Rowe Ford Westbrook history

The winter of 1815, the first for the Town of Westbrook, recorded heavy frosts throughout the area.

In 1820 town meetings were held in the First Parish Meeting House on Capisic Street, later known as the Parson Bradley Church.

The land, on a hill at the end of Church Street, was purchased in 1827.

The Second Congregational Church of Westbrook was built on Main Street in 1834.

By 1837, two years before Galveston became incorporated as a city, 1,000 people had settled in Sacarrap (i.e.

He was born in Westbrook on June 16, 1839, in the so-called old Fitch house which stood on the site of Jordan's Foundry at 907 Main Street.

The old Universalist Church, with its pillared roof, can be seen just beyond the houses; that building, built in 1840, was torn down this winter to make way for an apartment building.

About that time a Lodge of Rechabites was organized…but it was short lived…. About 1844, Odd Fellowship having obtained a footing in the State, a Lodge of that order was founded in Westbrook and received many members, the number of members reaching two hundred within five years.

They began about 1853 and were short lived.

The work of drilling and blasting, all hand work, was started in the spring of 1858.

In 1866 the women of the village joined together into the Cumberland Mills Ladies’ Sewing Society with the object of raising funds toward furnishing the first Protestant church to be erected in the Village.

The second quarry was located near 607 Bridgton Road (US-302) and started operation in 1868.

The property was acquired by Paine in 1869, and were believed to be the oldest buildings in the Vallee Square business district.

In 1870 George T. Springer opened a store at 7 Bridge Street in Saccarappa Village, now Westbrook.

In 1871 the town of Deering, which included Woodsfords, Morrills Corner and Stroudwater, was incorporated.

In July of 1874 James Haskell, along with his sons Frank and Edwin, formed a company for the manufacture of silk…the Haskell Silk Company.

As the number of families increased and after outgrowing their chapel, land was purchased on Brown St in 1877 for a church building.

In 1880 he lead the National League with a .360 average becoming 1st Mainer to ever win a batting championship.

However, the first large immigration occurred in 1881 when 42 Scots were recruited as experienced weavers.

With increasing attendance there was a need for a church building so on November 2, 1882 the First Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Westbrook, Maine, was organized.

"Quite a Team !" 1888 Highlight was game with Frederickton, N.B. played at St John's, N.B. Won 2 out of 3.

The Red Men started at Cumberland Mills about 1890 with over one hundred charter members… The wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of members have a society connected with the Red Men called Daughters of Pocahontas.

When Westbrook was incorporated as a city in 1891 an official police department was organized.

The conductor of the train collected all fares and checked all railroad crossings June 29, 1892 was the Official opening of the Westbrook Trolley Line.

The second company formed was Presumpscot Hose Company 1S which was situated near 466 Main Street in Cumberland Mills, or as it was often called in those days, Congin. It was not long before the town realized the need of a hook and ladder, and in 1893 a company of men was formed.

He played a large part in laying out new streets to accommodate a growing population which stood at 7,000 in 1897.

In 1898 the Westbrook City Council approved an extension of the Westbrook line which would allow it to continue on into Windham and Naples.

By 1899, the villages at Saccarappa and Congin were in need of full-time firefighters.

The work was hard and the hours long, but the results was all profit…if you didn’t take into account their labor! Company papers record that The Saunders Brothers firm was started on January 1, 1900, and was probably the business operated by Fred and Harry.

In 1904 all four brothers decided to join up and start a business in Bingham, where they heard there was a large amount of white birch.

In 1905 Cornelia Warren funded a ‘swimming pool’ to be built in the river since this was the only swimming area available to the children at the turn of the century.

The Company was described in a 1907 Trade Journal as follows: “The company, originally established with 50 H.P., has today a 10,000 H.P. capacity and furnishes light and power for the city.

By 1909 he had established the Barrett Hospital in his home at 537 Main Street.

Archelaus Lewis, Justice of Peace, called the first town meeting, before the name was changed to Westbrook, at the meeting house in Stroudwater in 1814. It shows Charles Moses on the left (listed as ‘real estate’ in the City Directory of 1910) and H.F.G. Hay, Mayor on the right.

Although there was no listing for Marguerite’s Lunch in the Westbrook City Directories available at the Society, Rocheleau’s was listed at 861 Main Street in the 1912 Directory.

In the 1915 first annual report of the Trustees of Riverbank Park, then under the management of the Cemetery trustees, they commented that the park was the “one spot in our city dedicated for the benefit and recreation of all our citizens.”

Dana was very much loved, and at…[the 50th anniversary of the founding of the mill]… in 1916, everyone turned out.

When President Wilson declared war on Germany in April 1917, Stephen joined the Milliken Regiment of heavy artillery, based in Brunswick, on July 28, 1917.

Back: Harry W. Saunders, Richard J. Libby, Stephen E. Cordwell, Horace H. Towle, H.J.R. Tewksbury Front: Josiah D. Winship, Luther Dana, Paul Huss Smith, Oscar A. Fick, Ralph W. Haskell [NOTE: Photograph taken after the death of charter member Rev.Jonas Taylor, who died in 1921.

The Cornelia Warren Community Association was incorporated in 1925 to administer these funds and it is still active today.

In 1928 the bank and its business were acquired and taken over by Fidelity Trust Company which established a branch in this building.

When this photograph was taken, there was no sign for the library because it was not opened to the general public until 1929.

In 1930 Arthur had the store demolished and rebuilt by O.G.K. Robinson, a local business.

In 1931, a local newspaper headline “Husky” Aube, Westbrook and Fordham Pitcher, signed by N.Y. Yankees”. Westbrook very own Yankee!! Aube spent 4 years with the Yankee organization but an auto accident injury probably undermined a lengthy career.

To commemorate its 40th anniversary in November 1932, the past presidents of the Ammoncongin Literary Club planted the tree.

In 1933 the Warren Memorial Foundation purchased the building and the property for a public library.

He joined the WPD in 1935 and served as its Chief for 15 years, serving under three different Mayors.

As membership in this band dwindled, the S. D. Warren band, organized in 1936 by Samuel Guimond who had once led the Salaberry Band, became the City Band.

The Crusaders were formed on April 12, 1937 when a young curate, Father Adrien Casavant, encouraged twelve baseball players to form a catholic action movement.

B.G. Pride Co. became a true father-son, or family, business when Merritt G. Pride succeeded his father as head of the business and his son, Byron G., joined the business in 1946.

ED: The Cornelia Warren Pool, off Main Street, was completed in 1949 and replaced the old swimming tank that was in the Presumpscot River; see Photo Archives.

By the fifties membership in the club was waning and the building was sold to the Fraternal Order of Eagles in 1951.

The Open House for the 1st student-built home was in June, 1958 and the subsequent sale of the house kicked off a very successful program which continues to this day.

In the 1960's the Grange was moved from its original location and placed on a new foundation, with an addition.

During the years the court was held here (until about 1965) the Westbrook lawyers serving as judges were Judge Tolman, Fabius M. Ray, William Lyons, Frank Pride, Wade Brigham, Armand LeBlanc and Francis Rocheleau.

In 1969 Westbrook Trust Co. merged with three other banks to form the Northeastern Bankshare Association.

The roof is an irregular hipped style with a small domed tower. It may have been 1974 before the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places but it has always been a Cumberland Mills landmark.

He was inducted into Maine’s Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975

A 1988 news article found at the historical society states: “Many a boy, contrary to the instructions of his parents, has hurled himself from the bridge to plummet into the cooling waters on a hot summer day.

However, by the 21st Century the church’s enrollment was aging and diminishing so the structure was sold and in 2003 it became a Teen Center Sources: Highlights of Westbrook History and local church histories; all may be found in the Society’s research collection.

[In 2006 the large brick building standing on the banks of the Presumpscot was purchased by Westbrook Housing and made into the Riverfront Lofts, which houses 44 residential units.

The Westbrook Methodist Church continued to be active until 2010 when a dwindling and aging congregation prompted it to close its doors and offer the building for sale; the building remains empty two years later.

In the photo below, taken in 2012, you can see the post office and hidden behind the large tree, is the school.

In 2014, a group of Duck Pond residents and Westbrook Historical Society members started a drive to have the sign designated as an historic landmark.