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POPLAR HOTEL North Newry, Maine The Bethel Journals
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Donald G. Bennett www.thebetheljournals.info PO Box 763 Bethel, Maine 04217 |
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Above: Hotel livery rates (1901?) pretty much define common destinations for the hotel’s guests: trips to Bethel were charged two rates: one for the rail depot ($1.00) and one for general shopping and visiting ($2.00) .
Lakeside ($2.50) was a trip to Upton; Screw Auger Falls ($2.00) and Moose Cave ($2.50) would be for picnics and exploring. Rumford Falls trips ($2.50) would be for shopping and could also cover travel from Rumford Falls on the Portland and Rumford Falls Railroad (later Maine Central Railroad) although the hotel advocated travel via Bethel.
Howard Pond and Hanover ($2.00) were listed most likely for their appeal for picnics, fishing and boating. |
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NORTH NEWRY’s COMMUNITY
During the 1890’s and the early 1900’s, the center of North Newry’s community consisted of the Poplar Hotel/Tavern, the District School, a church built in 1904 and the post office. The 1880 also shows that a blacksmith shop was located just north of the Tavern on the road to Grafton Notch.
The Branch Road divided the Tavern from the school and church.
The 1880 map shows that the school house was at the corner of the Branch Road and the Bethel-Upton Road and just south of the Branch Road.
The post office operated from the Poplar Hotel/ Tavern for 25 years.
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Stage Coach of Charles H. Davis
In 1893, Davis bid on the contract for transporting mail from Bethel to Umbagog, a distance of 28 miles. He delivers to all of the intermediate post offices including North Bethel, Newry, North Newry, Grafton and Upton where his line terminated at the Lakeside Hotel. These stages connect daily, except Sunday, with the morning train from Portland for points in the Lake Region. The stage returns in the afternoon to connect with the Grand Trunk train going east (Portland). |
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Click the map to enlarge it. |