The Merrymeeting Parlor Trolley Car 1899-1920

Postcard with the Parlor Car "Merrymeeting" carrying 

a "Special Party" of passengers to Island Park on

Lake Cobbosseecontee in Winthrop, ME. c 1910

O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum

2009_2_20_160

    Incorporators of the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway included Amos F. Gerald and other associates of his who were involved with other electric railways in Maine. Amos Fitz Gerald was a fan of castles. This may be why he was known as the Electric Railway "King" of the Pine Tree State. Click on his name to read his biography, Amos Fitz Gerald. He was one of many Maine entrepreneurs and inventors who were involved with street railways in the early days.  Amos included castle-like aspects to the trolley casino at Merrymeeting Trolley Park and at Casco Castle Trolley Park in South Freeport.

Click Here: to read the history of the Casco Castle Trolley Park

Click Here: to read the history of the Underwood Spring Trolley Park

Click Here: to read the history of Merrymeeting Park in Brunswick

Click Here: for more on Trolley Parks in the heart of Maine by Seashore Trolley Museum.

Click Here: to read the lengthy history of Riverton Park in Portland

Click Here for the post: Ninety Communities in Maine with Electric Railway Service

Click Here for the post: 57 Million Passengers Carried on Electric Railways in Maine in 1915

The following description of the Merrymeeting Parlor Car is from the 1959 O. R. Cummings publication, Trolley Parlor Cars of New England." 

    The "Merrymeeting" was a double-truck parlor car built by the Briggs Carriage Company of Amesbury, MA, for the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway, for a cost of $7,000.

Bath carhouse of the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway

with parlor car, "Merrymeeting" c 1899

O.R.Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum

2009_2_25_013

    Delivered in May 1899, the regal coach was 40 feet in overall length, with an enclosed section that was 20 feet long and two observation platforms, each 10 feet in length. These platforms were enclosed by ornamental iron grillwork. The enclosed section had five large windows, ornamented with stained glass trimmings on each side. Olive green plush draperies were at the windows and doors. Wicker chairs and four tables for card players were set about on the green carpet. All interior woodwork was of mahogany, and the car was lighted by 42 incandescent lamps.

The interior view of the parlor car, "Lawrence" of the

Newport & Fall River Street Railway was built in 1898 by

the Newburyport Car Company. The wicker chairs  and card table

are similar to those that were in the "Merrymeeting."

O. R. Cummings collection at Seashore Trolley Museum

2009_2_49_064

    The car was painted green with straw trimmings and proudly bore its name in gold letters on the convex side panels of the enclosed section. The "Merrymeeting," incidentally, was the only car with air brakes on the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath for several years, being equipped with an axle-driven compressor.

The Merrymeeting Parlor Car - no date or location -

From the Robert Melcher Collection at the Maine Historical Society's

Brown Research Library

The "Merrymeeting" at Tacoma Inn near Lewiston, c 1905

O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum

    The "Merrymeeting," which could be chartered for $10 a day, was taken over by the Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street Railway in 1907 and remained on the active roster as late as 1917. It was then stored until about 1920, when its trucks were removed for use on a freight car, and the body was scrapped.

The "Merrymeeting" parlor car with a special party of

passengers. c 1900-1917 O.R. Cummings Collection

at Seashore Trolley Museum 2009_2_49_007

The "Merrymeeting" at the New Meadows Inn station in Bath, ME.

c 1910 photo by Arthur Foster in the O.R. Cummings

Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum 2009_2_20_090

The "Merrymeeting" at the Tacoma Inn near Lewiston

O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum

2009_2_21_027

The "Merrymeeting" at the Lewiston carhouse c 1900.

This carhouse was built in 1899 and burned down late in 1903.

O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum.

The Merrymeeting on the Brunswick flat, en route to

Freeport and Yarmouth (ME), when it was part of the

Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street Railway c 1907-1917.

George E. Cantara photo in the 1959 O. R. Cummings

publication, Trolley Parlor Cars of New England"

The "Merrymeeting" parlor car in Sabattus (ME) at the interchange

with the Maine Central Railroad on August 18, 1914. Media

photographers en route to Lewiston to see Theodore Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt traveled on the Narcissus later that day when

he traveled from Lewiston to Portland.

O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_21_022

Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library

    The photo above of the Merrymeeting parlor car is also shown on page 28 of Central Maine Power Company's newsletter, The Exciter Magazine - 1960 - The Electric Railroad Edition. The caption has the date as August 18, 1914, and states: "Probably the most celebrated passenger to be carried on a Maine trolley was former President Theodore Roosevelt." 

    I like that statement. On that day, 8/18/1914, Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the luxury, high-speed car, Narcissus, as he used the Portland-Lewiston Interurban (PLI) to campaign for the Progressive Party candidates between Lewiston and Portland (ME). The caption for this photo misstates that the former POTUS is in this photo and had been a passenger on the Merrymeeting.  To me, these passengers are press staff for various newspapers that used the Merrymeeting to follow TR during that day. FYI - on August 31, 1916, Theodore Roosevelt would again ride one of the luxury PLI coaches, Clematis, from Portland to Lewiston.

The "Merrymeeting" parlor car at Togus Station. 

O. R. Cummings Collection at Seashore Trolley Museum

2009_2_21_130

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

We continue the restoration work on the 1912 Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban. 

Click Here: Narcissus Restoration-Related Posts

Being more than a century old, the stately, "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem.  This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents first captivates, then 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

Casco Castle Trolley Park - South Freeport, Maine 1902-1914

Casco Castle Trolley Park was one of several trolley parks 

that Amos Firz Gerald was involved with creating. 

Postcard PWM

    Electric street railway companies might not have considered themselves complete without having a pleasure resort destination available for their patrons during the golden years of the trolley era. The Casco Castle Park, in South Freeport, Maine, was created to provide the Portland and Brunswick Street Railway a destination for visitors to help the railway company increase the number of passengers using its trolleys. 

"Camillia" is like its sister combination cars, "Alice", "Dorothy", "Flora",

and "Lida," carried passengers and light freight and express

(see the sliding door on the side on the left). Seen here at the trolley stop

at Casco Castle Park, South Freeport.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_29_041

Seashore Trolley Museum

    This blog post features images from the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway and the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway Casco Castle Park. Much of the text and some images are from the book, Trolleys to Brunswick, Maine 1896-1937, and Portland Railroad Part 1 & 2, also published by O. R. Cummings. Additional images are credited individually. Several photos and some text are from the book, The Trolley Parks of Maine, by Amber Tatnall, Randy Leclair, and Doreen Rogan: New England Electric Railway Historical Society - 2012, where several entries are credited to the Freeport Historical Society from "The Story of Casco Castle." All others are credited as noted.

Letterhead from the Casco Castle Park, South Freeport.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_035

Seashore Trolley Museum

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

Click Here: for the post on Underwood Spring Trolley Park 1899-1907 (Falmouth)

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 190w-1931 (Rockport)

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

    Incorporators of the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway, and the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway, included Amos F. Gerald and other associates of his who were involved with other electric railways in Maine. Amos Fitz Gerald was a fan of castles. This may be why he was known as The Electric Railway, "King," of the Pine Tree State. Click on his name to read his biography, Amos Fitz Gerald. He was one of many Maine entrepreneurs and inventors who were involved with street railways in the early days.

Brunswick-Freeport-Yarmouth Map from the 2015 NEERHS book,

"The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946"

    Casco Castle Park

    The attractions at Casco Casco Park, created by the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway Company during the summer of 1902, included a large stone tower called the "Castle," which was 100 feet tall, built with local stone, had an electric elevator, and observation stations. The three-story casino was of wood frame construction, with a roof that included, rooftop garden,  with stone-colored shingles, ornate spaced squared openings on the top of the walls, along with a zoological garden campus with a zoo that, like Merrymeeting Park, included bears, wolves, deer, monkeys, cattle, and buffalo.

A postcard of the Casco Castle Park casino shows the broad piazzas

extended entirely around the building on the first and second floors

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_031

Seashore Trolley Museum

    Bountiful meals were served in the casino dining room. The Shore dinner was 50 cents. Other popular offerings included lobster stew, steamed clams, boiled lobsters, and various side dishes and desserts. Overnight accommodations could house one hundred guests who paid a mere three dollars for a night's stay, which included meals. 

   The casino had a spacious ballroom and beautifully appointed parlors. There were regular musical performances and community singing activities.

    The park provided a wide variety of amusements, moonlight sails, picnicking, tours of the gardens, swimming, baseball, and tennis.

A postcard of the Casco Castle Park casino shows the beautiful grounds on

the side opposite the sea view.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_032

Seashore Trolley Museum

A man feeding some grass to a buffalo in the zoo at Casco Castle Park

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_038

Seashore Trolley Museum

    A 300-foot-long suspension bridge spanned a deep ravine over Spar Creek, between the park and the trolley line. Besides which - as at Merrymeeting Park (Brunswick, Maine) - was constructed a covered platform and an enclosed waiting room for the comfort and convenience of the passengers.

The covered platform and enclosed waiting room of the

Portland & Brunswick Street Railway at Casco Castle Trolley Park.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_043

Seashore Trolley Museum

14-bench, open car, No. 7 at the Casco Castle Park station. This car 

could carry 70 passengers. These open cars were affectionately

called "Breezers," air conditioning of the day.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_042

Seashore Trolley Museum

The suspension bridge spanned a deep ravine between

the Casco Castle Park and the trolley line.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_037

Seashore Trolley Museum

    Casco Castle Park was also served by the Harpswell Steamboat Company, steamers of which stopped at South Freeport en route between Portland and Harpswell Center.

    A favorite summer trip for many was to ride on the steamer from Portland to South Freeport in the morning, spend a few hours or so at the Casco Castle, and return to Portland by trolley in the late afternoon or early evening.

No. 11, "Camilla" at the Casco Castle Park with the suspension bridge

and the casino in the background.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_29_040

Seashore Trolley Museum

The conductor seated, with the motorman at the controls of the open car

No. 7 while at the Casco Castle station.

    O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_044

Seashore Trolley Museum

    Unfortunately, Casco Castle Park, like Merrymeeting Park (Brunswick, ME), was not a profitable undertaking for the railway company, and on March 17, 1910, with the Portland & Brunswick Street Railway in the throes of financial difficulties, the property was sold to E. S. Everett of Cook, Everett, & Pennell of Portland. 

Postcard of the Casco Castle Park showing views from

four locations. O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_036

Seashore Trolley Museum

    About four and a half years later September 8, 1914, the casino was destroyed by fire, and that was the end of Casco Castle Park. 

The tower at Casco Castle, seen above, is still smoldering

after the fire that destroyed the Casco Castle casino.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_039

Seashore Trolley Museum

After the fire, the suspension bridge was removed and

relocated to an amusement park in Lewiston.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_034

Seashore Trolley Museum

Photo of the remains of the Casco Castle - Poem written by

Robert Melcher about Casco Castle

and a photo in the Robert Melcher Collection at

Maine Historical Society's Brown Research Library - 1936

Close-up photo - remains of the Casco Castle - photo in the Robert Melcher

Collection 2296 - Box 2 of 2 at the Maine Historical Society's

Brown Research Library - Dated on the back - Sunday, April 10, 1938

Click Here: for the post - Robert C. Melcher - Portland, Maine Division - Electric Railroaders Association

    The ruins of the casino were cleared away, and the suspension bridge was removed and relocated to an amusement park in Lewiston. The stone tower was left standing and is still there today, and can be viewed from Freeport's Winslow Park on Staples Point Road

Casco Castle Tower as seen on private property. 

Photo from the Facebook Group, Photographers of New

England, Chris Fiddy Tucker post 1/28/2024

Casco Castle Tower as seen on private property.

Photo from the Facebook Group, Photographers of New

England, Chris Fiddy Tucker post 1/28/2024

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

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, then 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

Merrymeeting Park, Brunswick, Maine - 1899-1906

Brunswick, Maine, Merrymeeting Park - circa 1899 -

with its majestic three-story casino on the hill in the background.

The park was built by the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street

Railway. O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_082

Seashore Trolley Museum

     Electric street railway companies might not have considered themselves complete without having a pleasure resort destination available for their patrons during the golden years of the trolley era. The Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway was formed by Amos Fitz Gerald of Fairfield, ME, later known as the "Electric Railway King of the Pine Tree State," and his associate, Isaac C. Libby of Waterville, ME.

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

Click Here: for the post on Underwood Spring Trolley Park 1899-1907 (Falmouth)

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

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

Click Here: for the post on Oakland Park 190w-1931 (Rockport)

    This blog post features images from the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway Merrymeeting Park. Much of the text and some images are from the book, Trolleys to Brunswick, Maine 1896-1937, by O. R. Cummings, presented as Transportation Volume 73 by the Connecticut Valley Chapter and the National Railway Historical Society- January-December 1966.  Additional images are credited individually. Several photos are from the book, The Trolley Parks of Maine, by Amber Tatnall, Randy Leclair, and Doreen Rogan: New England Electric Railway Historical Society - 2012. All others are credited as noted.

Passenger ticket 

O. R. Cummings Collection

Seashore Trolley Museum

Click Here: to read more on the history of the Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath Street Railway

Merrymeeting Park was opened to the public in the summer

of 1899. The attractions included this $30,000 casino.

Casinos of the day were not gambling establishments. 

The three-story casino had broad verandas, a very large dining

room, a dance hall, a parlor, and smoking rooms. PWM postcard

    Merrymeeting Park embraced a tract of 147 acres, all enclosed with a wire fence, located 1.5 miles from Brunswick. The enclosure embraced an area of cleared land, formerly farming land, which sloped away in two directions to the Androscoggin River. Interspersed with trees and bushes along some of the roughest portions, and a large section of a forest of native trees, at the edge of which was a deep ravine, where an open-air theatre was located. 

    One of the attractions was a large pond, which was fed by numerous springs and divided by a wire fence, one side being known as the swan pond and the other as the duck pond.

Twenty-six miles from Lewiston. Notice the castle-like stone

attachment to the veranda. Amos F. Gerald, the builder of the

Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath line, loved castles and frequently

incorporated a castle into the trolley parks he was

associated with. PWM postcard

    The principal park building was the large, three-story casino, which was located at the highest point of ground in the park, from which a fine view of the river could be had in either direction. In the river were numerous wooded islands, the shores of which were outlined by tall trees, presenting a scene of quiet beauty seldom equaled. 

Map showing the location of Merrymeeting Park, in

relationship to Brunswick, Maine.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_076

Seashore Trolley Museum

The main entrance to Merrymeeting Park was at this

trolley stop that featured a long, covered platform

with waiting rooms. The entrance was a lofty trestle

spanning the Maine Central Railroad tracks, 

which was parallel with the trolley line tracks,

and ran through a deep gorge between the 

tracks and the resort.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_077

Seashore Trolley Museum

Merrymeeting Park was located one and a half miles from

Brunswick on a 147-acre tract along the Androscoggin River - 

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_079

Seashore Trolley Museum

On approach to the casino, the visitors passed through the zoological department in which there were numerous houses, cages, and pens for the fine collection of animals that formed the principal attractions. 

The collection included a herd of buffalo, bears, moose, elk, deer, and foxes.

Vast lawns, ponds, and groves of trees made for a relaxing atmosphere.

Trolleys to Brunswick, Maine, 1896-1937, by O. R. Cummings

In the park's zoological garden, visitors could see a

herd of deer, monkeys, crocodiles, brightly colored birds,

and several buffalo. The zoo was also home to a stuffed

horse, purported to be the largest in the world.

PWM Postcard

Park visitors might wander along wooded pathways

strung with colored lights to the outdoor theatre.

The amphitheater, with a seating capacity of 3,000 patrons, was

built into the face of a sloping hillside, with an

open stage at its foot. Entertainments included minstrels,

vaudeville acts, magic shows, trapeze artists, tap dancing,

and comedy routines - and of course, the diving horse act.

Stock companies regularly performed comedic and

dramatic theatrical productions. The amphitheater had

programs that included band concerts.

PWM Postcard

    Frequently, the attendance in the early years at the park was from 2,000 to 4,000 people on a given day.

When patrons were looking to depart the park, the trolleys

were parked along the platform, ready to receive riders.

The cars were headed in both directions, as the park

attracted people from Brunswick and Bath and from

the Lewiston direction. The fare from Brunswick was

 5 cents, with a free admission to the theatre and park

attractions.

 O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_078

Seashore Trolley Museum

The main entrance to Merrymeeting Park was this

trolley stop.  O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_080

Seashore Trolley Museum

The "Merrymeeting" parlor car was popular for

being chartered by a group for special occasions.

It could be chartered for $10 a day. A special occasion was

frequently a group going to Merrymeeting Park.

Photo courtesy of Seashore Trolley Museum's Library.

Photo from O. R. Cummings 1959

publication, "Trolley Parlor Cars of New England"

A stately three-and-a-half-storied building with

brown shingle siding, white trim, and a tower served as the park's casino.

Wide verandas encircled the first and second stories,

where guests could lounge in Adirondack chairs. An arched

stone entranceway, complete with a turret,

greeted guests as they entered by trolley.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_082

Seashore Trolley Museum

    The casino's dining room could seat 100 guests. It had a wide-ranging menu, serving American,

French, German, and Italian cuisine. The most popular meal, however, was the 50-cent shore dinner. The restaurant had a standing order for ten barrels of lobster every Sunday to satisfy the appetites of hungry

day-trippers.

The bridge walkway, to the wide dance platform, with

the majestic casino on the hill in the background.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_085

Seashore Trolley Museum

    On fine evenings, guests could go dancing by the pond. A rustic bridge crossed the pond, and at its center was a wide dance platform illuminated by an arc light. On bright moonlit nights, the arc light could be turned off to create a more romantic atmosphere.

Rustic bridge in the background and the dance platform

in the center. Under the trees in a grove were

several Fairfield lawn swings.

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_084

Seashore Trolley Museum

 

The rustic bridge.

Light refreshments were available at a stand called the 

"Round house."

O. R. Cummings Collection - 2009_2_19_086

Seashore Trolley Museum

Map from the 2015 NEERHS book,

"The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street

& Electric Railways 1863-1946" - Seashore Trolley Museum

    The park's popularity did decline fairly quickly. Attendance rates, perhaps due to the comparatively pricey 30-cent fare, proved to be Merrymeeting Park's downfall. The park never made enough of a profit for the railway and closed in 1906 after only seven years of operation.

    The casino and other buildings were razed, and the animals were taken away, but the park grounds were

open for picnics and outings until 1915, when the property was sold by the Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street Railway for $17,500.

    The main gate at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station was just about opposite the former entrance to Merrymeeting Park, of which no traces remain today.

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

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, then 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