Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway 1896-1905

 Riverside Park's trolley station at the once-famous summer
park on a spur in Hampden of the Bangor, Hampden &
Winterport Railway.  The park opened on Jul 15, 1898, and
closed down after the 1916 season.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway summary/images from the book, "Bangor Street Railway" by Charles D. Heseltine, published as Transportation Bulletin No. 81, January-December 1974, through Connecticut Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, copyright 1976 Roger Borrup and Charles D. Heseltine. 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.

• 3.15.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
• 3.14.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
• 3.11.2020-Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
• 3.9.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Auburn, Mechanic Falls & NorwayStRwy1902-3
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Portland & Brunswick Electric Railway 1902-1911
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway Co. 1919-1941
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville St Rwy 1907-1919
• 3.6.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath St Rwy 1898-1907
• 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Hydro-Electric Company 1925-1945
• 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Penobscot Central Railway 1898-1906
• 3.3.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor. Hampden & Winterport Rwy 1896-1905
• 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905
• 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Railway & Electric Company 1905-1925
• 3.1.2020  - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Street Railway 1889-1905
• 2.23.2020 -Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St. Rwy 1897-1903
• 2.22.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Sanford & Cape Porpoise Railway 1899-1904
• 2.21.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Mousam River Railroad 1892-1899
• 1.31.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - The Norway and Paris Street Railway 1894-1918
• 1.27.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Aroostook Valley Railroad 1909-1946
• 10.17.2018 - Maine Bicentennial - Portland Railroad History 1860-1941

Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway

     Like many of these early railways in the later part of the 19th century, the names initially included in the charter sometimes went through an adjustment or two before settling on the actual name of the railway, which is when trolleys started operating on the line. Even then, some of these lines change their names in short order after the operation of the line begins. This is the case for what would become the Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway, which actually never went to Winterport :)

     The Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway (BH&W) had its inception on March 29, 1893, when the Hampden & Winterport Electric Railway & Light Company was chartered to build electric railways and lighting plants in the towns of Hampden, Winterport, Frankfort, and Prospect.

     The electric railway was to connect with the Bangor Street Railway near the "Tin Bridge" of the Maine Central Railroad. Authorization approved capitalization for $500,000. Two years later, the incorporators secured a renewal of the charter and were authorized to operate both passenger and freight cars over the tracks of the Bangor Street Railway (BSR) into downtown Bangor. The BSR was granted equal rights over the proposed Hampden line.

Bangor and Hampden map.

Map by Charles D. Heseltine in the

2015 publication, "The Illustrated Atlas of

Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946.

     Construction began in the fall of 1896. The initial incorporators of the company transferred their interests to a syndicate headed by the same group that controlled the Bangor Street Railway, which meant the new line was closely allied with the BSR. 

     A certificate allowing trolley operations was issued on December 11, 1896, for the first 1.1 miles from near the Tin Bridge to Stearns Mill in Hampden. The early trolleys were leased from BSR, which also supplied the crews to operate the cars. Charles Johnson was the first motorman, and Charles Smith was the conductor. Both men were on hand for the final run when the Hampden line was closed in 1940.

Car No. 44 at Hampden Corner

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     The Hampden cars used the BSR tracks from downtown Bangor to Market Square. The company never had its own car barn. The name of the Hampden & Winterport Electric Railway & Light Company was changed to the Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Street Railway (BH&W) on February 2, 1897.

No. 20 on Maine Street, Bangor, going to Hampden on the

new Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway before the arrival of the line's own cars.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     On March 27, 1897, the company was authorized to build electric lines through Newburgh and Dixmont in Penobscot County, and in Monroe in Waldo County, and also to run over the rails of the BSR and to the towns of Herman, Levant, Stetson, and Exeter. None of these proposed extensions was ever built, nor did the rails ever reach Winterport.

    Another 3.4 miles of track was built from Stearns Mill to Hamden Lower Corner, and it was opened on November 6, 1897. No further construction was carried out by this company, although in later years the line was extended to Hamden Highlands and to Upper Corner. Power for the line was supplied by the Veazie hydro-station.

Postcard Car No. 55 in Hampden

Postcard, from the O. R. Cummings Collection in the

2015 publication, "The Illustrated Atlas of

Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946.

     One authority on New England covered bridges believed the covered bridge over Sourdabscook stream was the only covered bridge built exclusively for streetcar use. 

The covered bridge crossing the Sourdabscook Stream in

Hampden.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     As of June 30, 1898, the line owned 4.52 miles of mainline track, plus additional sidings and turnouts, and trackage rights in downtown Bangor. Included in the siding was a .23-mile spur into Riverside Park, a company-owned pleasure resort.  The fare for passengers was 5 cents, and there were two fare zones. Frost's turnout was at the end of the first zone.

     The Riverside Park, built by the BH&W, opened on June 15, 1898, and soon became one of the most popular attractions in the Bangor area. An open-air theater was built into the banks of the river, forming a natural amphitheater, admirably suited for the purpose. Weekly changes in programs drew large crowds. 

Riverside Park midway, Hampden, opened June 15, 1898.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     Boats were rented along the riverfront and a midway with attractions to appeal to all ages. Management prided itself on keeping the resort at a high standard.

Riverside Park, midway, Hampden.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     The park proved to be a traffic stimulator, and surprisingly, it was the only trolley resort in the Bangor area. And by design, it was located slightly beyond the initial 5-cent fare limit, which doubles the company's receipts.

     One account tells of the attendant at the powerhouse having to hold the circuit breakers in by hand for an hour at the end of the day when so much current was being drawn by the many cars on the line.

     The cost to build the entire line, including Riverside Park, had been a modest $114,604.

     The company began using its own cars once the route to Hampden Lower Corner was completed. During the summer months, cars from BSR were borrowed to use during the increase in riders to Riverside Park. 

An early type of patented transfer ticket with an error as

delivered from the printer (the first plus sign should have

been a minus sign). The conductor was supposed to punch

the age, type of beard, and gender of the transfer recipient,

as well as the date, time, and line requested. This

was to avoid fraudulent use of the transfers. This

type of transfer readily fell into disfavor with both

the conductors and the public.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     Snow seems to have been the bane of the Hampden line. Then, in 1899, the line was tied up for several weeks, and crews had to use picks and shovels to make way for the plow, even resorting to ice chisels to break out the rails.

Snowdrifts were a common occurrence along the Hampden

line. Here is a car that had to be dug out by hand in 1899.

Car No. 1 of the Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     The Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway, at the time of consolidation with Bangor Railway & Electric Company on June 30, 1905, had 4.52 miles of mainline track. The high watermark for passengers carried and passenger revenues was in 1903, with 512,144 passengers carried with revenues of $26,345.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click Here: For the list of links to Theodore Roosevelt Maine Heritage Trail Posts in Easy Order to View

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

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 first captivate, fascinate, then generate 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 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

Gold Book Award Winner plaque for

 Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive

Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905

Open car No. 3, one of eight original open cars of the Bangor,
Orono & Old Town Railway in 1895.
Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway summary/images from the book, "Bangor Street Railway" by Charles D. Heseltine, published as Transportation Bulletin No. 81 January-December 1974 through Connecticut Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, copyright 1976 Roger Borrup and Charles D. Heseltine. 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.

• 3.15.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
• 3.14.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
• 3.11.2020-Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
• 3.9.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Auburn, Mechanic Falls & NorwayStRwy1902-3
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Portland & Brunswick Electric Railway 1902-1911
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway Co. 1919-1941
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville St Rwy 1907-1919
• 3.6.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath St Rwy 1898-1907
• 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Hydro-Electric Company 1925-1945
• 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Penobscot Central Railway 1898-1906
• 3.3.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor. Hampden & Winterport Rwy 1896-1905
• 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905
• 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Railway & Electric Company 1905-1925
• 3.1.2020  - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Street Railway 1889-1905
• 2.23.2020 -Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St. Rwy 1897-1903
• 2.22.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Sanford & Cape Porpoise Railway 1899-1904
• 2.21.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Mousam River Railroad 1892-1899
• 1.31.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - The Norway and Paris Street Railway 1894-1918
• 1.27.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Aroostook Valley Railroad 1909-1946
• 10.17.2018 - Maine Bicentennial - Portland Railroad History 1860-1941

Another of the early open cars of the Bangor, Orono &

Old Town Street Railway (BO&OT) is seen here as No. 53 of

the Bangor Street Railway. Like several other railways, the

BO&OT merged with the Bangor Street Railway in 1905.

BSR No. 53 was used on the Hampden line.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway

     First, some background information describing the creation of railways that led up to the formation of the Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway system.

     About two years after Bangor Street Railway was chartered, the Old Town Street Railway was incorporated by the state legislature on March 9, 1889, and was authorized to build a line from the center of Old Town to Upper Stillwater Village and to Great Works Village. 

Covered bridge over the Stillwater River at Orono through

which the trolley cars on the Old Town line ran.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     $100,000 of capital stock was issued. The line was empowered to suspend operations during the winter months or at any time when the wants of the public did not require its operation. The company was authorized to operate omnibuses in place of streetcars, and for a short time before the opening of the line, a horse-drawn omnibus line served outer State Street, but whether it was affiliated with the proposed electric line or not, research could not determine.

     An amendment to the Old Town Street Railway's charter provided that it might also build from Old Town through Milford and Bradley. This was approved by the legislature on February 27, 1891, but the line was never built through these places. The corporate life of the company was extended until February 9, 1895.

     The Old Town, Orono & Veazie Railway (OTOV) was chartered by the legislature on February 26, 1891, with permission to build from a connection with the Old Town Street Railway, through Orono to Main and Olive Streets in the town of Veazie. Here it was to connect with a proposed extension of the Bangor Street Railway. Capitalization was set at $500,000, and, like the Old Town Street Railway, it could suspend operations during the winter months if it saw fit.

    The company was permitted to lease all of its property and franchises to another company if it so desired, or it might acquire by lease or purchase the property and franchises of any other street railway whose line was constructed or chartered to form a connecting or continuing line with it.

     Acting upon this proviso, the (OTOV) took the Old Town Street Railway under a lease on June 15, 1892. Neither line, at that time, had started construction. OTOV then received permission to change its name to the Bangor, Orono & Old Town Street Railway, with permission to build from Veazie into Bangor with stipulations of streets determined.

    Nothing was done toward the construction of this railway until the entrance of Amos F. Gerald into the picture in late 1894. Amos F. Gerald was one of the foremost street railway promoters in Maine and was the backer of the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway, the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway, the Skowhegan & Norregwock Railway, the Bath Street Railway, the Waterville system, and several others.

     A resident of Fairfield, Maine, Gerald, in association with Isaac C. Libby, secured control of the Bangor, Orono & Old Town Street Railway charter and arranged for financing. A similar financial exchange with Thomson-Houston-General Electric was made as had been made with Bangor Street Railway, with a block of securities exchange as a major payment for power source equipment services. 

     Construction began, and on July 9, 1895, a certificate of safety was granted. Cars began operating on the line on July 17, 1895, though some services had commenced earlier to Veazie. Trackage rights in downtown Bangor through the State and Otis Streets. The new line was 13.25 miles in length.

Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway

Map by Charles D. Heseltine in the

2015 publication, "The Illustrated Atlas of

Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946.

     The line opened with six closed cars with enclosed vestibules, eight single-truck, 10-bench, open cars, and one single-truck snowplow. A second plow was added a short time later.

The early snow-fighting equipment struggled with keeping

the Old Town line open during heavy snow events. The

addition of a rotary plow in 1901 helped.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

Early snow-fighting equipment for the Old Town line

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     The main car barn was a State and Otis Streets in Bangor, and a small, one-stall barn on Stillwater Avenue near the hospital in Old Town. Power was provided from the Veazie hydro-station. A storage battery bank was provided at Old Town to help maintain power in that area, fed from a small generating station across the river in Milford.

The rotary plow was purchased in 1901 to cope with heavy snow on

the Old Town line. Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

      The track was extended into Bangor in 1897, making the total length of 16.7 miles of line in operation with rights to use an additional 1.2 miles of the Bangor Street Railway tracks.

Express car "A" was purchased in 1897 from the West End

Street Railway of Boston for freight service use

on the Bangor, Orono, & Old Town Railway.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     There were many complaints over the years from Great Works Village, due to the original single-truck closed cars being behind schedule or not arriving at all. The continued use of these cars culminated in a midnight visit to the one-car storage barn at Old Town by nocturnal callers - students from the State College, legend has it - loaded with combustibles of all kinds, along with a few sticks of dynamite. The resulting conflagration obliterated both the car and the carhouse! The carbarn was not rebuilt, although the company retained the land until 1920.

     Apparently, the company "got the message." In 1902, six new, double-truck, semi-convertible cars built by the J. G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, PA, arrived and started providing service to Old Town and Great Works Village with regularity. 

No. 76, one of the double-truck, Brill semi-convertibles

bought for the Old Town line in 1902 at the end of the line.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     Many of the bodies of the replaced cars were hauled to various sites along the Penobscot River for use by company officials as summer camps, and indeed, several may be found (1973) there today.

     At the time of consolidation with the Bangor Railway & Electric Company on June 30, 1905, the Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway was operating a total of 17.6 miles of mainline track. The high water mark for passengers carried in one year and passenger revenues was in 1897, with 1,268,642 passengers carried, generating $64,474 in revenues.

Restoration work continues on the Narcissus. The Narcissus is more than 100 years old now and has so many incredible stories to share. The restoration is but one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click Here: For the list of links to Theodore Roosevelt Maine Heritage Trail Posts in Easy Order to View

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 first 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

 Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive

Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Street Railway - 1889-1905

No. 12 Bangor Street Railway with its original type of trolley

pole. This car was the first electric car in Maine. Crew members

are O'Brien and Coombs. The ends were then open to the men,

standing in what is called the vestibule. The motorman would

operate the car from the vestibule with no protection

from the elements. It would be 1906 before Maine

laws were enacted to enclose the vestibules

on all trolley cars. Image from C. D. Heseltine Coll.

     Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the Bangor Street Railway summary/images from the book, "Bangor Street Railway" by Charles D. Heseltine, published as Transportation Bulletin No. 81, January-December 1974 through Connecticut Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, copyright 1976 Roger Borrup and Charles D. Heseltine. 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.

• 3.15.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
• 3.14.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
• 3.11.2020-Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
• 3.9.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Auburn, Mechanic Falls & NorwayStRwy1902-3
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Portland & Brunswick Electric Railway 1902-1911
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway Co. 1919-1941
• 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville St Rwy 1907-1919
• 3.6.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath St Rwy 1898-1907
• 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Hydro-Electric Company 1925-1945
• 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Penobscot Central Railway 1898-1906
• 3.3.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor. Hampden & Winterport Rwy 1896-1905
• 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905
• 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Railway & Electric Company 1905-1925
• 3.1.2020  - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Street Railway 1889-1905
• 2.23.2020 -Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St. Rwy 1897-1903
• 2.22.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Sanford & Cape Porpoise Railway 1899-1904
• 2.21.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Mousam River Railroad 1892-1899
• 1.31.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - The Norway and Paris Street Railway 1894-1918
• 1.27.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Aroostook Valley Railroad 1909-1946
• 10.17.2018 - Maine Bicentennial - Portland Railroad History 1860-1941

Bangor Street Railway

     Bangor, with a total population of about 20,000, was the first community in the state of Maine to have an electric railway service. The first trial trip took place in the very early hours of April 29, 1889. Two closed cars provided the first public passenger trips on May 21, 1889. On this original 3-mile section of track, from May 21, 1889, through September 30, 1889, four closed cars and four open cars carried 215,547 passengers. During a single day of the State Fair in September that fall, 8,200 passengers were transported on these trolley cars!

Downtown Bangor, December 1889, with cars Nos. 12 and 18

in their original paint schemes with the names of the contractors

painted on the dashers. Here, the two cars are passing on the

Main Street turnout in Market Square. Both cars have their

original wood trolley poles.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     A company known as the Goff Electric Company had been organized in the early 1880s for the manufacture of electric current and was the forerunner of the power and transportation system that served Bangor over the years.

     Goff was shortly joined by Frederick M. Laughton and George N. Ross, and the company was reorganized as the Bangor Electric Light & Power Company on May 2, 1885. The first powerhouse, a steam-generating station, opened in a three-story building at Cross and Columbia Streets in the fall of 1885.

     To aid in providing for the establishment of power companies, Thomas-Houston furnished the equipment partially for cash and partly in return for blocks of securities in the various projects. In this fashion, the Bangor Street Railway and the local power interests came under the domination of the Thomson-Houston Company, which became part of the Edison-General Electric Company. General Electric held a sizable interest in the Bangor properties for many years.

The Veazie hydro station for Bangor Light & Power Company

on the Penobscot River was first developed in 1889 to supply

power for Bangor's trolley cars. It was one of Maine's first

hydroelectric plants. Car No. 52, seen in the photo, was placed

on the site as a workman's shelter.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     The building of the new hydro station required additional financial arrangements, and the Public Works Company was chartered on October 19, 1889, to provide for the management and closer relationship among various water power, electric light, and street railway lines in operation or planned in the Bangor area. Securities of the Public Works Company were passed, in return for the new electrical equipment, to the supplier, Thompson-Houston Company.

     The Bangor City Council approved the electric railway project on January 18, 1887, and endorsed the proposed charter. The new company, to be known as the Bangor Street Railway, was duly incorporated by the state legislature on February 11, 1888, and the act, included was signed by the governor four days later. Capital stock was limited to $300,000.

     The route chosen commenced at a point near the "Tin Bridge" close to the East Hampden town line, and extended northeasterly along Main Street to West Market Square and the municipal bridge over the Kenduskeag Stream, through State Street to Exchange Street to Washington, along Washington Street to Oak, up Oak Street to State, and along State Street to Pearl Street. This route was selected to avoid the steep grade of State Street Hill.

Map by Charles D. Heseltine in the 2015 publication,

"The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street & Electric

Railways 1863-1946. 

     A wooden car barn was built on the outer Main Street near Dillington Street, on land purchased from the Katahdin Ice Company. The carbarn originally had only one entrance door, with a transfer table inside to direct cars to different tracks within the barn. It wasn't long before this design required that the barn be rebuilt with a separate door for each track into the barn.

The original car barn on Main Street was a wood stable-type 

building with a one-track entrance and a transfer table inside.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

Within two years, modifications were made to the carbarn to

include multiple doors and track entrances.

Image from Charles D. Heseltine Collection

     One car was on the property by early December 1888, and it is apparent that some tests had been made within the carbarn, as a news item reassured citizens that "no serious damages to pocket watches have been experienced in the testing of the electric car." Electricity, it must be remembered, was still a somewhat mysterious force at that time. Even by 1910, only about ten percent of Maine homes had electricity, and those were mostly in the cities or close urban areas.

     As the final touches were being applied to the line and the electrical equipment checked out, the Bangor Street Railway on March 12, 1889, received legislative approval to build a line in neighboring Brewer, which had just been incorporated as a city. The line would operate as a separate division until the opening of a substantial municipal bridge in 1914.

     May 21, 1889, is when regular service was able to be consistent with two of the four original closed cars in operation. A waiting room was opened on Main Street in West Market Square.

When in front of the station, cars for the Main Street trips clanged their foot gongs once before starting, and the cars loading for the State Street trips clanged their gongs twice.

     Initially, the cars operated at night with no headlights. Starting on June 22, 1889, the headlights of the kerosene type were first used and were highly acclaimed. Additional cars were added to the fleet, including 8-bench open cars and a snowplow.

     The Brewer division extended from a point near the exit from the toll bridge in Penobscot Square, through Center Street, and along North and South Main Streets to a point near Stone Street, close to the Brewer-Orrington municipal line. A wooden carbarn, 60' by 20', was constructed at the end of the route. Rails ran along the side of the highway the entire route.

Brewer-South Brewer car No. 13 is shown here in the late fall

of 1890, waiting at the toll bridge terminus - the bridge is in the

background. The crewmen in the photo are Mann and O'Brien.

The Brewer line operated without track connections to Bangor

until 1914. Image from Charles  D. Heseltine Collection

     In late August 1890, two cars were carried over the Maine Central Railroad bridge to Brewer and placed on the streetcar tracks. The service started on September 1st. In 1890, ten additional closed cars and eleven open cars were added to the growing fleet.

Open car No. 32 at the carbarn in South Brewer was

purchased in 1890 and was one of the first two assigned to 

the Brewer-South Brewer line when it first opened in 1890.

Image from Charles  D. Heseltine Collection

     With the opening of these routes, the Bangor Street Railway (BSR) had 7.25 miles of track. During the fiscal year ending September 30, 1890, the company reported a total of 616,258 passengers for a total of $30,189 in receipts and a net profit of $8,632. Car tickets were issued on several lines.

     In the following years, some track was extended to improve service in town, and during 1895, while the new Bangor, Orono, & Old Town Railway was being constructed, having in mind its eventual route into downtown Bangor, BSR revised its track plans. In addition, the Main Street line was double-tracked as a result of plans for another new railway line project, the Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Railway.

No. 20, built in 1890, was ready for a run via State and Main

Streets to the Highlands.

Image from Charles  D. Heseltine Collection

     In August 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt was a visitor to Bangor. So popular was this Great American in the Queen City that the street railway was hard-pressed to handle the crowds that turned out to see him.

     In 1902, the final construction work of the Bangor Street Railway took place.  Under Public Works Company management, BSR extended the Center Street line from the junction of Center and Congress Streets through Center Street to the corner of Poplar Street. This line was further extended through Poplar, Leighton, Congress, Fountain, and Jefferson Streets back to a connection at Center Street to form a loop operation that opened on August 13, 1904. The BSR, other than the Brewer Division, had no suburban lines of its own. It remained for consolidation in 1905 to place the suburban lines, together with the city routes, into one integrated system.

     The high water mark for passengers carried and gross revenues earned was 1904.
1,656,293 passengers were carried on the 9.069 miles of Bangor Street Railway's main track, generating passenger revenue of $82,852.

     June 30, 1905, was the date of the consolidation, at which time the various water power, electric light, and street railway properties were reorganized in a merger creating the Bangor Railway & Electric Company.

Restoration work continues on the Narcissus. The Narcissus is more than 100 years old now and has so many incredible stories to share. The restoration is but one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click Here: For the list of links to Theodore Roosevelt Maine Heritage Trail Posts in Easy Order to View

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 first 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

 Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive

57 Million Passengers Carried on Electric Railways in Maine in 1915!!

Fair Week Passenger Travel - Three Duplex convertibles and a 14-bench open car

Main Street, Waterville. All jammed with passengers for the fairgrounds,

typical of the pre-automobile travel to special events. From: Waterville,

Fairfield & Oakland Railway Company by O. R. Cummings, book

January 1, 1965.

57,422,739 total passengers were carried on the 520 miles of electric railway tracks in Maine in 1915!

Revenues generated from passenger, freight, and express services in 1915 totaled more than $3,000,000. That is equivalent to $100 million today (2026).

To see the full page of passenger counts for the major electric railways in Maine for 1915, you can go online to page 55 (the back cover) of the 1955 publication, Toonervilles of Maine, The Pine Tree State, at the Bangor Public Library here.

Later in the 19th century and early in the 20th, public transportation was incredibly important to Maine's economic and social development. 

The passenger counts below might seem crazy to us today. Seriously.....Crazy!

This map is of the Bangor-Old Town Division -

Bangor Street Railway by Charles D. Heseltine -

 Dated January-December 1974.

     Bangor's population of about 20,000 was the first in Maine to have an electric railway service. The first trial trip took place in the very early hours of April 29, 1889. Two closed cars provided the first public passenger trips on May 21, 1889. On this original 3-mile section of track, from May 21, 1889, through September 30, 1889, four closed cars and four open cars carried 215,547 passengers. During a single day of the State Fair in September that fall, 8,200 passengers were transported on these trolley cars! 

What was the total population of Maine in 1915? The 1910 census says 742,371. The 1920 census says 797,423. So, 1915 was somewhere in between. 

     I'm deep in researching materials involving electric streetcars, trolleys, and interurbans in Maine. The information will be used in part for a large grant application to advance the restoration of the 1912 Narcissus that operated on the Portland-Lewiston Interurban from 1914 to 1933. I'm compelled to dig deep into the broader impact of electric railways on Maine's economic growth. And its implications on Maine's societal development. This blog post shares some of the early findings. It may take more than one blog post to disseminate the info :)

     The vast majority of the materials I will share have come from several books released by Seashore Trolley Museum's long-time historian, O. R. Cummings. Also, books by Charles D. Heseltine and Clark T. Irwin, Jr. 

     Please consider making a donation to the Narcissus Project. Funds are still needed to complete the restoration of the National Register of Historic Places member, Narcissus.  Scroll to the end of this post to find all donation options. All donations are currently matched, dollar-for-dollar, as part of a $40,000 matching grant challenge, thanks to the generous offer from the 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation!  Thank You :)

This map is the Bangor-Charleston Division. In total, Bangor

expanded the service over the years to have about 57 miles of

service trackage. Passengers carried in 1915: 6,571,038.

In 1921 - 7,835,046. From: Bangor Street Railway by

Charles D. Heseltine - book dated January - December 1974

     As OR's intro, September 1, 1955, book, "Toonervilles of Maine: The Pine Tree State." "Maine is well known among New England's electric railway enthusiasts for its four major traction systems - the Atlantic Shore Line Railway, the Portland Railroad, the Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville Street Railway, and the Bangor Railway and Electric Company - and for its famous Portland-Lewiston Interurban as well! - but not so well known is the fact that the Pine Tree State had several small trolley lines, none over 15 miles in length, which were either contiguous to the larger systems or operated by themselves."

Rockport & Camden Railway - PWM 

     In the late 1880s/90s, when the fledgling electric companies in Maine were starting up, each sought markets for the electricity. Residential homes were not their market of choice. Initially, the usual market sequence was contracts to provide electricity to a town/city for electric lights on the main street(s), then electric railway companies (for obvious reasons :), then industrial factories, and then later the residential market. Electricity for use by the residential market didn't expand until about 1910, after the cost of electricity had dropped to 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. Text from: The Light from the River: Central Maine Power's First Century of Service by Clark T. Irwin, Jr, dated 1999. 

In 1910, only one in ten American homes had electricity. 
Farms' access to electricity took even longer - in the mid-1930s, 8,400 (17%) of Maine's 53,000 farms had electricity. 
The National average was 6%. From: The Light From the River by C.T. Irwin, Jr. 1999

     It was expensive to acquire the land, build the power plants and dams, and place poles and string wires for the new electric companies. Having long-term contracts and receiving funding advancements were important to the fledgling electric companies. When a new street railway signed a 30-year contract with a funding advance to the Massalonskee Electric Company, a power plant was completed in 1907 and began generating the power for the Waterville, Augusta, and Lewiston Railway in 1908. The railway provided $30,000 a year in electric revenue - nearly half of Massalonskee Electric Company's total revenues. Successes were leveraged, and successes continued to mount. The electric company had 4,500 customers in 1909. In January 1910, the Massalonskee Electric Company changed its name to Central Maine Power. In 1919, CMP had 21,361 customers.

The Lewiston, Augusta, and Waterville Street Railway had

153 miles of service trackage. The Portland Railroad had

more than 80 miles of service trackage. From: Lewiston,

Augusta, Waterville Street Railway by O. R.

Cummings dated September 1, 1963. 

     The Lewiston, Augusta, and Waterville Street Railway's high point in passenger traffic was during the year ending December 31, 1917, when 15,499,524 riders traveled on the electric railway. 

     Where in the world did all these passengers come from? Or where were they going? Simply stated, during those early years, the late 1880s/90s and early 20th century, the main mode of transportation was for folks to walk. Yes, a few folks had horses and carriages. But not most people. In Maine, roads were dirt in those days. Muddy in the spring and after it rained. The snow made travel challenging, too. The trolleys were the most dependable means of year-round transportation for the public in the pre-automobile era. People tended to use the electric railways in Maine to go to work, go to town to shop, visit family, and recreate. With most workers working a six-day week, the electric railway companies often extended tracks to a recreation center. A park, perhaps. Some parks had amusement rides that operated on railway electricity. Often, there was a "casino" at the destination. Casinos in those days were for music and dancing, and a restaurant. The beaches of southern Maine and the eastern coastline were major destinations. Inland, parks next to lakes or ponds where picnics and canoeing took place were attractive to the public and summer visitors to Maine. O. R. states that no self-respecting street railway company considered itself complete without a pleasure resort.

Lake Grove Park at Auburn Lake. PWM postcard

 Passengers dressed to the "nines" pose at a stop during an excursion on the

popular parlor car "Merrymeeting" of the Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville

Street Railway. O. R. Cummings collection from NEERHS Library

    The Portland Railroad system in 1903 had more than 500 employees, owned 217 passenger cars, and carried 13 million passengers between July 1, 1903, and June 30, 1904. 

Each open trolley car, "Breezers", carried 60-75 passengers. PWM

Each of these open trolley cars, "Breezers", could carry 75

passengers. How many trolleys are lined up here in total? Amazing.

The casino mentioned is located where the photographer taking

this image would be standing. See the postcard below. PWM

The casino at Riverton Park in Portland, Maine. Riverton Park was

located a few miles outside the downtown area of Portland. PWM

Monument Square in downtown Portland, Maine. PWM

The "Camilla" of the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway at the front of the

Casco Castle Park at South Freeport during the winter of 1903-04. From

the collection of O R Cummings, in his publication, Trolleys to Brunswick, Maine

1896-1937 by O. R. Cummings,1966.

The Berwick, Eliot & Dover Street Railway would become part of the 

more than 90 miles of service trackage. Including tracks from South Berwick,
Maine to Dover, New Hampshire, and a railway-owned ferry service from
Kittery, Maine, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. From: Atlantic Shore Trolleys
by O. R. Cummings dated January 1, 1966

     The Atlantic Shore Line Railway's high point in passenger service was July 1, 1907, through June 30, 1908, when 5,881,581 riders traveled from Kittery to the connection at the Biddeford and Saco Railroad. Passengers enjoyed access to the beaches along the York County coastline. The ASL connected with the nearly 8-mile Biddeford & Saco Railroad. In the summer, ASL passengers would transfer onto the B&S for a trip to Old Orchard Beach.

The Biddeford & Saco trolleys stopped at the Railroad crossing.

It was a short walk to the Pier in Old Orchard Beach. PWM

The Pier at Old Orchard Beach had a casino at the end.

At one point, the pier stretched out 1,800 feet into the Atlantic

Ocean. Summer visitors are drawn to the beach and the other

attractions offered there, attributed to the strong ridership

numbers in 1921 when 1,871,154 riders traveled on the

Biddeford & Saco Railroad. PWM

Portland-Lewiston Interurban included about 34 miles of service

trackage. Map from: Maine's Fastest Electric Railroad:

Portland-Lewiston interurban by O. R. Cummings 1956

     The seven high-speed, luxury wooden interurbans, along with two additional traditional passenger cars, carried 7,302,000 passengers on the PLI line during the twenty years of operations, 1914-1933. The six original interurbans were named after flowers. The seventh interurban was built in 1920. In honor of  Maine's Bicentennial, it was named Maine.

     Restoration of the sole surviving PLI is underway. The Narcissus entered

Seashore Trolley Museum's Town House Restoration Shop on May 20, 2015. Complete restoration of the exterior of the Narcissus is phase one. 

Portland-Lewiston Interurban's Narcissus, featured in Promo Material - PWM

     The four major electric railway systems above and the PLI may have been Maine's best known in New England; however, the other railway systems throughout Maine were well patronized during the early 20th century. The next Blog Post will delve into those smaller railways.

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!

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 - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St Rwy 1897-1903

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

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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

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 captivate, fascinate, and then generate 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 donating 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 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

Gold Book Award Winner plaque for

 Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive