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

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

on Main Street, Waterville, are 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 dated

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 $70 million today.

To see the full page of the 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 Bangor Public Library here.

Public Transportation was incredibly important in Maine's economic and social development late in the 19th century and early in the 20th century.

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

This map is of the Bangor-Old Town Division -

Bangor Street Railway by Charles D. Heseltine -

 book dated January-December 1974.

     Bangor, with a total population of about 20,000, was the first 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! 

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 help with the restoration of the 1912 Narcissus that operated on the Portland-Lewiston Interurban from 1914 till 1933. I'm feeling compelled to dig deep for the broader impact of electric railways' influences 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 O. R. says in his intro in his September 1, 1955, book publication, 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 postcard

     In the late 1880s/90s, when the fledgling electric companies in Maine were starting up, 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. A serious pursuit of the residential market didn't start 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

     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 destination for recreation. 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 a place for music and dances and a restaurant. The beaches of southern Maine and the eastern coastline were major destinations. Inland, parks near a lake or a larger pond where picnics and canoeing took place were attractive to the public and summer visitors to Maine. O. R. states; 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 in a single year between July 1, 1903, through June 30, 1904. 

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

PWM postcard

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 postcard

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

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

Monument Square in downtown Portland, Maine. PWM postcard

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 dated 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 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 the year July 1, 1907, through June 30, 1908, when 5,881,581 riders traveled basically from Kittery to the connection at the Biddeford and Saco Railroad. Passengers enjoyed access to the beaches along the York County coastline. The ASL made a connection with the nearly 8 miles, 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. From there it

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

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

Portland-Lewiston Interurban included about 34 miles of service trackage. Map

from: Maine's Fastest Electric Railroad: Portland-Lewiston interurban by

O. R. Cummings dated 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 between the major cities (1914-1933). The six original interurbans were named after flowers. The seventh interurban was built in 1920 and 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

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

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 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

Vallee Family Pictures of the Narcissus - 1960s

J. Henri Vallee with the Narcissus in the background on March 5, 1969.

In the background, to the right, you can see the roof trusses for the

replacement summer camp that the Seashore Trolley Museum would build later

that year. The new three-room structure was to replace Vallee's summer

camp. In 1934, Mr. Vallee purchased the "body" of the Narcissus for $100

from the Portland-Lewiston Interurban in Lewiston, Maine, and then moved

to Sabattus, Maine, to become his family's summer camp. In this image,

the Narcissus was moved from its original position, which was behind the

tree seen here in the center of the image.

Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee.

Late last week, I received a package from Mr. Daniel Vallee. The package contained eighteen photographs of the Narcissus. Now, for many railway/railroad enthusiasts, this would signify images of the Narcissus in its glory days of being a magnificent representative of the high-speed, wooden electric interurbans of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban. The PLI operated between Portland, Maine, and Lewiston, Maine, from 1914 until 1933. The Narcissus is the lone surviving piece of rolling stock from the forward-thinking visionary, W. S. Libbey. The businessman who built what became known as the "Finest Electric Railroad in All-New England". This elegant, iconic piece of railway history, Narcissus, has been in the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. Some may think an image of Theodore Roosevelt aboard during his ride on Narcissus on August 18, 1914, may have been included in the collection.

But no. The pictures of the Narcissus in this package are not of this gem as it sits on rails in any one of the many communities it traveled through during its operating heyday. The images contained in this package are just as important in helping us tell the full life story of Narcissus. A story that is now more than 100 years old! The twenty years the Narcissus spent on the PLI rails helping to carry the 7.3 million passengers that traveled between Portland and Lewiston during that time is a very important chapter in its life, but not the only chapter. 

After the PLI ended operations, it sold many of the "bodies" of its rolling stock, including the interurbans. Mr. J. Henri Vallee purchased the body of the Narcissus in 1934. For $100! He moved it from Lewiston, Maine, to Sabattus, Maine, where it became the Vallee summer camp until 1969. Seashore Trolley Museum, in Kennebunkport, Maine, acquired the Narcissus from Mr. Vallee late in 1969. 

This past summer (2015), Mr. Vallee's son, Daniel Vallee, read his local Lewiston-area newspaper and its story about his former summer camp residence under restoration at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport. He made a phone call to the Seashore Trolley Museum and made arrangements to visit the Narcissus. Daniel spent the first eighteen summers of his life using the Narcissus as his summer home in Sabattus! During his visit, he mentioned he would look through his family "archives" :) for photos of the Narcissus. 

Presented here are many of those Vallee family photos that include the Narcissus. On behalf of the Museum and the Narcissus, I want to say Thank You! We owe the Vallee family a tremendous debt of gratitude for bringing the Narcissus into their family and keeping the Narcissus safe for thirty-five years. If not for Daniel's father purchasing the Narcissus in 1934, who knows what the future would have had in store for the Narcissus? We do know the fate of its sister interurbans, Arbutus, Gladiolus, Clematis, Azalea, Magnolia, and Maine. But for a few clerestory stained glass windows from the Arbutus, abandoned sections of the right-of-way repurposed power stations and carbarns, and assorted ephemera here and there, all other remnants of the "Grand Old Interurban" are gone. 

Please consider making a donation to the Narcissus Project. Funds are still needed to complete the restoration of the Narcissus.  Scroll to the end of this post to find all donation options. Thank You :)

Narcissus, snowbound on March 5, 1969. It would still be several months

before the Narcissus would make its way to the Seashore Trolley Museum

in Kennebunkport. Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee

Narcissus was the Vallee family summer camp from 1934 until
1969. Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee.

To see a short movie clip of Narcissus taken during a railroad fan trip in the late 1930s/early 40s

Click Here

J. Henri Vallee (left) with his son, Daniel Vallee, relaxing inside their

summer cottage, Narcissus. The image is dated June 1965. In the

background, you see the room that was attached to the body of the

Narcissus. A kitchen/dining room is seen in the background.

Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee.

Looking at the narrow doorway of the Number 1 end of the Narcissus. The

smoking compartment area is through the doorway, then onto the vestibule

of the # 1 end. The entrance to the attached kitchen/dining area is to the left,

out of sight from the angle this photo was taken. The date written on the back

of this photo is July 8, 1961. Left to Right - Venerand Paquette,

Billy Paquette, Rose Marie Paquette, J. Henri Vallee.

Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee.

I am very happy to report that I have received several responses to the request to ID individuals who helped with the Narcissus transition from Sabattus to the Seashore Trolley Museum campus from 1968 until late 1969. Names will be inserted as they become available.

Donald G. Curry/STM image.

The image above: Seashore Trolley Museum staff and volunteers assess the Narcissus and best practices for separating the attached kitchen/dining room. They would then move the Narcissus from this location to a location nearer the road for a better loading position. Probably the late fall of 1968. Personal recollections from Jack Murray include, "I'm in the panoramic shot of the crew getting ready to separate the el from the car body; the ell will be moved back and the car body toward the road (slid on blocking, pulled with Coffin hoists) so that the new cottage could go up in the same spot. My recollection is that this was done during school Christmas vacation (1968), with the crew being myself (Jack Murray), my cousin Paul, and Russell Bryant (all students at Cape Elizabeth High School (ME), Donald (Curry), John Coughlin, and Bill Dox (the driving force behind the project). Russell is side to the camera, striding to the left, I'm (Jack) behind him with his back to the camera." If you recognize any of these folks, please forward the name and their position in this photo to Phil Morse via e-mail at p.morse31@gmail.com or call 207-985-9723.

Narcissus in the early spring of 1969. The attached kitchen/dining room

was removed. You can see the stack of wood materials that will be used

to construct the three-room replacement summer camp.

Donald G. Curry/STM image.

Narcissus is on the far left with the utility meter hanging down. Trusses in

the background, leaning against the removed kitchen/dining room. You

can also see the remaining footings that the Narcissus had been removed

from. It was relocated nearer the road for easier loading onto the trailer.

Probably late spring of 1969. Donald G. Curry/STM image.

Seashore Trolley Museum volunteers work to position the Narcissus on

the trailer. Then, the trip to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Sept/Oct 1969. The number 1 end is to the right. If you recognize any of

these folks, please forward the name and their position in this photo to

Phil Morse via email at p.morse31@gmail.com or call 207-985-9723.

Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee.

Narcissus is secured to the trailer. The tractor-trailer set up was affectionately

called the "Highway Monster" by Seashore Trolley Museum volunteers. The

Highway Monster was used by Museum volunteers to bring various streetcars,

interurbans, and related equipment from destinations

throughout the USA to the Kennebunkport campus. You can see the beautiful

three-room summer camp replacement for the Narcissus in the background.

October 1969. Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee

Final farewell photo with the Seashore Trolley Museum volunteers, Vallee

family members, and other interested individuals. If you recognize anyone

in this image, please forward the name and their position in this photo to

Phil Morse via email at p.morse31@gmail.com or call 207-985-9723. Late

October 1969. Marie Vallee is third from the right. Image courtesy

of Daniel Vallee.

Seashore Trolley Museum's Highway Monster with the Narcissus receiving

final adjustments from Museum volunteers before making the trek to the

Museum campus in Kennebunkport, Maine, late in October 1969. From this

angle, you can see where the kitchen/dining room was attached. The number 1 end

 is facing the tractor. The large arch window where the top of the ladder is

placed over-identifies where the smoking compartment is located. The 

Narcissus would later make their way to Lewiston and have banners placed on

each side. These banners would advertise the need for funds to restore the

Narcissus also serves as a way to thank all the businesses that donated

materials, money, and contributions-in-kind, such as skilled labor to build

the three-room replacement summer camp. Image courtesy of Daniel Vallee.

Daniel Vallee at Seashore Trolley Museum on July 31, 2015.

Image courtesy of Patricia Pierce Erikson

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

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 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

Film Footage of Narcissus when a Summer Camp 1938

Looking at the # 1 end of the Narcissus when it was a summer camp in
Sabattus, Maine - (1934-1969) STM Collection

Short Clip is from a fan trip in the late 1930s that happens to pass by the Narcissus in Sabattus, Maine, when it was a summer camp. The footage is from the O. R. Cummings Collection at Northeast Historic Film (P.O. Box 900, 85 Main Street, Bucksport, Maine 04416) and is used here with permission from NHF.

The 1912 Portland-Lewiston Interurban No. 14, Narcissus, was one of the elegant, high-speed,

wooden interurban coaches operating between Portland, Maine, and Lewiston, Maine, from 1914 until 1933. The body of Narcissus was purchased for $100 by Mr. J. Henry Vallee from the owner of the Sabattus Lake Diner. It served as the family summer camp until 1969, when the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport acquired it to restore it to full operating status on its heritage railway. The Narcissus is currently under restoration.

Click Here for a Restoration Update

http://oldfilm.org/collection/index.php/Detail/Collection/Show/collection_id/205

The footage is from the O. R. Cummings Collection at Northeast Historic Film. 

A full DVD of the fan trip is available for sale at the Seashore Trolley Museum Store. www.trolleymuseum.org  - 207-967-2712

For more information on the Narcissus Restoration now underway, go to the Narcissus Project Blog:

www.narcissus1912.blogspot.com

Summary of DVD contents from Northeast Historic Film:

The collection contains Maine trolley footage of the Androscoggin and Kennebec Railway, Portland Railroad Company, and Biddeford & Saco Railroad. This short amateur film was released by the Portland Division of the Electric Railroaders’ Association, and the creator shot intertitles and animated map sequences to show the routes of each trolley, the scenery along the track, and interior shots of passengers.

Biographical/Historical Notes

Gerald O. Boothby, a friend of O.R. Cummings, photographed the trolley railroad footage. The footage was taken for the now-defunct Portland Division of the Electric Railroad Association, of which Boothby was a member.

The reel has fairly heavy scratching throughout. // Along with reel 2, does contains trolley footage of Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway, Portland Railroad Company, and Biddeford & Saco Railroad. // Documents an excursion made by the Portland Division of the Electric Railroaders' Association and features extensive footage of electric trolleys/streetcars moving on city streets and through rural areas. Features intertitles with maps highlighting specific routes of the trolleys. Scenes from each route follow the intertitles. The opening title reads: 'The fans leave Portland via the Canadian National Railway.' A Group of people stands waving in front of a locomotive. The first map shows, Mechanic Falls to Lewiston route through Hackett Mills, Minot, and Auburn. The scene with the trolley leaving Mechanic Falls. Shot of a trolley coming over Hackett's Mills bridge and moving on rails beside a street. Footage of trolleys in Minot. Interior of trolley car entering Auburn. Passengers get off the trolley at Huelett Square in Lewiston. Map illustrating, Lewiston to Lake Grove route through Auburn and Perryville. Footage of the 'figure 8 route in Auburn.' Map illustrating, Lewiston to Sabbatus route through Tarr's Corner. A man, possibly a conductor, is waving as the trolley passes by on track at Tarr's Corner while another trolley waits on other tracks. View from a trolley on Main Street in Sabattus. Shots from the trolley with Maine Central Railroad tracks running alongside. Map illustrating, Lewiston to Lisbon Falls route through Lisbon Center and Frost Park. Shot of a trolley leaving Huelett Square in Lewiston. Trolley riding on the elevated bridge over Maine Central Railroad tracks. Footage of tracks in Lisbon Falls, Frost Park, and Lisbon was taken from a moving trolley.

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

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, and 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

Libb(e)y Family Connection to Narcissus becomes Personal

First Congregational Church in Black Point, Scarborough, Maine.

The Black Point area of Scarborough is where John Libby established his

home in the 1630s. W. S. Libbey, the founder of the Portland-Lewiston

Interurban is a descendant of John Libby. And, "Surprise", so is this

blogger! - image February 22, 1952. PWM

     This blog was created in April 2015 to introduce readers to the Narcissus 1912 Project. The project features the restoration of this National Register of Historic Places vintage electric interurban railway vehicle at the  Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. The blog posts speak to the restoration of 1912, high-speed luxury interurban, its history, and connections to its most famous passenger, Theodore Roosevelt.

This post introduces a connection to Narcissus that is quite personal to this writer.

     The Narcissus was built in 1912 in Laconia, NH, at the Laconia Car Company Works, for the Portland, Gray, and Lewiston Railroad. The PGLRR would later become known as the Portland-Lewiston Interurban and served communities of and between Portland and Lewiston, Maine, from 1914 to 1933. The man behind the construction of the interurban line between the two prominent cities in Maine was W. S. Libbey.

      Early in August 2015, I had the pleasure of meeting family members descended from W. S. Libbey. A copy of a family-produced biography of W. S. Libbey was shared with me. I found his biography fascinating. In his biography, his family wrote of W. S. Libbey, "With the same care and precision he had devoted to all his affairs, Libbey conceived of the Interurban as the fastest, quietest, most luxurious transportation yet available.....Each richly furnished car was given the name of a flower." We are restoring his Narcissus.

     Early in September of 2015, I was encouraged to contact the John Libby Family Association (JLFA). W. S. Libbey is a descendant of John Libby (Many Libbys, regardless of whether the name is Libby or Libbey, are descended from John Libby of the Black Point area of Scarborough, ME). The 111th JLFA reunion was taking place later in September. Perhaps I could attend the reunion and have a table with materials explaining the Narcissus project?  I did make contact with reunion coordinators and received an invitation to attend the reunion. The flyer that explained the reunion details included directions to the meeting house at the First Congregational Church in the Black Point area of Scarborough, ME.

     Hmmm....the church? Seems like I know that church? My mother grew up in Scarborough. Sure enough, my parents were married in the First Congregational Church in Black Point!

This blogger's parents' wedding at the First Congregational Church

in Black Point, Scarborough, Maine. L-R, Emily True Morse (groom's

mother), Warren O. Morse (groom), Nancy Hughes Morse (bride), and

Ms. Alphaetta Plummer Hughes (bride's mother). The strong Libby connection

to this blogger is via the Plummer side of the bride's mother :)

image 2-22-1952 PWM

     Now that's a coincidence! My parents were married in the church where the Libby reunion was taking place. I invited two students from the Residential Life program at Thornton Academy in Saco, ME,  to join me at the reunion.

     Allen Humphries is a board member of the John Libby Family Association. Allen had introduced himself to me at the reunion, and a few days later, was very kind to share some photographs with me that he had taken at the reunion. As it turns out, Allen had also done some genealogical research on me and my family. He informed me through his research that through my father's side of the family, he (Allen) and I were 11th cousins! He went on to say that I was also the 10th cousin of a couple of the reunion attendees. A week later, Allen researched my mother's side of the family and found that through the Plummer side of my maternal grandmother, Ms. Alphaetta, I was descended from John Libby, the Patriarch of the John Libby Family Association. So, I was related to one-third to one-half of all the attendees at the reunion!

No wonder I've been so drawn to the Narcissus :)

Here is the Libby Tree for this writer:

1)  John Libby - b: Abt. 1602 in Broadstairs, Isle of Thanet, Kent, England
2)  Matthew Libby - b: 1663, Scarborough, ME
3)  Matthew Libby - b: Abt. 1695
4)  Zebulon Libby - b: 1737
5)  Robert Libby - b: 1769
6)  Eliza Libby - b: 1804 (married Simeon Clay)
7)  Jonathan Clay - b: 1827
8)  Ms. Alphaetta Clay - b: 1854 (married William L. Plummer)
9)  Clifford L. Plummer - b: 1877
10) Ms.Alphaetta Plummer - b:1900 (married Dean Marcellus Hughes)
11) Nancy Hughes - b: 1932 (married Warren O. Morse)
12) Philip W. Morse

I have sent in membership dues to join the John Libby Family Association. I look forward to learning more about my cousins and, in particular, where the W. S. Libbey branch of the family is connected to me.

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

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 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