POPLAR HOTEL

North Newry, Maine

The Bethel Journals

 
Text Box: HISTORY, NOTES AND NEWS FROM NORTH NEWRY, MAINE Read about what people who lived in the neighborhood around Poplar Hotel were doing. To start: Poplar Hotel is located on the 1880 Oxford County Atlas of town maps; C.R. Bartlett’s name as owner is printed next to the hotel name . For 25 years the North Newry Post Office was housed in the hotel. Just north of the hotel was black smith shop. The hotel was only a short walk north from the intersection of the Branch Road and the Bethel—Upton– Errol, NH road. In 1891, the Newry Town Report contained a table of school districts, number of scholars and the amounts of money received for each scholar. District 6 which was located in the village where Poplar Tavern was located had 25 scholars, the highest number of scholars for any school district in Newry. “This would help support the thought that this area of town had a greater concentration of townspeople keeping in mind that Poplar Tavern would be found in this district as well as at least two mills, a post office, and a small store would follow shortly (by 1897).” (Newry Profiles) January 8, 1886, There was a Christmas festival at the Branch school house, consisting of declamations, recitations, dialogues and a drama entitled, “A Regular Fix”. O.C. Littlehale, H.F. Thurston and wife, Dennis Kilgore, Myra Libby, Cora Sanborn, Nellie Kilgore, Mosie Bartlett, Lear and Willie Wilber, and Herman Powers took part. Also another drama entitled, “A Night at Notting Hill,” in which Mosie Bartlett, Cora Bennett, George Wight, Alice Fisk and Walter Fish took parts. A song played on the banjo and sung by Herman Powers followed a tableaux and music by Mrs. I.P. Kilgore on organ and W.W. Kilgore on cornet. W.W. Kilgore is finishing a school on Sunday River which the teacher left as a bad bargain. We are having a very high freshet. An oyster supper and dance January 2 and a good time and a large attendance at C.R. Bartlett’s (Poplar Hotel) (Oxford County Advertiser) January 11, 1887, The steam mill at the Branch started up last Monday and is sawing dowel strips. January 31, 1888, Steam mills at the Corner and at the Branch are ready to start sawing next Monday. It was reported that a large amount of birch has been yarded. February 2, 1888, the North Newry Sewing Circle had a supper at the Poplar Hotel – had oysters and pastry meal. May 8, 1888, May Day Ball at Poplar Tavern Tuesday evening well attended. June 18, 1889, The Branch Bridge has been taken up and repaired under the supervision of the selectmen. Roads very muddy-recent repairs were damaged by heavy rains. July 16, 1889,The 4th was celebrated at Poplar Tavern with a fine display of fireworks provided by the boarders. December 17, 1889, Christmas celebration preparations are underway at the Corner and at the Branch. February 7, 1890, M.C. Thurston is rushing business at his mill. He manufactures annually about 1,000 cords of birch into dowel and spool stock besides using quite a large amount of oak and maple for shook (damaged timber pieces) which he markets in Portland and elsewhere; such industries are important to our town by way of giving employment to large numbers. February 21, 1890, The Branch circle met last week with Mrs. Jacob Littlehale – about 50 present. Mr. and Mrs. Littlehale know how to entertain their company royally. March 7, 1890, Quite a number from this part of the town attended the festival at the Poplar Hotel, C.R. Bartlett, Prop., some 115 present including from Bethel, C. (Calvin) E. Bisbee and wife, the popular trader, and John Philbrook. A very nice oyster and pastry supper was served – there was plenty of it. June 12, 1891, The Poplar Hotel is being painted, papered and repaired. It has begun its summer thriving business. Early guests include five from Boston. One guest, O.B. Dodge continues to be the champion fisherman of this region. Mrs. Lucretia Bartlett from Sunday River works at the Poplar Hotel in North Newry. Hattie Littlehale is teaching at District School #6. October 9, 1891, Whitney Bros of Bethel (cemetery monument business) were in town last week to get a granite base for a monument which was quarried by H.R. Widber. February 1892, Mason Bartlett, son of C. R. Bartlett, our hotel keeper, is contemplating going to Southern California, for his health. March 22, 1892, Poplar Hotel: Irving Stearns and family of Berlin Fall, N.H., have been visiting friends in town lately. Mr. Stearns, according to reports, has lately traded with C. R. Bartlett for the Poplar Hotel in this town.

Donald G. Bennett

www.thebetheljournals.info

PO Box 763

Bethel, Maine 04217

Home-Page 1   |   Page 2  |  History and news  |  History Page 2  | Map