Interurban (PLI) to campaign for the Progressive Party candidates between Lewiston and Portland (ME). The caption for this photo misstates that the former POTUS is in this photo and had been a passenger on the Merrymeeting. To me, these passengers are press staff for various newspapers that used the Merrymeeting to follow TR during that day. FYI - on August 31, 1916, Theodore Roosevelt would again ride one of the luxury PLI coaches, Clematis, from Portland to Lewiston.
The "Merrymeeting" parlor car at Togus Station.
O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum
2009_2_21_130
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
