Courtesy of Henry Gartley, an individual partner
Description
Ora Gilpatrick was a businessman and president of a bank in Houlton. He purchased the entire township and founded the town of Davidson in 1901. Gilpatrick was born in Danforth and grew up learning the woods and lumbering business from his father.
Gilpatrick built several businesses in Davidson, a large home for himself, as well as homes for his sons. The town was located west of Stacyville.
The unknown man in this winter photo viewed the sawmill which is on the left and the clothespin factory--the large white building on the right. The cone shaped structure between the two building was a scrap burner. A rail line ran between the gentleman and the buildings.
The town boosted a B&A Railway station, post office, general store, blacksmith, church, homes, streets, two boarding homes--one for men one for women, a town hall, a hall for movies and dances, a dairy, and wooden sidewalks.
In 1929 the town was sold and by the mid 1930s it started to fade away. Any road that went to Davidson has grown over or was blocked off leaving access difficult, if not impossible. Many buildings burned with only foundations and metal scrap left to remember this once booming community.
Davidson is best known as one of Maine's ghost towns. As of 2020, the trains continue to blow a whistle when run through Davidson.
About This Item
- Title: Sawmill and clothespin factory, Davidson, ca. 1908
- Creation Date: circa 1908
- Subject Date: circa 1908
-
Locations:
- Davidson, Penobscot County, ME
- Davidson, Aroostook County, ME
- Media: Photographic print
- Dimensions: 8.9 cm x 14 cm
- Object Type: Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
People
Other Keywords
- abandoned town
- clothes pin
- Deserted towns
- factory
- Factory buildiings
- Gilpatrick
- lost town
- lumber mill
- lumbering
- Maine ghost town
- manufacturing
- rail line
- sawmills
- small town
- Snow
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