A drawing by Francis Monahan of No. 210 of the Portland Railroad.
From the Maine Historical Society archives in Portland, ME.
Front cover of the June 1938, Volume l, Number 4, issue of the
Portland (Maine) Division of the Electric Railroaders Association
(ERA) newsletter, The Maine Electric Transiteer.
Last summer (2023) I conducted research on the Seashore Trolley Museum founders during 1939. I reached out to some Museum friends asking them to share any information they might have to help with my research. Several were able to share some great information. I was very grateful. Kevin Farrell shared two original copies of the Maine Electric Transiteer newsletter from 1938. I had never heard of the newsletter. I found them incredibly interesting, full of wonderful information, and very timely as the contents clearly were stepping stones for the path leading to what would become the activities that saved Car 31 and began what we know today as the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Click Here: for the post on the March 1938 (The Very First Issue) Transiteer newsletter
Click Here: for the post on the April 1938 Transiteer newsletter
Click Here: for the post on the May 1938 Transiteer newsletter
Click Here: for the post on the July 1938 Transiteer newsletter
Click Here: for the post on the Feb/Mar 1939 Transiteer newsletter
I looked online and was able to acquire one original copy of the Maine Electric Transiteer newsletter from 1939. It too was full of stepping stones for the path leading to the founding of the Museum. And that was how the summer ended. Only three newsletters were located.
Last week, I began my summer 2024 research for additional materials on people and places during the late 1930s. This year, I subscribed to the Portland Press Herald so that I could access the online newspaper archives. Wow! What a great choice I made. I located more than 50 articles so, far (in just a few days ) that feature the Portland (Maine) Division of the ERA, their members, activities, fan trips, etc.
Seeing how several of the members lived close to the greater Portland area and in Charles D. Heseltine's case, for some time, he worked for the Maine Historical Society (MHS) in Portland. I reached out via email to the research department at MHS. Gave some background on what I was up to and asked for help on a couple of topics...Charles D. Heseltine and the Portland Division of the ERA and in particular, the Transiteer newsletter.
I received a prompt reply from Mia Sigler, Reference Librarian at the Brown Research Library. She provided a list of Charles's Collections and yes, there were five original issues of the Transiteer newsletter. Three that I did not have. Mia shared the process and costs related to the scanning of the items. We moved ahead and I received all three copies that afternoon!! (Thursday, June 19, 2024) Awesome!
Thank you, Mia 😊 I look forward to planning time to spend checking out the Charles D. Heseltine Collections :)
I will be reviewing the three posts done last year on the Transiteer newsletters. To see if I need to update.
This is one in a series of posts related to the Portland Division of the ERA. I look forward to sharing their activities over the short time they were an active group. I haven't located the date when the end of the group came about. Conversations have generated ideas that perhaps when the trolley operations in Portland came to an end in 1941. The onset of WWII may have had an impact on the ending of the group. I'll keep searching...
The Portland Division of the ERA was officially established on October 4, 1937.
Schedule of the fan trip that starts in Sanford at the York Utilities,
then to the old carbarn of Atlantic Shore Line in Kennebunkport,
then to the Biddeford & Saco to ride open car, No. 246. Ending
the excursion as guests at Mrs. Gertrude Libbey Anthony's home
in Bay View, Saco where they will spend time with the 1912,
fully complete, Portland-Lewiston Interurban, No. 10, Arbutus.
Page 2
Here, on the left, are the Portland Division ERA fans on open car No. 246,
during the excursion on June 5, 1938. You can see the Portland Division ERA
banner on display on the dasher of No. 246. No. 609, a single-truck Birney Car,
joined the fans while they were at the end of the B&SRR line in Old Orchard Beach.
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009-2_15_110
Click Here: for the post on the visit to see the Arbutus on June 5, 1938.
Gerald Cunningham accompanied the guest speaker, Breed
Walker. Gerald Cunningham, at the time, was an undergraduate
student at Northeastern University. One year later,
Gerry Cunningham would be one of the three ERA members
from the Boston Division of the ERA that would start on the
trek to save Car 31 of the Biddeford and Saco RR and in
doing so, become one of the eight founders of what we
know today as the Seashore Trolley Museum.
Page 3
Click Here: for the post "85 Years Ago Today - June 18, 1939 - Farewell B&SRR Fan trip
This page has some interesting Editorial notes.
Page 4
The first reunion of the former employees of the Portland-
Lewiston Interuban is mentioned. The reunion would be the first
of four, annual reunions, each held in Gray, Maine. Portland Div.
ERA member, Charles D. Heseltine would help attendees to
the annual reunions collect pieces of memorabilia from each of the
reunions (photos, newspaper articles, poems, cards, etc.). Charles
put all these items into a large scrapbook. That scrapbook, its
88 pages, double-sided contents were all conserved and
scanned in 2022. What an incredible Collection.
Page 5
The PLI Employees Reunion Scrapbook was made by
Charles Heseltine. He worked with the PLI Reunion
Committee and was thanked accordingly. Heseltine gave the
Scrapbook to his friend and electric railway history colleague,
O. R. Cummings. O. R. Cummings, is the well-known and
prolific publisher of dozens of books on the histories of
various electric railway companies. O. R. passed the
Scrapbook on to Seashore Trolley Museum's Library.
Click Here: for the post on one segment of the incredible PLI Employee Reunion Scrapbook
This page has a "Look Back" list for various electric railways
in Maine. The previous page, page 5, also looks ahead at
plans for the first, State-wide convention of electric rail
enthusiasts in Maine, scheduled for Labor Day weekend.
Page 6
Click Here: for the post that will link you to the history of every electric railway in Maine
Steps to build a model streetcar. Featuring construction of the
Portland-Railroad car, No. 210, featured on the cover of this issue.
Page 7
Here is Portland Railroad car No. 211 in the 1920s at a siding at the entrance
to the Portland Railroad St. John Street carhouse.
Portland Railroad (PRR) cars Nos. 210 and 211, were both built at the PRR
Shops on St. John Street in Portland, Maine in 1908. They are identical cars.
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009-2_38_089
Click Here: for the post on the Portland Railroad St. John Street Carhouse and Shops 1888-1941
Drawing on PRR 210
Pages 8 and 9
More details on constructing the model
Page 10
Story of PRR Motorman, Charlie Green, saving Portland's
waterfront from a devastating fire in the waterfront coal pockets!
Page 11
Portland Press Herald - Front Page - May 7, 1938
Poems and promotions.
Page 12
"A Ride to Winthrop" story of riding on the Maranacook prior
to 1928.
Page 13
The Maranacook on a postcard.
Page 13 of a slide show presentation I did live, online, in January 2024, for the
Kennebec Historical Society. You can watch the presentation about the history
of the electric railways that served the greater Augusta, Winthrop, and Waterville
areas by clicking on this link on the KHS Facebook homepage.
Slide 14 - the Maranacook, a combination car, on the left, with a similar
interior as combination car No. 70 from the Aroostook Valley Railroad seen
on the right. No. 70 is in the collection at the Seashore Trolley Museum.
Both photos are from the O. R. Cummings Collection
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
Here is a photo I took of 1912, No. 70, from the Aroostook Valley
Railroad, during a special event at the Seashore Trolley Museum.
No. 70 is one of ten Maine railway vehicles that are listed on
the National Register of Historic Places.
Click Here: for the post on the ten Maine railway vehicles listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Slide 16 has a postcard that features Island Park, which is mentioned in the
Winthrop trip on page 13 or the Transiteer newsletter.
Click Here: for the post on the systems that served Winthrop from Augusta
One of the topics above is about the public hearing in Westbrook
about buses taking over and replacing the trolleys. Below is the
April 26, 1938, Portland Press Herald - letter to the Editor
by the Portland Div ERA
Page 14
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Portland Press Herald - April 26, 1938 - page 6
Advertisements and nationwide news
Page 15
Back Cover with advertisements
We continue the restoration work on the Narcissus, the only surviving interurban coach of the PLI. Please consider making a donation to the Narcissus Project to help the restoration work continue to completion.
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 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 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 a one-time donation or you
may choose to have a specific amount charged to your card
automatically each month. Please contact the Museum bookkeeper, Jill, via email at finance@trolleymuseum.org or by phone, at 207-967-2712 ext. 5.
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: 816 Narcissus, then continue filling in the required information.
Click Here for PayPal - to make an online donation: you can email: finance@NEERHS.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, Jill, via email at finance@trolleymuseum.org or by phone, at 207-967-2712 ext. 5,
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 - 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, majestic stained glass windows.
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
Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.
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