History of Waterville, Maine, USA

1839 - Waterville
Waterville, Maine
Kennebec county. This town is situated on the west bank of the Kennebec river, 18 miles N. from Augusta. It was incorporated as a part of Winslow in 1771, and as a separate town in 1802. Population in 1820, 1719; in 1830, 2,216; in 1837, 2,905. It contains 30 square miles, mostly of the best quality of farming land of the Kennebec region. Seven twelfths of the population is estimated to be agricultural. The principal village, of about 180 houses, is on the Kennebec at Ticonic Falls. These falls are 18 feet in height, extending quite across the river. In the town, there are 17 saws, four grist mills, carding machines, three plaster mills, two extensive tanneries and a machine shop. One iron foundry, a branch of the celebrated Fairbanks establishment in Vermont, supplies a great portion of the interior of the state with ploughs. The public structures are 4 meeting houses, an Academy, and the Liberal Institute, a Seminary founded by the Universalists. This latter... Read MORE...

1849 - Destructive Fire at Waterville, Me.
A correspondent of the Boston Atlas, writing from Gardiner, Me., states that a large fire occurred at Waterville on Saturday evening.

"Property to the amount of between fifty and sixty thousand dollars was destroyed on that evening by one conflagration. The loss is severely felt, as the most active and industrious of the population of that thriving village are the sufferers, and with them upwards of two hundred hard working men are thrown out of employment, thus depriving them and their families of the means of subsistence.

The fire was undoubtedly the work of base incendiaries, as no fires had been in the Mills for several days previous.

There were seven saw mills consumed, three of which valued at $12,000, were owned by the Messrs. Gatchells, of Waterville; one by Moore of the same place; one by Parker Sheldon, Esq., of this town; one by Mr. Reddington, of Waterville; and one owned in Portland. With the Mills was consumed from three to four million feet of lumber. Also... Read MORE...

1854 - Waterville
Waterville, a flourishing post-village of Kennebec CO., Maine, on the right bank of the Kennebec river, at the Ticonic falls, (18 feet in height,) and at the northern ter minus of the Androscoggin and Kennebec railroad, 82 miles N. N. E. from Portland. The Kennebec and Penobscot railroad, now in course of construction, will connect it with Bangor, and it is also to be the terminus of the Kennebec and Portland railroad. The water-power afforded by the Ticonic falls and others in the vicinity is very great, and might easily be made available to almost any extent; only a small part of it is at present employed. There are here in operation numerous mills for grinding grain and plaster, sawing lumber, carding, &c. There are also various manufactories, principally of machinery, castings, and farming implements. An important trade is carried on with the surrounding country and through the Kennebec river, which, by means of a dam and locks at Augusta, is navigable to the foot of the falls... Read MORE...

1857 - Shocking Affair - Four Young Ladies Drowned in Waterville, Me.
On Thursday evening of last week, seven young ladies, residing in Waterville, Me., went into what is called Crummett's Stream, about one-fourth of a mile from Waterille Village, for the purpose of bathing, and in a very few moments four of the seven found a watery grave. Their ages varied from eleven to fourteen.
Boston Investigator
Boston, Massachusetts
August 12, 1857

1882 - Boiler Explosion
WATERVILLE, Me., Jan. 28. - The boiler in the steam mill of the Kennebec Framing Company at Fairfield exploded this morning with terrific force. A son of ex-Warden Rice was killed, and John Avery, the engineer, were buried in the ruins. George McKeown and John Smith, a foreman, were wounded, and several others were slightly injured. The underwork of the mill is on fire and still burning. The accident is suppose to have been caused by a lack of water in the boiler. The loss by the explosion cannot now be estimated.
The New York Times
New York, New York
January 29, 1882

1884 - BURNED TO DEATH IN A LOCK-UP.
WATERVILLE, Me., April 3. - PETER VIGNE, a young man from Fairfield, Me., who was put in the lock-up last night, set the building on fire and perished in the flames.
The New York Times
New York, New York
April 4, 1884

1886 - Waterville
Waterville lies on the western bank of the Kennebec River, adjoining Fairfield, in Somerset County, on the north. Winslow lies opposite on the east side of the river, Sidney forms the southern boundary, and West Waterville, the western. The town is 6 miles long, and about 2 in width. West Waterville was formed from it in 1873. The eastern and western lines of the Maine Central railway form a junction at the village; and extensive repair shops of the railroad company are there located. The principal stream in town is the Messalonske, which furnishes power near the village for several manufactories, among which are a grist-mill, a sash and blind factory, a shovel-handle factory, a tannery, a boot and shoe-shank factory, etc. On the Kennebec are two large cotton factories of the Lockwood Company, and one or two saw-mills.

The surface of the town is little varied by hills, the soil being largely alluvial. The village itself is built along rambling streets shaded by elms on a broad... Read MORE...

1889 - EXPLOSION. Gas Works Destroyed in Maine. A FATAL EXPLOSION. A Gashouse Explodes at Waterville, Maine, This Morning.
WATERVILLE (Me.), Oct. 24. - At 7 o'clock this morning the gashouse of the Lockwood Cotton Mills exploded lifting the roof from the building, which took fire.

Henry E. Washburn, aged 30 years, a workman in charge, perished in the flames.
The Evening News
San Jose, California
October 24, 1889

1906
Waterville, a city of Kennebec co., Me., on the Kennebec River and on the Maine Central R., 81 miles NNE. of Portland. The ticonic Falls, in the Kennebec River, afford magnificent water-power. The city is the seat of Colby College (Baptist) - established in 1820 as Waterville College - and of the Coburn Classical Institute. It has cotton and woollen-mills, and manufactures of machinery, foundry products, furniture, shirts, etc. Large paper and pulp-mills have been established at Winslow, on the opposite side of the river. Pop. in 1900, 9477.
Lippincott's New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns ... in Every Portion of the Globe Publisher J.B. Lippincott Company, 1906

1908 - C. O. JONES KILLED, HIS AIRSHIP BURNED - Aeronaut Dropped 500 Feet at Waterville, Me.
WIFE AND CHILD PRESENT
Bag of Dirigible Caught Fire and Machinery and Inventor Shot to Earth Before Crowd - Spark of Motor Caused Disaster.

Waterville, Me. - In full view of 25,000 spectators on the Maine fair grounds CHARLES OLIVER JONES, the well known aeronaut, of Hammondsport, N. Y., fell a distance of 500 feet to his death. Among the witnesses of the frightful plunge were MRS. JONES and her child. They were the first to reach the side of the dying man. The aeronaut expired about an hour and a half after the accident.

JONES had been at the fair grounds with his dirigible balloon, the Boomerang, known as a Strobel airship, since the opening day of the fair.

When the aeronaut reached a height of more than 500 feet the spectators saw small tongues of fire issuing from under the gas bag in front of the motor. At this time the balloon had passed out of the fair grounds. Many persons in the great crowd shouted to JONES of his danger, but several minutes elapsed before he... Read MORE...

1917 - SPECTACULAR FIRE THREATENS WHOLE NORTH END WATERVILLE
900 Canoes and Two Large Ice Houses Burn Two Dwellings Damaged by Flames Two Alarms Sounded and Firemen Have Hard Fight

Waterville, Me., Oct 23. – Fire which was discovered at 4:25 Tuesday afternoon completely destroyed two large ice houses on Hillside avenue owned by Robert L. Ervin and Roscoe L. Knight, burned 900 canoes, the property of the Kennebec Boat and Canoe Company, which were stored in them, damaged the home of Mrs. George Darveau on the same street and of Joseph Lublow on Main street, and for a time threatened the whole north end of the city. Only the fact that there no wind saved a very serious configuration.

Two Alarms Sounded

As it was two alarms were rung in, and all but one of the companies in the city had a hand in fighting the fire before it was under control. The loss on the ice houses was estimated at about $5000, although it is doubtful if they can be replaced for that, and on them was an insurance of $2000 and on the canoes the loss was about $20,000... Read MORE...

1936 - $35,000 BLAZE AT WATERVILLE.
Waterville, Me., Jan. 24. - Damage of about $35,000 was done to the two-story brick HAINES building on Silver street early Thursday by a fire which threatened to spread to the adjoining MORRISON block, a general alarm being sounded, because of the menace of a wind of gale velocity.

Starting around wires in the ceiling of the establishment of the FARRAR-BROWN Co., and the floor of the Colonial Club, a private organization on the second floor, the fire, which was discovered by CHARLES McBURNIE, night watchman for the Central Distributors Co. at 24 Silver street, damaged the FARRAR-BROWN stock $20,000, caused a loss of $30,000 in the plumbing shop of ARTHUR C. CAREY and damaged the building to the extent of $10,000.

Twenty automobiles stored at the Central Distributors Co.'s place were driven from the MORRISON block when fears for that building were felt.
One fireman was injured, EDWARD BELLIVEAU was bruised about the left leg.
Portsmouth Herald
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
January 25, 1936

1939 - 26 in Blazing Hospital Wing Removed Safely. Nine Infants Rescued with Other Patients in Early Morning Fire at Waterville.
Waterville, Me., April 6. - (AP) - Nine new-born babies had a baptism of smoke and fire today in a blaze with forced evacuation of 26 patients from a maternity and children's wing of Sisters' Hospital here.

Deterring combat with the flames until rescues were effected, firemen in smoke masks, took all the endangered persons to safety, some down ladders, others through windows.

No injuries occurred, but Sister Camilia, elderly hospital superior suffering from illness, collapsed after she telephoned the alarm.

Fire Chief Grover D. Lovejoy estimated damage at $10,000 to the 2½ story wooden wing, known as St. Vincent's.

Firemen from Winslow and Fairfield assisted Waterville firemen in subsiding the general alarm fire which spread rapidly through the wing after smoke first was discovered at 5:15 A.M. seeping through the wards. The fire started in a basement storeroom.

Working in haste, firemen... of five women and their babies from the second floor maternity ward. Four... Read MORE...

1942 - $200,000 FIRE RAZES WATERVILLE BUILDING.
Waterville, Me. - Fire destroyed the four story SAMUEL BARRON brick building and damaged two adjoining business blocks early last night.
Damages were estimated to have reached $200,000. Walls of the BARRON building collapsed but no one was hurt. The combined effort of five fire departments from Waterville and nearby towns eventually checked spread of the flames to buildings on adjacent streets.
Portsmouth Herald
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
April 2, 1942

1945 - 2 WOMEN MEET DEATH IN MAINE HOTEL FIRE.
Waterville, Me., Feb. 19 (AP) - Two women were numbered as victims today of the fire which swept the 32-room Jefferson hotel and an adjoining residence yesterday.

One of the victims, MRS. YVONNE SAUCIER, 27, was the widowed mother of two children. The second victim remained unidentified.

Fire Chief GROVER D. LOVEJOY said the fire started in the home of HARRY MONROE, but its cause was not determined. MRS. MONROE said she discovered the blaze when she opened her bathroom door and was met by "a wall of flames."

The fire spread so rapidly that several of the estimated 25 guests in the hotel were forced to leap from the second story windows.

LOUIS SHIRO, owner of the hotel, estimated his loss at $50,000. Damage to the MONROE residence was expected to increase the figure appreciably.
The Fitchburg Sentinel
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
February 19, 1945

Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Waterville:
1. Colby College Museum of Art: Start your journey with some culture. The Colby College Museum of Art boasts an impressive collection of American art, including works by renowned artists like Alex Katz and John Marin. It's a great place to appreciate the arts and soak up some inspiration.

2. Quarry Road Trails: If you're into outdoor activities, Quarry Road Trails is the place to be. You can hike, bike, or cross-country ski, depending on the season. The trails wind through beautiful forests and alongside scenic quarries.

3. Hathaway Creative Center: This historic textile mill has been transformed into a creative hub. You can explore art galleries, catch a performance, or attend workshops and classes.

4. Redington Museum: Dive into Waterville's history at the Redington Museum. It's housed in a beautiful 19th-century building and showcases local artifacts, including antique toys, textiles, and furniture.

5. Head of Falls: For a peaceful escape, visit Head of Falls. It's a... Read MORE...