Maine Memory Network

Westinghouse #104 insulator, ca. 1920

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1920 Media: Ceramic

Colonial Theater, Belfast, ca. 1932

Contributed by: Penobscot Marine Museum Date: circa 1932 Location: Belfast Media: Film Negative

Wired! How Electricity Came to Maine

As early as 1633, entrepreneurs along the Piscataqua River in southern Maine utilized the force of the river to power a sawmill, recognizing the potential of the area's natural power sources, but it was not until the 1890s that technology made widespread electricity a reality -- and even then, consumers had to be urged to use it.

History in Motion: The Era of the Electric Railways

Street railways, whether horse-drawn or electric, required the building of trestles and tracks. The new form of transportation aided industry, workers, vacationers, and other travelers.

Presque Isle: The Star City - Electric generator delivery, Presque Isle, 1959

"… Chase Transport Corporation delivering diesel electric generators to Maine Public Service in Presque Isle."

Seashore Trolley Museum

View collections, facts, and contact information for this Contributing Partner.

The Oakfield Inn
by Rodney Duplisea

This is a summarized article about the opening of the Oakfield Inn. It appeared in the Bangor Daily

Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride Companion Curriculum

Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8 Content Area: Social Studies
These lesson plans were developed by Maine Historical Society for the Seashore Trolley Museum as a companion curriculum for the historical fiction YA novel "Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride" by Jean. M. Flahive (2019). The novel tells the story of Millie Thayer, a young girl who dreams of leaving the family farm, working in the city, and fighting for women's suffrage. Millie's life begins to change when a "flying carpet" shows up in the form of an electric trolley that cuts across her farm and when a fortune-teller predicts that Millie's path will cross that of someone famous. Suddenly, Millie finds herself caught up in events that shake the nation, Maine, and her family. The lesson plans in this companion curriculum explore a variety of topics including the history of the trolley use in early 20th century Maine, farm and rural life at the turn of the century, the story of Theodore Roosevelt and his relationship with Maine, WWI, and the flu pandemic of 1918-1920.