Local History Coming Alive...

The Skowhegan History House

Fri, 6 Jun 2008 13:31:46 -0400

Somerset Railroad

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 10:48:35 -0400

The Skowhegan Free Public Library

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 12:44:45 -0400

Skowhegan Opera House

Thu, 29 May 2008 11:59:33 -0400

The Colorful History of The Strand Theater Skowhegan, Maine

Tue, 27 May 2008 12:35:55 -0400

The Skowhegan Dam

Tue, 27 May 2008 12:35:26 -0400

The Margaret Chase Smith Library

Tue, 27 May 2008 12:35:03 -0400

Past Industries on Skowhegan’s Island

Tue, 27 May 2008 12:34:27 -0400

Skowhegan Island

Tue, 27 May 2008 12:33:48 -0400

Hotel Coburn

Tue, 27 May 2008 12:32:45 -0400

Farming in Cornville, Maine

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:07:39 -0500

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This is a movie about farming in Cornville, told by Lee Granville. by Dalton and Lucas
Lee tells us what happened on a typical day on a dairy farm, and what he grew for crops in Cornville, Maine. Some of the animals that Lee raised were cows, some horses, and chickens. Lee grew crops such as potatoes and they grew hay to feed the cattle. Work horses did most of the work on the farm, some of the cows were used for milk, but some were beef cattle.
typical day started in the morning when the farmers got up about 5:00 a.m. They worked really hard until dark. Please watch our movie, and enjoy it!

Skowhegan Island

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:21:01 -0500

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Skowhegan Island

Skowhegan Island has been a good, solid representation of Skowhegan, Maine. There has been growth on the island throughout generations. Development on the island has been undeniably good for this town. Mills, bridges, churches, fire stations, and other significant structures have been just a few of the figures that have changed, and played a large importance on the island. The island, through many changes, sometimes hard and bad, still has come through to be proven as a beautiful place to visit in the town of Skowhegan.

Before European settlements, Skowhegan Island was used as a route by Native Americans on their annual trip to the seacoast. Skowhegan Island provided an important stopping place for the Native Americans. It was a place where they could fish, plant corn, and harvest corn on their return from the ocean. Before the first dam on the island, there were two waterfalls. Also, a channel of water on the island, formally known as 'the slucieway,' provided a prime spot to build mills and factories. The sluiceway can no longer be seen today because of dams that caused the water level to rise substantially. In 1772, the first white settlement homes were built on or near the island. The welcoming of houses brought the rapid growth of mills.

In the winter of 1775, General Benedict Arnold led his revolutionary army up the Kennebec River to Quebec City. Because there were no dams at the time, the men and animals had to journey their way up the high waterfalls, and thoughout the course of the journey, many of the animals and men were killed, and food and supplies were lost in the cold, icy river. Just recently a new park was built on the island to commemorate Benedict Arnold's march to Quebec City.

In the 1790's, first mills were built along the 'sluiceway' and small dams were erected to raise water level and make the sluiceway more efficient for a power source. Much of the island in that time period was covered in mills and factories. According to Lee Grandville, the president of Skowhegan's local historical society, there were so many mills, that there were just a few spots on the island that people could actually walk outside.

Before bridges on the island, transportation was provided onto the island by a ferry. The ferry was not safe, nor time efficient. Many accidents and deaths were recorded in regards to the ferry. In 1809 the first wooden covered bridges were built so people could pass onto and off the island easily at all times of the year. In the late 1800's, those bridges were replaced with steel bridges for a stronger reinforcement. In 1970, the Margaret Chase Smith bridges were erected and are still the two bridges used on the island today.

In the middle of the 1800's, the island accepted new buildings, such as the first bank, the first High School, two churches, the fire station, a dairy treat- one of the first in Maine, and a new factory built to replace other old mills. The factory, originally a spinning mill, is now Solon Woods where they make popsicle sticks and other small wood pieces. In the early 1900's CMP, Central Maine Power, built two large dams and power stations that we still have in use today.

The swinging bridge was originally built for a local farmer to make his distance onto the island shorter for him to have to walk. His bridge lasted six years, when his cables rotted and the bridge collapsed. A new bridge was built until 1901, when a flood washed it out. Another bridge was built higher this time but in 1936, that bridge was washed out by a flood as well. Then the bridge was built higher and still stands today, though it sometimes feels as though it will collapse when walking on it because of the way it wobbles and shakes. In the heart of Skowhegan, you may visit this neat island which has gone through many developmental changes throughout history.

Peggy Jones and the Historic Bloomfield Academy

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:18:06 -0500

In this interview, Ms. Jones, who has lived in Skowhegan for 67 years, shared with us about her life and about her experience in 1st and 2nd grade and Bloomfield Academy. She explains to us that she and her husband used to be beekeepers, and they also raised coon and hunting dogs. They also pulled some of the horses that they raised at some of the fairs around Maine.
Peggy then explained about her school career at Bloomfield Academy in 1st and 2nd grade. She told us that when she first got to school, they pledged allegiance to the flag and then they said prayer. After they said prayer, the teachers would take attendance, and then they started with schoolwork, which was usually writing, reading, and working on penmanship. She said she also went to other schools in Skowhegan, like the Park School, the Lincoln and Garfield School, the Junior High School, and the High School.
She then explained to us about how they had to practice for air raids during school and when she was at home. She said the sirens went off usually from darkness on, and they had to get under something safe so they could be most protected. Usually at school it was her desk and at home it was a table. She also explained how people had to tape over their headlight three quarters of the way, so they did not attract attention from enemy planes. During the air raid drills, they had to cover up all the windows and turn all the lights off so that if there were enemy planes, they could not see any light.
We would like to thank Ms. Jones for helping us with this interview and sharing with us what she knew about the past of Skowhegan, Maine.

Early Settlement

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:11:27 -0500

Benedict Arnold 1775-Trip to Quebec via the Kennebec River

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:02:09 -0500

Benedict Arnold’s March Through Skowhegan
By Spencer Merrill
It must have been Benedict Arnold’s finest moment, when he and all of his one thousand, one hundred soldiers marched through Maine, their spirits high and their guns ready, as if waiting for a fight. However, Benedict Arnold had many troubles on his long march to face the British in Quebec, due to the fact that they started out in the Fall, and because of the cold weather that followed, many men died of diseases. Right here in Skowhegan they had quite a time and their journals reflect this. They had difficulty navigating the Kennebec River with the heavy bateaux, and their provisions were often destroyed as a result. Soldier desertion, led by Colonel Enos resulted in depleted forces and supplies. The panic of the deserting forces was fueled by Enos’s negative influence; he convinced the soldiers that the march would be too hard for them to complete. Even though he is viewed as a traitor today, he fought bravely in 1775 and all of his men respected him for his great leadership.
Benedict Arnold arrived at Fort Western (Augusta ME) in September 1775 where the Continental Army spent their last comfortable day. They left Fort Western and headed north to Quebec, where they would run into more than they had bargained for.
Benedict Arnold arrived in Skowhegan on October 4th, 1775 , and it was here that Arnold received his first offer of help from the colonists. Joseph Weston and his sons helped Benedict Arnold and his army cross over the Skowhegan Falls, but Joseph later got a severe cold from exposure and died of a fever on Oct.16th. His sons went back to the family home along the Kennebec for they were the first family to settle in Old Canaan or what is now Skowhegan. Here is what one soldier, Captain Thayer wrote in his journal while passing through Skowhegan:
“The carrying place is across an island...The people call this place Canaan; a Canaan indeed! the land is good, the timber large and of various kinds, such as pine, oak, hemlock and rock maple. Last night our clothes being wet were frozen a pane of glass thick, which proved very disagreeable, being obliged to lie in them...The people are courteous and breathe nothing but liberty.”
Abner Stocking, another soldier, says “We encountered these hardships and fatigues with great courage and perseverance for the zeal we felt in the cause. When night came on, wet and fatigued as we were, we had to encamp on the ground. It was at this time that we were inclined to think of the comfortable accommodations we had left at home.”
“Though this was only sixty rods over, it occasioned much delay and great fatigue. We had to ascend a ragged rock, near on a hundred feet in height and almost perpendicular. Though it seemed as though we could hardly ascend it without any burden, we succeeded in dragging our bateaux and baggage up it.”
The doctor, Isaac Senter, went to help a patient up the the “Wassarunskeig River”. He describes the falls there, “These were a very high water , and exceeding difficult carrying by. After backing all the boats, provisions, camp equipage, etc., over, we again advanced up the river.” The carried the bateaux by land and he says..”Not far had we advanced ere we came to a fall called Scunkhegon. With a great deal of difficulty we passed this, but not without coming very nigh losing one of my hands. After passing these, I proceeded about half a mile and tented.”
Here in town there are markers indicating that the army marched through. One of these markers is at the picnic area on route 2 heading to Canaan. There is another one on the island in town. It is on this island that one of the soldiers left his canteen made out of lead!
Colonel Arnold and his men reached the Great Carrying Place on October 11, 1775, only a few days from Caratunk. He and his men left the Kennebec River as they headed to the Chaudiere River, a boundary between Maine and Quebec.
While working on rocks along the Carrabassett, a geologist found the carving B.A. 1775. Could it be? After all, Arnold did come through here in 1775. Benedict Arnold! In 1775! Maybe one of his soldiers carved it, or maybe we have found Benedict Arnold’s writing on the wall!
To learn more about what finally happened to Benedict Arnold's soldiers when they reached Quebec City, and to learn more about the geology of the Kennebec River, the book Arundel, written by Kenneth Roberts and the Maine Easy Finder, Roadside Geology of Maine, are both books not to be overlooked. If you take a drive up to the Forks, you will see more markers along the way showing the Arnold Trail.

Elise Fellows White a World Class Violinist from Skowhegan, Maine

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:56:43 -0500

Elise Fellows White
By : Chelse Fagan
May Fellows was born in Skowhegan, November 22, 1874. She was a violinist and she traveled all over the world to share her music . She was a poet and a writer and wrote a chapter in the book Skowhegan on the Kennebec. Mrs. Elise Fellows White graduated from Skowhegan Area High School and following her work at Colby (1897-1898) she studied at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and in Vienna. As a talented violinist, she participated in many programs, among them, a concert at which she was assisting artist to the famed Lilian Nordica . She also studied under Dr. Franz Kneisel and Camilla Urso, who she described as "the world's greatest women violinist." Mrs. White was a composer of music and author of many poems and articles. She was a member of Sigma Kappa, the Rossini Club of Portland, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Elise Fellows White, died March 22, at the age of 78. She survived by two sons, Bruce White of Brunswick and James White of Ithaca, New York, seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

The Old Skowhegan Grange Hall

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:49:11 -0500

Save The Skowhegan Grange, And Granges in General

By Eric E. Axelman

The Maine Grange was created on February 16th, 1876 and other town Granges were built soon after. Before I jump to conclusions, you may be asking yourself, “What is a Grange.?” Well, a Grange is “America’s foremost Volunteer and Grassroots Organization”. The first Grange was organized on December 4th, 1867. It was made so farmers could have a say in politics across America. Through most of the 1900’s, the Grange flourished and had power within America. The Grange had a very important role in community life in this small town of Skowhegan. In the past, this historic building was alive with meetings held by farmers, plays being performed, traveling entertainers , and dances offered for the community . The sad fact is, this historic Grange building may soon be torn down.
In the last few years, Skowhegan Savings Bank has bought out the Skowhegan Grange. At the moment it is being used for storage. This was told to me from an employee of Skowhegan Savings Bank. The employee also said that in the future, “the Grange building will probably be torn down to make room for a new parking lot for Skowhegan Savings Bank in Skowhegan.” But, now I ask you, is this sacrifice going to be good for the town of Skowhegan? Is getting rid of the Grange building worth building a new parking lot? In my opinion, the answer is no. The Grange building could be useful for the community by providing a place for the hosting of charitable dinners, fundraisers, contra dances, and other projects to raise money for different organizations. The Grange members currently have another building for their meetings, but it will not be the same in my point of view. They were forced to get a smaller building due to the costs of running the older building with far fewer Grange members. They sold it to the Skowhegan Savings Bank for . Bill Clark, active in the Grange, helped us understand the purpose and history of the Skowhegan Grange. If it were up to me, I would have kept the Grange right where it was, and supported a community tradition that has been around for decades.
In conclusion, we hope that this structurally sound building will not go the way of other beautiful and stately buildings of our town. By this, one should remember the former victorian home on Madison Avenue that was torn down to build MacDonalds which has been vacant for a number of years now. Other buildings meeting this fate were the old McClellan home on Elm Street, now a bank drive-through, the scenic Motor Lodge and cabins on Madison Avenue, now a WalMart, the oldest tavern in Maine, the Heywood Tavern, torn down for car lot and last but not least, the Methodist Church on the Island, with its beautiful cobalt blue stained glass windows, replaced by a red barn type building next to the Skowhegan Fire Department.
Community history is important and the buildings help make the town what it is. Please make an effort to help save the Grange Hall, write to the Skowhegan Savings Bank and tell them what you think about preserving our past.

Changes Over Time in Our Town Skowhegan, Maine

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:55:07 -0500

Margaret Chase Smith Movie

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:39:14 -0500

This movie was well researched by Haley Muise. Haley consulted with David Richards of the MCS Library here in Skowhegan. This documentary was awarded first place at the Maine History Day competition and went on to compete with other documentaries from around the USA. National History Day competition is held at the University of Maryland every spring.