Recollections of Berlin Since 1880
By John Hayes (May, 1926)
In giving my description of Berlin as it was back in 1880, I think it safe to say that 1880 was the year when Berlin started its march of progress, and I got here in time to step into the ranks and stayed.
The Forest Fibre Company started that year to build a new mill known as Mill B. They also started Fibreville the same year. They laid out a block of land into building lots with the necessary streets. It was stated at the time that they planned to erect 25 dwellings, but only 16 cottages were built that year. I thought it strange that all the workmen at the mill and at the village were from out of town. I asked Hart Mason the reason, and he said it was so, because Berlin Mills had all the mechanics working for them. He also stated that the population of Berlin was only 700 people.
In the year 1881, the Catholic Church was built, and the Congregational Church was started. Norwegianville also gained a little. The next year the movement was more general, and there were sustained gains for a number of years. Of late years there seems to be a slowing down. Land is getting scarcer and dearer. It seems that people are losing courage. Well, it is not so easy to get a lot now as it used to be in the early years before land began to get scarce. The land companies helped the boom a lot. They sold the land cheap and encouraged the people to build. Cheap lots are a thing of the past. You can't go back to the beginning of the march of progress and find the same opportunities as there were, when I started down Depot street to take in the land and lay of the houses.
From the depot to the square I found three buildings on the southerly side of the street, a shoemaker's shop, a barn where the Berlin House now stands, and what at that time was called the Gerrish Boys' Store. On the northerly side of the street, there were two houses, two stores, and a vacant lot extending to the square, where the Berlin National Bank stands at the present time. Going up Green street on the westerly side there were the Green residence, a drug store, and three dwelling houses. On the easterly side there were three houses, Eagle Hall, and Ira Mason's store, which extended from Green to Main street and faced the southerly side of the Square. There were three houses on the easterly side of Main street opposite the Square. That finishes the four sides of the Square.
Between the Square and Mechanic Street, there were Mason's store and two other buildings, one of which was the lock-up, and the other was a dwelling house. Mechanic Street terminated at the Grand Trunk Railway. At the terminus was an old grist mill. On the northerly side of Mechanic Street, there were four houses and an old work shop. There was nothing on the southerly side.
The Forest Fibre Company started that year to build a new mill known as Mill B. They also started Fibreville the same year. They laid out a block of land into building lots with the necessary streets. It was stated at the time that they planned to erect 25 dwellings, but only 16 cottages were built that year. I thought it strange that all the workmen at the mill and at the village were from out of town. I asked Hart Mason the reason, and he said it was so, because Berlin Mills had all the mechanics working for them. He also stated that the population of Berlin was only 700 people.
In the year 1881, the Catholic Church was built, and the Congregational Church was started. Norwegianville also gained a little. The next year the movement was more general, and there were sustained gains for a number of years. Of late years there seems to be a slowing down. Land is getting scarcer and dearer. It seems that people are losing courage. Well, it is not so easy to get a lot now as it used to be in the early years before land began to get scarce. The land companies helped the boom a lot. They sold the land cheap and encouraged the people to build. Cheap lots are a thing of the past. You can't go back to the beginning of the march of progress and find the same opportunities as there were, when I started down Depot street to take in the land and lay of the houses.
From the depot to the square I found three buildings on the southerly side of the street, a shoemaker's shop, a barn where the Berlin House now stands, and what at that time was called the Gerrish Boys' Store. On the northerly side of the street, there were two houses, two stores, and a vacant lot extending to the square, where the Berlin National Bank stands at the present time. Going up Green street on the westerly side there were the Green residence, a drug store, and three dwelling houses. On the easterly side there were three houses, Eagle Hall, and Ira Mason's store, which extended from Green to Main street and faced the southerly side of the Square. There were three houses on the easterly side of Main street opposite the Square. That finishes the four sides of the Square.
Between the Square and Mechanic Street, there were Mason's store and two other buildings, one of which was the lock-up, and the other was a dwelling house. Mechanic Street terminated at the Grand Trunk Railway. At the terminus was an old grist mill. On the northerly side of Mechanic Street, there were four houses and an old work shop. There was nothing on the southerly side.
There were an old sawmill, three wood-colored houses, a hotel, and Dr. Wardwell's residence on the westerly side of Main Street between Mechanic Street and Mason Street. The doctor's residence consisted of a main house and a long ell with shed at right angles extending out close to Main Street. Going along the easterly side of Main Street from the Square to Mason Street, one first found a house where the Hodgdon Block now stands. Beyond was an old-fashioned frame dry shed nearly opposite the mill. Its walls were not boarded in, but it had a roof to shield from the storms. Some further up there was an old red house and then two old wood-colored buildings. On the bank near the river was an old machine for sawing spool stock. Then there were two more shabby houses where the Guaranty Trust Company recently built. There was an old rough shed on the corner. A short time after, Cyrus Leighton built a blacksmith shop there. Then it was successively occupied by a beer saloon and a drug store. Now we find the City Building there.
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On the westerly side of the street from Mason Street to High Street, there were three small dwellings and the Furbish estate. On the easterly side there was a mound used as a gravel pit just where the Federal Post office now stands. Next there was a two-story boarding house with a veranda along the front. A few years later the proprietor was shot by one of his boarders. Next came a house that is still standing and two or three old houses at the rear. A short distance further on there were two small white houses where the Stahl brick block now stands. There was nothing more on the east side of the street, until we pass what was wont to be called "The Narrows." On the westerly side of the street, there was at High Street, where the English church now stands, an old wood-colored house, which was moved off to make room for the church. Beyond was one of the two houses still
standing there at the present time.
After passing the railroad crossing, we come to the Cascade House. From there up to The Narrows, a distance of a few hundred feet, we find nothing but second growth bushes on both sides of the road. Now, having got through The Narrows, we find three small houses along the street and three more directly in the rear of the last one. At that point there was an unnamed cross street, known in the country dialect of the time as a corner. They still use this phrase in Gorham. I do not know the streets by name, so I will have to speak of corners beyond this point.
Between this corner and the next one were the Berlin Mills boarding house and two other houses. Beyond this second corner there were four houses, the last of which stood on the church lot, from which it was moved soon after I came to Berlin. Beyond was the Company house, and then came the houses of J. W. Parker and John Wilson. A short distance along there was a cluster of some five or six more small houses, that being another corner. Then after a storehouse and three more small houses there was a field fronting on the road for perhaps a fifth of a mile.
standing there at the present time.
After passing the railroad crossing, we come to the Cascade House. From there up to The Narrows, a distance of a few hundred feet, we find nothing but second growth bushes on both sides of the road. Now, having got through The Narrows, we find three small houses along the street and three more directly in the rear of the last one. At that point there was an unnamed cross street, known in the country dialect of the time as a corner. They still use this phrase in Gorham. I do not know the streets by name, so I will have to speak of corners beyond this point.
Between this corner and the next one were the Berlin Mills boarding house and two other houses. Beyond this second corner there were four houses, the last of which stood on the church lot, from which it was moved soon after I came to Berlin. Beyond was the Company house, and then came the houses of J. W. Parker and John Wilson. A short distance along there was a cluster of some five or six more small houses, that being another corner. Then after a storehouse and three more small houses there was a field fronting on the road for perhaps a fifth of a mile.
That finishes the westerly side of Main Street up from the
Wardwell house at the south end. Now, down the easterly side of the street from opposite the field to the blacksmith shop, there were an old boat house and one residence. The blacksmith shop, the company barn, and the company store followed in order, as now. There was nothing more except the Sawyer house and delivery office and one more dwelling about four hundred feet distant, bringing us back to The Narrows. This finishes our description of the old town in the year 1880, just 40 years ago The easterly side of the river, now called East Berlin, was not thought of at that time. I don't believe that any one of the old citizens ever expected to see such a thickly settled portion of the city on that side of the river, for at that time it had a very gloomy appearance and an uneven, rough, and rocky uphill surface covered with second growth to the bank of the river, giving it the appearance of burned forest that had started to grow again. But energy always tells when there is promise behind it. Good chance for permanent employment and comfortable hours made East Berlin possible. East Berlin and its people speak for the opportunity that Berlin offers for a home and also for the land companies that laid the territory out into building lots and helped to give people the habit and encouraged them otherwise. |
Now we come to the river and find that there is a wonderful change wrought here. The old sluggard that was lying idle in his bed with nothing to do has been transformed into a great giant with dams and powerhouses, wherever feasible, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, turning giant turbine wheels, generating electricity and sending power wherever it may be required, giving encouragement and confidence to all. It also means more employment and more people to help furnish the necessary revenue for public affairs, which has grown to be a considerable sum. We have six public schools costing about one and one-half million dollars besides their maintenance, a city building, a police station, public library, and fire stations to support with city revenues.
Then we have ten churches and ought to have a lot of good Christians. I think we have. We have four banks—all well equipped for business. Everything considered, I think the City of Berlin has made a wonderful showing.
Under all this financial development there have been but two industrial concerns, the Berlin Mills Company (now Brown Company) and the International Paper Company. The old Forest Fibre Company passed away shortly after the Glen Manufacturing Company (now International) started. So it's very evident that these two companies have done some business, more particularly the Brown Company. I think the Brown Company has furnished as much as seven-eighths of all the revenue required for the development since we started at the depot to take stock of the old town in the year 1880.
My purpose in writing this description of the old town is to show that there was something to be done, and that something has been done. At least some of the later citizens and young folk may not be aware of all the facts and conditions. Now, from a town of 700 inhabitants to a city of 18,600 means an average gain of 400 persons for each one of these 46 years. It also means about 100 new jobs per year, if not more, for somebody. To make a final statement, it means a home for eighteen thousand
six hundred citizens, of whom among its other resources, Berlin can be justly proud.
N. B. I said nothing about the streets of Berlin or their condition in the earlier years. It might be well to refer to their condition at that time. So I would make a few statements in a general way.
From one end of the town to the other, Main Street was just such a road as one would see in any farming district, with wheel ruts from two to four inches deep. Starting near Mechanic Street, there was, for upwards of four hundred feet, a hollow swampy spot that had once necessitated a fill of about two and a half feet. It had been filled with slabs and sawdust drawn from the Gerrish mill. So in 1880 it had sunk again. There were two old bridges a short distance apart. They were real old style at that. There were no sidewalks except for a very few spots that were low and muddy.
Then we have ten churches and ought to have a lot of good Christians. I think we have. We have four banks—all well equipped for business. Everything considered, I think the City of Berlin has made a wonderful showing.
Under all this financial development there have been but two industrial concerns, the Berlin Mills Company (now Brown Company) and the International Paper Company. The old Forest Fibre Company passed away shortly after the Glen Manufacturing Company (now International) started. So it's very evident that these two companies have done some business, more particularly the Brown Company. I think the Brown Company has furnished as much as seven-eighths of all the revenue required for the development since we started at the depot to take stock of the old town in the year 1880.
My purpose in writing this description of the old town is to show that there was something to be done, and that something has been done. At least some of the later citizens and young folk may not be aware of all the facts and conditions. Now, from a town of 700 inhabitants to a city of 18,600 means an average gain of 400 persons for each one of these 46 years. It also means about 100 new jobs per year, if not more, for somebody. To make a final statement, it means a home for eighteen thousand
six hundred citizens, of whom among its other resources, Berlin can be justly proud.
N. B. I said nothing about the streets of Berlin or their condition in the earlier years. It might be well to refer to their condition at that time. So I would make a few statements in a general way.
From one end of the town to the other, Main Street was just such a road as one would see in any farming district, with wheel ruts from two to four inches deep. Starting near Mechanic Street, there was, for upwards of four hundred feet, a hollow swampy spot that had once necessitated a fill of about two and a half feet. It had been filled with slabs and sawdust drawn from the Gerrish mill. So in 1880 it had sunk again. There were two old bridges a short distance apart. They were real old style at that. There were no sidewalks except for a very few spots that were low and muddy.
Sources
1. Article published in the May, 1926 issue of the Brown Bulletin. Article written by John Hayes, employee of the Cascade Mill.
2. Photos from the Once Upon a Berlin Time Facebook page (Click here to visit).
2. Photos from the Once Upon a Berlin Time Facebook page (Click here to visit).