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The Bethel Journals |
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May 14, 2009 |
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Read local history like a daily newspaper - feature articles spot light important people and events |
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The Bethel Journals starts in 1886 to cover events and people of the Bethel, Newry, Gilead, Albany, Mason, Locke’s Mills, Wilson’s Mills and the area along the Androscoggin River valley in Western Maine. These is no rigid schedule and you might just as easily find subjects dated 1990 as you would find news from 1890. You will find such mingled items |
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as oral history news and cemetery listings. If someone has suggested a special topic, that journal may be spliced into the mix of regular history. Why read these journals? For historians they provide detailed source information online. In condensed form, re-live daily events to understand how they occurred and who created them. |
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The Bethel Journals are compiled by Donald G. Bennett P.O. Box 763 Bethel, Maine 04217 207-824-2094
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Bethel Chair Factory build started in 1886 –burned in 1944 |
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A Prescott steam car at Poplar Tavern in 1905 |
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William Rogers Chapman—1907
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Sunday River Cemetery—Newry |
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Androscoggin River bridge—1869 to 1927 |
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The Bethel Journals depends on the archives of The Bethel Historical Society and local oral history sources for its contents. Interest in and support of The |
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Bethel Historical Society through visits, donations of money and historical materials help everyone concerned with recording our heritage.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
RECENT POSTINGS
Mayville News—Recent news items from the Bethel, Middle Interval, Sunday River area A Brief History of Sunday River —work in progress—a look at the history of the Sunday River valley—Riley, Newry and Bethel that includes excerpts from Sunday River Sketches, Newry Profiles, Lapham’s History of Bethel, Bethel, Maine An Illustrated History and I Was a Summer Boarder 1896—Part I of the ‘96 news journal. A major flood, Bethel celebrated its centennial, fire destroyed the Dr. True house. 1895 In South Paris corner stone laying ceremony for new county buildings and courthouse –town’s new weekly newspaper debuts in June. Poplar Tavern adds new club room Other Good Links—Suggested sources for other Bethel area history research. Gehring—Dr. John G. Gehring—work in progress—life in Bethel, Gehring Clinic, founder of the Bethel Inn, his association with William Bingham 2nd and William Upson. J.A. Thurston—a turn of the century “Captains of Industry” led a remarkably active, productive life in Errol, NH, Newry and Bethel. A major player in the Sunday River Story. William Bingham II—work in progress—about the Binghams of Cleveland, Ohio, their connection with Liberty Holden, general Bingham philanthropy, William Bingham II, his life in Bethel and his gifts to Bethel, Gould Academy, Maine figures and rural medicine. 1890 Bethel Water Co—currently being updated—the water company turned over its assets and operation to a quasi municipal district in 1948; devastating rain storm in 2007 washed out original water source. Dates in Bethel History—an updated chronology of interesting and important events in pre-Bethel and Bethel history. 1886 —Bethel voters approved town construction of a new factory building - James H. Barrows rented the building to manufacture chairs—The Bethel Chair Company.
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The Bethel Journals - news and history Donald G. Bennett PO Box 763 Bethel, Maine 04217 |
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History News People Places Events
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1887 —Bethel adopts town school system to replace district schools, notable citizens Dr. N.T. True and Rev. David Garland die. 1888 —Corn canning down 75%; Dr. John Gehring marries Marian True Farnsworth; Wild River mill destroyed by fire; public water source explored. 1889 Vote: town to build new corn factory; vote: Bethel to build a lock-up; chair factory rented Rialto Hall; steam boat Rumford to Bethel. Incorporation: Water Company and Bethel Village; Wyman brothers, Woburn, Mass., A.S. Bean, J.A. Thurston, J.W. Bennett. 1890 Public water in Bethel; corn factory moved; Wild River Lumber Co. formed; Bethel 1890 census: 2,209. John G. Gehring, Horatio Upton 1891 Bethel Fair inaugurated; American Bobbin, Spool and Shuttle Co; Cole Block built; Riverside Trotting Track; Garland Memorial Chapel
_________________________________ 1892 County Seat will move; Rumford Falls booms; new Bethel creamery; vote by Australian ballot, Pinckney Burnham died; Timothy A. Chapman of Milwaukee died; Cole Hall dedicated. 1893 Vote to approve new location and to build new county buildings; Cole Block for sale; new brick school house approved. 1894 New brick school built on High Street, great Norway fire, recession affects chair factory. Bethel in 1931 – journal of The Oxford County Citizen, Special Edition, issued August 3, 1931, profiles and photos of established businesses and notable citizens. __________________________________
BUILDINGS Bethel Lock-Up -1889, jail, meeting room, court - town voted down an office for selectmen. Cole Block 1891, Main Street’s biggest building—the Coles were Washington DC jewelers, natives of East Bethel. Samuel Twitchell’s Barn—a Mayville landmark— part of the homestead of one of Bethel’s most active public figures. __________________________________
BUSINESS Corn Canning - established in early 1880’s by a New York company primarily interested in sardine canning—a boon to Bethel agriculture. Bethel Creamery—established in 1892 through a co-op of local dairy farmers it provided “export” dollars to many farmers. John Philbrook, Livestock and Brighton Market - In the 1880’s the Philbrook brothers operated a livestock dealership much like today’s auto dealers. 1890’s saw John Philbrook dealing weekly with the huge stockyards in Brighton, Mass. The Outlook On October 27, 1980, Odd Lyngholm sold The Outlook (North Bethel) to Edward & Connie St. Pierre, who relocated an audio recording studio from Boston, and set-up business. |
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MILLS Bethel Steam Mill - In the early 1860’s Bethel’s most advanced industrial mill of the area was planned and built under the supervision of David Skillings of Winchester, Massachusetts. Bethel Chair Factory—Bethel’s chair manufacturing, 1886 to 1914; H F Thurston & Son dowel manufacturing 1916 to 1944. __________________________________ GOULD ACADEMY Gould Academy - 1835, Bethel High School, then incorporated as Bethel Academy, then Gould’s Academy. __________________________________ NTL in Bethel - First National Training Laboratories then NTL Institute, NTL has put the word Bethel onto the worldwide map, particularly in the study and practice of modifying group behavior , more than any other event or organization _________________________________ FARMS Mason Farm in Mayville - 1799—1893 a 19th Century Bethel landmark—its well known weathervane stands proudly in 2009. Chapman Homestead Farm Gilead near Bethel town line—possibly the valley’s most modern farm of the 1890’s. _______________________________ RAILROADS Railroad Journal News (1886-1900) and history of Bethel area railroads—Grand Trunk, Rumford Falls, Wild River (Hastings) and Norway Branch. Find a web link to Tim Sullivan’s astoundingly large collection of Grand Trunk photos in this journal—depots and scenes from Portland to Island Pond. __________________________________ UTILITIES Bethel Water Company 1890—Need for fire protection and safe drinking water led to efforts that created Bethel Hill’s water system in 1890. In 2007 storm damage forced changes to the 117 year old system. __________________________________ VACATIONING Summer Boarders—how did summer boarders on vacation differ from tourists? Bethel had a number of favorite lodgings where summer boarders returned each year. Poplar Tavern, equally popular, called their boarders, summer guests. The Boarders—Ruth Crosby describes the “summer boarders” at Mary Locke’s farm in Sunday River in her delightful tale of young girls on summer vacation at the turn of the century. Poplar Tavern—from the 1850’s to the 1940’s Poplar Tavern in North Newry was a community magnet for locals and city people looking to relax. The tavern also enjoyed early auto touring prominence. My Summers At Poplar Tavern— a young vacationer at Poplar Tavern tells her story though an appealing photo album—images of special summers in the mountains. __________________________________
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MAYVILLE Mayville - Contemporary Mayville: lodging, farming, airport, important sculpture studio, Timberlake’s Home Store, Bethel Outdoor Adventure, BIG Adventure Center, Family Dentistry, retail and services. __________________________________ SUNDAY RIVER SUNDAY RIVER: A Brief History— (work in progress) a brief look at the history of our best known location From pioneering to mountain side mansions. Sunday River Skiway—getting started in tough financial times. Viking Village—by Pete Cunningham. It started out as a cluster of modest vacation homes next to Barker Mountain ski lodge and Sunri Ski Shop. Mike Lynch—a long time Viking Village resident and home owner briefly recounts why he came to Sunday River. __________________________________ SNOWMOBILING Snowmobiling - a guide and history of Bethel area snowmobiling. SKIING Vernon Street Ski Tow—1948 Bethel area skiers formed a club to layout and operate a village ski area with rope tow. (Mt. Vernon) TRAILS Bethel Area Trails—Bethel’s trail program started in 1991 with the Mt Will trail and progressed annually to include the Bethel Pathway, Mt. Will, Mayville and Riverview Resort. Two new all purpose trails are in various states of construction. ______________________________ NAMES Names in the News Local personalities making the news in the last quarter of the 19th Century Dr. Nathaniel T. True (1812-1887)- one of the most significant personalities to reside in Bethel, principal of Bethel High School in 1835 and of Gould’s Academy in 1847. The Williamsons - Williamson families were well known in Middle Interval and Sunday River from the 1820’s until the 2008. ______________________________
CEMETERIES Riverside Cemetery located on the banks of the Androscoggin River in the Mayville section of Bethel it originally a family cemetery, now under the jurisdiction of the Riverside Cemetery Assoc. Mt. Will Cemetery—located in North Bethel, it is the burial ground for families who settled this part of town among them Locke's, York's, Hastings, Swan’s, Godwin’s, Bartlett’s. (not complete listings) Sunday River Cemetery—located along the Sunday River Road in Newry near Artist Bridge. Very early settlers of Sunday River buried here as well as some of the Riley Plantation families. |
