The Kittery Point Carhouse shortly after the opening of
Portsmouth, Kittery, & York Street Railway 1897
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_9_102
Though the Narcissus1912 Blog features the historical background and restoration work of the National Register of Historic Places member, the high-speed, luxury, 1912 Portland-Lewiston Interurban, No. 14, Narcissus, the blog does release other posts that relate to Maine electric railways, Theodore Roosevelt-related connections with Maine, and posts about the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.
This blog post features the Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway's carhouse and power plant at Kittery Point, Maine. Summary/images from the book, "Atlantic Shore Line Railway" by O. R. Cummings, presented as Transportation Volume 4 by the Connecticut Electric Railway and the National Railway Historical Society-Connecticut Chapter - June 1950, re-issued January 1957. And text/images are also taken from an O. R. Cummings book, "Trolleys To York Beach: The Portsmouth Dover & York Street Railway", Bulletin No. 1, New England Electric Historical Society, December 30, 1964. Additional images will be credited. Details on how the local community members felt about the introduction and approved construction of the new electric railway. Find a copy of John D. Bardwell's compilation of news events published in the local newspaper, "The Diary of the Portsmouth, Kittery, and York Electric Railroad," released in 1986 through the Portsmouth Marine Society in Portsmouth, NH.
Additional blog posts on related electric railways can be found through the links below:
- 2.23.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St. Rwy 1897-1903
- 3.11.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
- 3.12.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Atlantic Shore Line Railway 1900-1910
- 3.14.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
- 3.15.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
The first carhouse erected for the Portsmouth, Kittery, & York Street Railway in 1897 was located near Hutchins' Corner (at the intersection of Pepperall and Chauncey Creek Roads) in Kittery Point. The facility was a building 45 feet by 175 feet, wood-frame, erected on piles over a tidewater swamp. Two lead-in tracks were connected through a transfer table to the four tracks inside the rambling structure, which had a capacity of twelve cars. Some repair facilities were provided inside as well.
The brick power station of the Portsmouth, Kittery, & York Street Railway was located directly behind the Kittery Point carhouse. This power plant would generate the direct-current electricity that the various electric railway vehicles would utilize for operating the fleet in the early years. The original equipment included three Dillon 125-hp vertical boilers and two Ball and Wood tandem compound engines, one of 250-hp and one of 150-hp, belted to General Electric 550-volt direct-current generators of 225 and 110 kilowatts, respectively.
Enlargement of the Kittery Point power station was undertaken between 1901 and 1902, with two Hodge 200-hp boilers, an Erie City 400-hp, four-valve, 21-inch x 21-inch engine, and a General Electric with 225 kilowatt, 550-volt direct-current generator being installed.
The building was an active operating center until trolley service in Kittery and Kittery Point ended; it was then razed. As early as 1909, fears were expressed that the wood-frame structure would be blown down in any severe windstorm, but such a calamity did not occur. An attempt to burn the building on August 16, 1908, did not succeed. The carhouse was razed in 1926, while the powerplant remained several years thereafter.
The power station was situated directly behind the carhouse.
Coal for the boilers was hauled from Cutts Wharf near Kittery
Point bridge. Original equipment for the plant in 1897 included
three boilers, two engines, and two generators; two more boilers,
another engine, and a third generator were added in 1900.
The by-then-obsolete station was placed on reserve status
1915, after arrangements were made to purchase power from
Rockingham County Light and Power of Portsmouth.
Image from the collection of H. T. Moulton within
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_9_104 circa 1910
Coal for the power station reportedly was first landed from barges at the rear of the building, but later was received at the wharf adjacent to the Kittery Point bridge and carted to the plant. There was a coal pocket at the wharf, and later a siding was provided so that the fuel could be hauled to the power plant via rail.
Outside storage of soft coal can be seen as a pile on
the right in this photo above. Soft coal was the fuel for the
steam boilers. This pile of coal is on the east side
of the power plant.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_9_107
February 1904 insurance company drawing of the steam
power station plant and the carhouse is seen off of
Pepperell Road in Kittery Point. Thanks to Ralph Littlefield
for pinpointing the current address to the entrance of the
former carhouse/power plant. 150 Pepperell Road,
the current site of the Kittery Point Citgo Gas Station.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_9_108
The rail that provided access to the power plant for
delivery of coal circa 1915
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_9_105
circa 1906
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_9_106
York Harbor & Beach Railroad trestle and coal wharf,
the Portsmouth, Kittery, & York Street Railway
received fuel for its power plant.1898 view.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_8_50
Work car "B" of the Portsmouth, Kittery, & York Street Railway
was photographed at the Kittery Point
carhouse with many employees, c 1897. These two tracks
led to a transfer table that accessed four tracks inside.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_7_105
The interior of the Kittery Point carhouse, where
the two entrance tracks led to the transfer table, seen here,
allowed access to four tracks inside the carhouse.
c 1905 O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_9_103
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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!
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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
