Underwood Spring Trolley Park - Falmouth, Maine - 1899 - 1907

 

c 1901 Titled: Underwood Park.

The description says: "This photograph depicts the Spring

House and Gazebo at Underwood Spring Park in Falmouth Foreside."

From the J. A. Waterman Negatives Collection at

Osher Map Library, USM, Portland, Maine 

Underwood Spring Park - July 18, 1899 - 1907   

    Underwood Spring Park was one of several popular pleasure resorts (known as trolley parks) in Maine, built by electric railway companies to enhance their ridership. The Portland & Yarmouth Electric Railway opened the Underwood Spring Park on July 18, 1899. Late in 1900, the Portland & Yarmouth Electric Railway became a division of the Portland Railroad.

Click Here: for the post on Riverton Trolley Park 1896-1933 (Portland)

Click Here: for the post on Casco Castle Trolley Park 1902-1914 (South Freeport)

Click Here: for the post on Merrymeeting Trolley Park 1899-1906 (Brunswick)

Click Here: for the post on Island Park Pleasure Resort and Trolleys 1902-1928 (Winthrop)

Click Here: for the post on Oakland Park 1902-1931 (Rockport)

    Built upon an underground spring that gushed forth a quarter of a million gallons of healthy water every 24 hours. Day-trippers from Portland could depart Monument Square every 30 minutes (every 15 minutes during peak times) for 20 cents for a round trip. Every evening between 8  p.m. and 9 p.m., an engineer would operate the electric fountain, manipulating its controls to create a shifting rainbow of color in the water. 

Built in 1897 by the J. G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, PA

for Portland & Yarmouth Electric Railway showing 

Underwood destination while sitting at the Yarmouth carhouse.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library;

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_38_102

From Oxford Street to Washington Avenue

across Tukey's Bridge and on to Yarmouth.

Map from the 2015 NEERHS book,

"The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street

& Electric Railways 1863-1946"

Route - From the beginning, 30-minute headway between Portland and Yarmouth, 15 minutes to Underwood Spring, during the summer months, afternoons, and evenings. Fall, winter, and fall had 60-minute headway. Cars left Monument Square, Congress to Elm Street, and Oxford Street to Washington Avenue, across Tukey's Bridge to East Deering, Veranda Street, past the Marine Hospital, and over Martin's Point Bridge to Falmouth, Cumberland, and Yarmouth.

     In Yarmouth, passengers could then board a Portland and Brunswick Street Railway to continue along the coast or, in Brunswick, could board a trolley car for Lewiston and then on to Augusta and Waterville, etc. Eventually, an agreement was reached between the two lines, and service was provided starting in 1906.

Yarmouth Division Mileage

Monument Square to:

Washington Avenue Carbarn    1.25

Veranda Street Siding               2.14

Marine Hospital Siding            2.55

Martin's Point Siding               3.25

Cemetery Siding                      4.60

Foreside                                   5.97

Underwood                              7.08

Spear's Hill                               8.78

Russel's Siding                         9.50

York Siding                             10.36

Moxey's Siding                        11.40

Yarmouth Carbarn                   12.11

Terminus - Yarmouth               12.44

The mileage above is from O. R. Cummings

1957 book, Part 1, "Portland Railroad."

J. G. Brill Co., Philadelphia, PA, built Nos. 4, 5 & 6

10-bench open trolley cars in 1896 for the  P & Y Elec. Rwy.

Here is No. 5 on the main line, across from the entrance to

 the Underwood Spring Park. For the first month, passengers

would disembark here and walk into the park.

These 10-bench open cars would carry 50 passengers.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library;

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_053

One-way rates for the PRR.

From O. R. Cummings

1957 book, Part 1, "Portland Railroad."

    The popularity of the Underwood Spring Park was immediate when it opened in July. The P&Y reacted quickly in August by building a loop from the main line into the park, which enabled the trolley cars to deliver passengers directly to the front door of the casino that was erected there.

Here No. 5 is seen on the spur from the entrance

into the Underwood Spring Park and is about to enter the loop.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library;

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_038

Here No. 31, a 14-bench open that could carry 70 passengers,

is about to enter the loop.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library;

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_042

Here No. 7, a 10-bench open, is at the front door of the casino,

where passengers arriving will disembark. Then, passengers may

board, who are looking to depart the park.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library;

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_041

Here No. 11, a 10-bench open, is at the front door of the casino.

The destination sign reads, Portland. Notice in the photo on the left,

there is a waiting area for passengers with benches. Once on board,

No. 11 will depart, with its destination being Monument Square

in Portland.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library;

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_041

    Underwood Spring Park featured a handsome, three-story casino, set in a beautiful wooded landscape. The casino's dining room was bright and spacious. Visitors dined on shore dinners while enjoying views of the harbor. The casino had a sitting room and a music room decorated with potted palms. The card room was on the second floor and decorated in purple and red. Comfortable armchairs were upholstered in rich Bagdad cloth with trimmings. Across the hall from the card room was the smoking room, in red. A large dance hall was located on this floor as well. (Description by Charles D. Heseltine in an unpublished manuscript - from 2012, NEERHS book, "The Trolley Parks of Maine)

The next few images of Underwood Spring Park are from the 57 glass plate negatives (13 x 10.5 cm each) taken by J. A. Waterman and are among the Digital Philanthropy Collection at the Osher Map Library in the Smith Center for Cartographic Education on the campus of the University of Southern Maine in Portland, Maine.

     Alternative Title: Waterman Negatives [57 Glass Plate Negatives]

     Creator: Waterman, J. A.

     Date Range: circa 1898 - circa 1910

     Historical Content: Images of later nineteenth and early twentieth-century towns of Maine.

     Notes: Glass plate negatives taken by J. A. Waterman. Images depict Gorham, Kittery, Falmouth,                Yarmouth, and Portland. 

c 1901 Titled: Underwood Park, Falmouth.

The description says: "This photograph depicts the Gazebo

at Underwood Springs Park in Falmouth Foreside.

From the J. A. Waterman Negatives Collection at

the Osher Map Library, USM, Portland, Maine.

    Underwood's open-air theater offered entertainment after the fountain show. Vaudeville acts, under the direction of the Gorman Brothers of Medford, MA, came through every week. The annual appearance of the celebrated song and dance team, Primrose and West, was greatly anticipated by theater-goers. (Description by Charles D. Heseltine in an unpublished manuscript - from 2012, NEERHS book, "The

 Trolley Parks of Maine)

c 1901 Titled: Underwood Park Shows Rustic Theater, Piano Player.

There is no further description.

From the J. A. Waterman Negatives Collection at

Osher Map Library, USM, Portland, Maine.

c 1901 Titled: Underwood Park from Casino Looking Toward Shore.

The description says: "This photograph shows the fountain and

shore at Underwood Spring Park in Falmouth Foreside."

From the J. A. Waterman Negatives Collection at

the Osher Map Library, USM, Portland, Maine.

Postcard - O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_036

Falmouth had Maine's only electric fountain at Underwood Spring Park.

Postcard - O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_035

Every evening between 8 and 9 p.m., an engineer would operate

the electric fountain, manipulating its controls to create a shifting

rainbow of color in the water. The casino and theater burned down in

1907 and were never rebuilt.  O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_26_037

    There are very few remains of Underwood Spring Park to be found today. Below are two newspapers

articles that look back at the park. 

Evening Express - October 23, 1963

Ibid

Ibid

Ibid

Ibid - October 23, 1963

Lewiston Sun Journal - January 7, 1967

Ibid

Ibid

Ibid - January 7, 1967

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

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

Gold Book Award Winner plaque for

 Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive

Portland Railroad - Westbrook, Gorham, & South Windham Revisited

 In preparation for the Westbrook electrification, four
double-truck open trolley cars were
built at PRR's own Bennett Street carhouse
shop on Munjoy Hill fin 1892 for use specifically in Westbrook.
Seen here is No. 77, one of the four open cars that were built in 1892.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

 O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_040

     Photo and research resources used in this blog post are courtesy of Seashore Trolley Museum's Library; specifically from the O. R. Cummings Collection and Phil Morse (PWM), and O. R. Cummings books, "Portland Railroad" Part 1, 1957, and Part 2, 1959, and the Osher Maps Library at the Smith Center for Cartographic Education at University of Southern Maine Portland Campus, 314 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME 04101.

     Monument Square in Portland, Maine, was the hub for all the early horse-drawn and electric railway systems running into and out of Portland. This blog features the high-speed, luxury interurban, No. 14, Narcissus of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban (PLI) that is now being restored at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. The Narcissus and nine other Maine vehicles used on electric railways have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. Though we are deep into the research of information and materials related to the PLI and the Narcissus for use in creating the interpretation portion of the Narcissus project, it's too hard to resist posting other interesting electric railway tidbits from Maine's transportation history. With that in mind,  from 1914 until 1933, the Narcissus, as a PLI interurban, operated in and out of Monument Square to pick up and discharge passengers. As we approach Maine's Bicentennial year (2020), this blog will release posts that relate to many electric railway operations throughout the State of Maine. One of the first in the series will be a more comprehensive look at the Portland Railroad. The 470 Railroad Club in Portland will host a public presentation on the history of the Portland Railroad beginning at 7 p.m. on October 17, 2018, at 75 State Street, Portland, Maine; the entrance to the meeting hall is on Gray Street between Gray & Park Street.

      This blog post will be a bit of a teaser for that presentation at the 470 Railroad Club next month (Oct. 2018) and will show a few images of the Portland Railroad system as it first serviced Westbrook, then later expanded to serve the communities of Gorham and So. Windham.

     Click Here to go to the post: Maine Bicentennial - Portland Railroad: A History of Public Transportation 1860-1941

     Click Here to go to the post: Portland Railroad - Forest Avenue to Riverton Park Revisited

     Click Here to go to the post: Portland Railroad - Congress St. Revisited: Monument Sq.-Union Sta

     Click Here to go to the post: Portland Railroad - South Portland & Cape Elizabeth Revisited

     Click Here to go to the post: Portland Railroad - Munjoy Hill Revisited

     Click Here to go to the post: Trolleys Through Scarborough, Maine

     Click Here to go to the post: Portland-Lewiston Interurban No. 14, West Falmouth, Maine

Stroudwater Village - horsecar trolley service starting in 

August of 1891. Stroudwater, like Deering, was originally

a part of Westbrook and later annexed to Portland.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

 O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_31_043

Stroudwater - August 31, 2018 - PWM

The church on the left is the same structure as the photo above.

     Westbrook, Maine - Late in 1891, the Portland Railroad was successful in receiving authority to build the Westbrook Extension. Two routes were considered; the first was extending the line from Stroudwater, along Westbrook Road, to Westbrook. The second route and the one selected extended from Woodford's Corner in Deering, through Woodford Street, and along Brighton Avenue to Cumberland Mills and Westbrook.  In June 1891, the Portland Railroad had electrified its Deering line.  The new Westbrook line extension would open as an electrified line on June 29, 1892.

The Westbrook line of the Portland Railroad was

electrified before the Munjoy Hill section in Portland.

Most of the early electric cars for Westbrook operations

were kept in the Beckett Street car barn on Munjoy Hill.

Here is an image of horses towing an electrified

trolley from the Beckett Street car barn on its way to

Monument Square. Monument Square was electrified, and

the Westbrook-bound car could then be used on the Westbrook

line. This horse transfer took place in 1895.

Courtesy of  O.R. Cummings' book,

"Portland Railroad - Part 1" April 1957.

Postcard date-stamped July 10, 1911, showing a PRR trolley

car on Main Street in Westbrook, ME. The stone building on

the right is Walker Public Library at 795 Main Street.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_030

Walker Library at 795 Main Street, Westbrook.

Image from Google Maps 2018

The Westbrook line was busy in the early years

of operation, and it was customary for several years for an open

trolley car such as No. 77 seen here, having a former open

horsecar trolley as a trailer to carry the increase in passengers.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_057 

PRR No. 175 at the end of the line on the western end of 

Main Street in Westbrook. The trolley pole is set up for a return to

Portland c 1930 - Westbrook Tire Shop offering Fisk Tires

in the background - right. No. 175 was built for the PRR by

the J. G. Brill Co., in Philadelphia, PA, in 1902.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_039

Portland Railroad No. 155 is a 14-bench, double-truck

open trolley car built for the PRR in 1901 by the J. G.

Brill Co., in Philadelphia, PA. Seen here probably on the

Westbrook-Gorham line loading passengers for a lovely

summer trip to Portland.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_061

A reprinted map, circa 1910, "Trolleying

Through the Heart of Maine." 

Distributed by the Portland Railroad

and the Lewiston, Augusta, and

Waterville Street Railway. Courtesy

Seashore Trolley Museum

Plate #9 -Portland, Westbrook. 

Gorham and South Windham line.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library

The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street and

Electric Railways 2015

     Gorham, Maine - Three years after the Portland Railroad (PRR) opened its Westbrook line, the PRR organized the Portland Extension Railroad in July 1895 to extend the line 4 miles to Gorham. Legal issues stalled plans until January 1901, when the PRR gained stock control of the Westbrook, Windham & Naples Railway. A route from Mosher's Corner to Gorham Village was laid out, and construction began. On June 21, 1901, the first electric car entered the village, followed on June 26 by another car carrying a party of about 30 Eastern Starr members and one Railroad Commissioner. Regular service followed.

Central Square, Gorham, ME - June 1901

Courtesy Osher Map Library:

J. A. Waterman Glass Plate Negative Collection

Title: Construction at Electric Road 

Central Square, Gorham, ME - June 1901

Courtesy Osher Map Library:

J. A. Waterman Glass Plate Negative Collection

Title: First Car on the Electric Road

Central Square, Gorham, ME

Image from Google Maps 2018

The home on the left is at 48 Main Street, Gorham, 1904

Courtesy Osher Map Library:

J. A. Waterman Glass Plate Negative Collection

Title: Main Street Winter 1904

  The home on the left is at 48 Main Street, Gorham, ME
Image from Google Maps 2018

Central Square, Gorham

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_060

Corner of Main and South Sts, Gorham, ME

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_044

A busy day in Gorham, ME, as five 14-bench open trolley

cars, each with at least 75 passengers, are in line, preparing to

leave Central Square.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_058

     South Windham, Maine - The Portland Railroad had competitors for providing electric railway service to Westbrook, Gorham, and South Windham. These challenges were part of what caused delays in constructing the line. One of the competitors was the Westbrook, Windham & Naples Railway (first known as the Westbrook, Windham & Harrison Railway), which first graded a right-of-way from Westbrook to South Windham in the fall of 1898, following the old Gorham Road from Westbrook to Mosher's Corner and then continuing on to South Windham. By early July of 1899, rails had been laid from Westbrook to Mosher's Corner, and overhead was being erected. Early in August, the first trolley car was tested on the line. The grand opening in South Windham took place on August 17, 1899. Stock control of the Westbrook, Windham, & Naples Railway was achieved by the PRR in January 1901.

No. 3 was one of the two original closed trolley cars from

1899 by the American Car Company in St. Louis, MO, for the

Westbrook, Windham & Naples Railway.  c 1899

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_051

No. 3 clearly had trouble staying on the tracks this day.

c 1899

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_052

An open trolley car in South Windham. The sign reads, J. H. 

Kilgore - Livery. 

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_049

Passengers traveling on trolley cars heading to and returning

from the Westbrook line (South Windham, Gorham, and

Westbrook) to access parts of Portland would travel

along Brighton Avenue to Woodford Street, then

to Woodford's Corner. Seen here is the intersection of

Brighton Ave. and Woodford St where 

Woodford Street is on the left of the gas station. The trolley

is stopped on Brighton Ave., where Colonial Road

connects.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_31_017

No. 158 in the snow with destination sign; South Windham

via Brighton Avenue. 158 was built in 1901 by the

J. G. Brill Co., for operation on the Westbrook line of PRR.

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_062

Half of the original electric trolley car fleet of Westbrook,

Windham & Naples Railway. No. 4 open trolley car

and No. 1 closed trolley car with a trailer that was a

horsecar from the Boston West End system. 

The trailer was scrapped immediately following the PRR

takeover of the WW&N Railway. This image c 1900

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library:

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_36_067

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

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 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