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Other resource materials on the history of Clinton, Maine

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Title: Other resource materials on the history of Clinton, Maine


1
Other resource materials on the history of
Clinton, Maine
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The Brown Memorial Library on Railroad Street in
Clinton, Maine has many resource materials for
people researching the history of our town The
History Of Clinton Maine (By Major General
Carlton Edward Fisher) An in depth history of
the town from its early settlers to
1970. Clinton Maine Vital Records (By Major
General Carlton Edward Fisher) The births,
marriages, and deaths from Clinton records up to
1892 The Clinton Advertiser, a local newspaper
published from 1877 to 1909 A small, weekly
newspaper all bound in hard covered
books Illustrated History of Kennebec County,
Maine (by Henry D. Kingsbury, Simeon L.
Deyo) This is a book about the whole county
published in 1892, with a section on just Clinton
There are many small booklets written for
events held in Clinton over the years available
at the Library or from the Clinton Historical
Society.
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Canning Factory
Spaulding
Clinton Woolen
Davis
F.E. Whitman
Besse Tannery
Runnels
Maine Cascade
Cooper Weymouth
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The Clinton Historical Society plans to make a
history of the canning factory available in the
future
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SPAULDING MANUFACTURING COMPANY   The
Spaulding Mfg. Co. was a manufacturer of wooden
ware specialties. C. W. Spaulding, the
proprietor, was in business by himself several
years and for five years prior to that was
associated with J. B. Davis under the firm name
of Spaulding Davis. The factory of the
Spaulding Manufacturing Co. was 36 x 60 feet and
two stories. The equipment included buzz planer,
moulder, saw benches, boring machine amid laud
saw. Among the specialties manufactured were
clothes dryers, wall bars, paper racks, clothes
sticks, bread boards, cutting boards, clothes
horses, extension step ladders, ironing tables,
sleeve boards, wash benches, and wall racks.
These goods were sold through canvassing agents
and had a large sale not only throughout New
England but also in New York and Pennsylvania. In
the manufacture of these articles large amounts
of hardwood and bass wood were consumed, and
native wood largely used.  
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7
The Clinton Historical Society plans to make a
history of the Clinton Woolen Mill available in
the future.
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8
DAVIS MANUFACTURING COMPANY   The Davis
Manufacturing Co. had an extensive plant in which
woodenware novelties for the household were
manufactured. J.B. Davis, the sole proprietor,
was for a period of years the partner of C. W.
Spaulding under the name of Spaulding Davis.
The plant included a mill and an addition 100
feet long and two stories stock room 100 ft two
store houses each 100 feet and a store house 20
x 25 feet. The machinery included a double
surface planer, eight inch outside moulder, swing
cut off saw, multiple bearing machine, irregular
moulder, buzz planer, three dowel machines, tenon
machine, double cut off saw, wood turning lathe,
iron lathe, emery grinder and three saw benches.
The product was sold by canvassing agents and was
distributed over a wide area. Among the
specialties were ironing tables, sleeve boards,
extension step ladders, clothes reels, wash
benches, curtain stretchers, broom holders, cake
boards, wall racks and clothes dryers.
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F. E. WHITMANS REFRIGERATOR FACTORY
Prominent among Clintons industries was the
manufacture of refrigerators and store fixtures
by F. E. Whitman. Learning the business in
Worcester, Mass., Mr. Whitman was engaged in
manufacturing for three years in Boston and
established himself in Clinton in 1905. A large
and steadily expanding business was developed and
the output of the plant had a wide distribution.
The factory was about 120 x 28 feet and was two
stories and a half. The machinery equipment
included a band saw, cylinder planer, buzz
planer, irregular moulder, cutting off saws,
dowel machines and turning lathes. Storage
refrigerators were made for markets, grocers,
restaurants and florists and sectional
refrigerators of all kinds were built to order.
Mr. Whitman made for a Rumford market a storage
refrigerator 20 ft. long, 14 feet wide and 12 ft.
high with a capacity of a car load of beef. He
built for Davis Robinson of Waterville, who
were erecting a new block, a cold storage
refrigerator 38 ft. long, 14 ft. wide and 9ft.
high. Other products manufactured were meat
tables, blocks, fish chests and ice cream
cabinets. All kinds of store fixtures were also
made and also counters and shelves. A specialty
was also made in the line of candle pins for
bowling. Mr. Whitman reported his business
doubled every year for the first five years. The
plant originally was powered by an eighteen horse
power gasoline engine but soon was converted to
electric power when Clinton Water and Electric
was able to serve them. The firm, having only
made ice box refrigeration, went out of business
in 1935 when the trend to use electric
refrigeration came into being.
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FRANK L. BESSES TANNERY   Clintons leading
industry was the tannery of Frank L. Besse. The
plant was located in the immediate vicinity of
the Maine Central Railroad station. The business
was inaugurated in Albion and was transferred
to Clinton in 1890. At the time this industry
was removed to Clinton the firm name was J. B.
Besse Son but the father did not long survive
the transfer of the business from Albion and the
son, Frank L. Besse, became the sole proprietor.
The main tannery was 80 x 40 feet, three stories,
with an addition on the side. The cold air drying
lofts were 120 feet, with two floors 100 feet
with two floors, and 60 feet with three floors.
The bark mill was 60 x 30 feet and the boiler
house 24 x l6 feet. The capacity of the plant was
from 200 to 250 dozen sheep skins daily. During
the winter months the tannery usually ran at full
capacity, while the remainder of the year from
150 to 175 dozen skins were daily tanned. The
product of the establishment was sheepskin russet
leather and this was shipped all over the country
largely for the western trade. The skins tanned
come largely from across the water. From eighteen
to forty hands were employed throughout its
existence. In tanning, hemlock bark was largely
used in the early years. Mr. Besse was at the
head of the wholesale leather house of Besse,
Osborn OdelI with headquarters at 51 South St.,
Boston.
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11
Runnels Manufacturing Ralph Benjamin Runnels
grew up in Clinton going through Clinton school
system and furthering his education at Thomas
College in Waterville. He joined the Clinton
Board of Trade, and was for several year engaged
in trade. Davis Manufacturing on Pleasant Street
had just burned, and Ralph had watched Charles
Spaulding and John Davis become very successful
in the woodenware business. Their goods had been
sold through canvassing agents and had a large
sale not only throughout New England, but also in
New York and Pennsylvania. They were shipping by
rail and the Clinton railroad station was making
Clinton closer to rest of the United States.
Ralph thought his experience in trade and
business could help in a venture in the
woodenware trade. He bought an old building and
moved it behind his house on High Street.
With one workman and one salesman in 1922, Ralph
started what would become his claim to Clinton
fame for the next quarter century. The machinery
included a planer, six-inch outside moulder, a
multiple boring machine, a dowel machine, emery
grinders and bench saws. He now too had his
products sold by canvassing agents. The company
had sales outlets in Chicago, Boston, New York
and High Point, North Carolina. Among their
products were ironing tables, sleeve boards, cake
boards, wall racks and clothes dryers. A lot of
product came from this small shop, though it
never employed more than seven or eight men. In
the latter part of World War II, they sold
carloads of tables, designed by his son Everett,
to the Army and Navy. In 1946 Runnels
Manufacturing was sold and it burned two years
later.
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12
The Clinton Historical Society plans to make a
history of the Maine Cascade available in the
future.
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13
The Clinton Historical Society plans to make a
history of the Cooper Weymouth available in the
future.
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14
Elementary
Clinton Sports
Clinton High
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CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS The athletic
program at Clinton High School started in 1923
with its first season of both boys' and girls'
basketball. The girls played the half court game.
Baseball and softball were played at school for
many years, but they were not school supported
until 1930. It is interesting that an article in
the 1924 town report gave an explanation of
athletics at the school. Athletics was not to be
more important than academics, as was the case in
many larger schools. We would never recruit
students from out of town for their athletic
abilities. The high school colors were white and
maroon until changing to black and orange in the
late 1920's. Baseball was played behind the
school until 1931, when a new ball field with
real dugouts was built between Railroad Street
and Morrison Avenue. This field was used until
sometime in the 1940s, when play resumed behind
the high school. In 1938 Clinton started seventh
and eighth grade basketball to keep us
competitive in high school ball. As before, both
girls' and boys' teams started the same year. In
the early 1940s on the school grounds behind the
High School were some clay tennis courts,
although it is not known if tennis was ever a
part of the school curriculum. The school adopted
the tiger as the mascot in 1941. The game of
basketball became very popular in the late
1940s, and in 1950 the stage in the town hall
was removed and the floor was extended. The
removal of the black iron grate in the center of
the floor saved many a skinned knee. The
basketball program in the early 1950s was
exciting. Clinton won an Eastern Maine final,
and TV sports announcer George Hale still talks
about the Bobby Jones years.  
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16
Elementary
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CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL In 1902, our fathers
and grandfathers (women were not voting yet)
voted to build their sons and daughters a new
school, the place we fondly refer to today as
"Dear Old Clinton High School". In February
1903, the first classes were held at this
three-story building. The yellow building,
sixty-eight feet long by forty-feet wide, had
three rooms on the first floor, three rooms on
the second floor, and one room on the third
floor. There was a privy in a building in the
back and to the right of the school. The building
remained unchanged until 1917, when Frank L.
Besse donated funds to install indoor plumbing
and central heat. He also had the building wired
for electricity the following year. In 1922 the
commercial room on the second floor was divided
into two rooms, as the sound of the new
typewriters was annoying to the other students.
In 1952 the School Improvement Association
started the school lunch program. The high
school students had to drive or walk from the
high school building to the elementary school if
they wanted hot lunch. The cost of this meal was
twenty cents for many years. The school on Baker
Street, though always called the High School, had
all twelve grades for the first forty years of
its existence. Clinton High School had just
high school scholars for only six years. Though
some would call it progress, while others feared
the change, Clinton joined SAD 49, and after
graduation in 1966, the high school students were
bussed to Fairfield. A fire on July 25, 1975
closed the history on Clinton High School three
quarters of a century after the ground had been
broken.
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Clinton High School Fire (25-July-1975)
Despite a roaring start, local firefighters
brought flames whipping through the officially
closed, 73-year-old wooden frame Baker Street
School here under control within an hour early
Friday morning. Visible for miles, the predawn
blaze officials say was of suspicious origin was
partially kept contained by heavy moisture laden
clouds, fog and even occasional light rain after
it broke out around 3 am. Mrs. Harriet Lancaster,
who is town manager and lives directly across the
street from the three-story school, turned In the
alarm after hearing a muffled explosion and
looking out her front window to see a ball of
fire enveloping the upper portion of the
structure. The school was closed in June and,
since then, was torn apart by vandals who threw
heat radiators out its windows, broke other glass
panes, tore down part of the entrance, and ripped
out water pipes, area residents reported. These
acts occurred on an almost nightly basis, they
said. Fire Chief Roland Tozier believes flames
got their start on the third floor and said
several of his 23 who responded to the scene told
him there was a strong odor of kerosene at the
site. Electrical power shut off some time ago,
authorities noted, and the school was scheduled
to be torn down later this summer, being replaced
by the new Morrison Avenue School addition here.
School administrative District 49 turned
ownership of the former Clinton High School over
to the town just last week with the opening of
the new addition elsewhere in town scheduled in,
September. Since 1966, the Baker Street School
has housed the fifth through seventh grades. The
remains of the structure will be burned down
later burned by firemen, Tozier stated. The
school was constructed in 1902 and its first
graduating class of five students got their
diplomas four year later is 1906. Until
approximately 1940, the building housed all
classrooms for the first grade straight through
high school levels. The Morrison Avenue School
was constructed and absorbed the elementary
grades after that time. When Clinton joined
Fairfield, Benton and Albion to form SAD 49 in
1966, the school ceased to be a high school
because hose students were shifted to Lawrence
high In Fairfield. No insurance coverage was
kept on the school after it was closed in June
due to its age and condition. (from the Morning
Sentinel, July 26, 1975)

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19
Plane Crash
Canning Factory
Tannery Fire
Flood of 1936
CHS Fire
Rest-A-While
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20
The Flood of 1936 Many bridges spanned the
Sebasticook on Pleasant Street in Clintons first
century. Speeding was a problem, even in the days
of the horse and buggy. In 1860 the selectmen
were authorized to erect signs at each end of the
Sebasticook River bridge at the village, which
warned Three dollars fine for riding or driving
on this bridge faster than a walk. 3500.00 was
approved by voters in 1885 for our first iron
bridge, 140 feet long with an 18-foot roadway,
the height of the trestle in the center to be 24
feet. The Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East
Berlin, Connecticut built the bridge the
stonework was done by two men from Augusta. It
was opened to traffic in March 1886 after a total
cost of about 6,000. Everett Gerald raised the
bridge two and one-half feet in 1904 due to
nearly losing it in the flood of 1901, but the
change was not enough to save the structure in
March 1936. The bridge was carried away, while
the Hinckley Bridge was heavily damaged as were a
number of smaller bridges over the streams.
Ralph B. Runnels, first selectman at the time,
pushed to get financial help for the town, and a
temporary bridge in the village was built, at a
cost of nearly 1,500. On 22 August 1936, the
selectmen obtained an allotment of federal funds
in the amount of 54,500 the state sponsored
4,500 and Clinton 3,000 for the construction of
a new bridge. The flood also took out the old
Learned Bridge at the end of the road that leads
to the sewerage treatment facility. Here in 1891
was built an iron bridge, which is said to have
replaced a wooden structure built about 1812.
This bridge had two spans of ninety-six feet
each, and was built by the towns of Clinton and
Burnham and the county of Kennebec. Clinton paid
one-half the total cost, which was approximately
6,000. The structure was built by Vermont
Construction Company of St. Albans, Vermont, and
it was never rebuilt.
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21
   
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22
    Fire At The Rest-A-While   The
Rest-A-While restaurant, dance hall, and cabins
was located on the north side of the Bangor Road
just east of the Clinton/Benton town line. My
Grandfather, Roger Stinchfield, owned it. He
specialized in chicken dinners. The local girls
served them. Henrietta Simonson, Marion Simonson,
Hazel Simonson, and Madelyn Harding. He
had entertainment on Sunday. There was a bear and
monkeys, as well as plane rides for the public
with pilot Kermett Hatt from Canaan. One Sunday
they threw dummies out of the plane that
certainly got everyones attention. This was to
promote business! He also had Sunday ball games
out behind the cabins. It was August 13,
1932. He stayed over night at the restaurant
because the Rest-A-While had been recently broken
into. Suddenly there was an explosion! The
kerosene heater or stove may have been turned up
higher rather than off. His daughter-in-law,
Pauline, who lived across the road, heard him
hollering and ran over. She had to break part of
the door to reach the lock. His hands and
body were badly burned and he could not unlock
the door because his skin stuck to the keys. An
ambulance transported him to the hospital where
he died the same day. He was 51 years old. My
grandfather was born 22 Jan 1881 and died 13 Aug
1932. I, Roger (Babe) Clifford was only 6 years
old. One thing that impressed me about my
grandfather was the day he set me up on the
counter and said I have something for you. He
gave me my first ice cream cone. It was
strawberry. Roger (Babe) Clifford 2 Nov 2001
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23
The Plane Crash Try to imagine yourself in
the place of Richard Wadsworth on the morning of
August 14th, 1944. A native of Yorkshire,
England, he had trained as an aviator he was in
a foreign land he had left Maine with 15.00 in
his pocket and hitch-hiked across the United
States he had visited Hollywood, meeting some
world-famous people he had returned to Maine,
broke but thrilled by a memorable holiday.
Sub-Lt. Richard Wadsworth and three other pilots
of the British Royal Navy were flying over the
northern part of Clinton doing a training
exercise. This was done in America because it was
safer to fly here than in the air-space over
Europe. It was about 1030 in the morning, and
Maine was experiencing a heat wave, the hottest
weather since back before the war began. One
plane came up under the other and tore off a
wing, causing a loud crash. An explosion, and a
second explosion followed this. The sky filled
with smoke, and small fragments of the planes
filled the air. Floyd Giles helped steady
Sub-Lt. Jack Grogan as his parachute carried him
into a ditch on the Mutton Lane Road only a few
feet from Floyd's home. One of the remaining two
planes circled back as Jack and Floyd waved their
arms to show that Jack was okay. About three
quarters of a mile to the west was the bulk of
the wreckage along with the body of Richard
Wadsworth, still strapped to his seat.
Wadsworth's only sibling, sister Nancy Wadsworth
Gingell of Surry, England, came to Clinton in
October 1993 to search for the details of her
brother's demise. Wadsworth was buried in a naval
cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Nancy's
mother and father had always wanted to visit
their son's grave, but they had never made the
journey. Nancy had been there the day before her
visit to Clinton. She met with many witnesses of
the crash in a meeting at the Methodist church.
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24
Snowmobile Club
Lions Club
Extension
Baptist Church
Eastern Star
25
The Town and Country Trailriders Snowmobile Club
Forty-seven enthusiastic snowmobilers met for
the first time on March 16, 1971. They met in
the old Town Hall banquet room, corner of Main
and Railroad Streets. Their goal was to organize
snowmobilers, promote safe snowmobiling, and
maintain a good relationship with landowners. A
committee brought in five names for the newly
organized club, and Town and Country Trailriders
was decided upon. It became incorporated on
September 27, 1971. The original charter club
officers were Charles Proctor, President Manley
Gower, Vice President Fred Pierce, Treasurer
and Sandra Woods, Secretary. On May 23, 1972, a
motion was made and it was voted that they build
their own clubhouse. They purchased their
present clubhouse site on the Mutton Lane Road
from Holman Gibson for the meager price of 200.
From there on out it was blood, sweat and tears
until the land was cleared and a building 28x30
was erected. In 1977 they doubled the size of
the building. The club stays 100 Maine
Snowmobile Association affiliated. They have MSA
representatives that attend monthly meetings to
keep up with state snowmobile information. The
club stays actively involved in the statewide
snowmobiler's fund raiser project for the Pine
Tree Camp. They have thank-you suppers each year
for the landowners of land that the trails cross.
They put on suppers for various organizations in
town. They maintain approximately thirty-seven
miles of club trails. They have a state of the
art dragging machine, and many hours are put into
brushing out trails, building bridges, and
marking the trails. They encourage anyone,
snowmobile owner or not, to join the club and
become a member of the snowmobiling family.
They have had many club officers over the years,
but none stand out more than our twelve year
president, A. Keith Hunter. His many years of
dedicated service was remembered in 1993, when,
at the landowners supper, he was presented with a
plaque dedicating the clubhouse in his name.
HAPPY SNOWMOBILING. THINK SNOW!!
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26
The Clinton Lions Club The Clinton Lions Club
had its beginning in April of 1953.
International Organizer Larry Barnes, District
Governor George Clements, and Waterville Lion
Edmond Longley all assisted Carroll Keene and
many local businessmen in its formation. After a
few preliminary meetings, a good sized group of
men met near the old stage in the Clinton Town
Hall and decided to form a Clinton Lions Club. A
telegram was sent to Lions International on 21
April 1953 with names of twenty members and
announced that a new Lions Club had been formed.
It is noted that Dr. Fred Sullivan could not be
present on this evening and did not get to sign
the charter prior to its framing therefore,
there are only nineteen signers. Meetings were
originally held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of
each month. That was soon changed to, and
remains to date, the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of
each month from September to June. Interestingly
enough, the first major fund raising project has
continued to be the club's major project. In
October 1954, the Clinton High School Athletic
Fund was 200 in debt for new basketball warm-up
suits for its championship team. The Lions
planned a "field day" to be held behind the High
School on Baker Street to help raise the money.
They run a full-fledged State Agricultural Fair
today. Ed Knowles brought in the first rides, a
Ferris wheel and chair swings, and things started
to change. He was followed by Clif Mullens, and
in 1968 by Ace Amusements, run by Thomas DeVito.
Larry Cushing has provided the midway rides for
the last several years. In the fall of 1962, the
club purchased six acres of land from Rueben
Page. A gravel base was placed in 1964, a 66' by
44' "hot top" base was placed on it, and an
outdoor dance was held at the fairgrounds. In
1965, a 40' by 60' clear span pavilion was built
by the club. Other improvements since have
included a dining room (kitchen, plus roof on
posts) in 1967, restrooms in 1968, a refreshment
stand in 1970, major renovations to the pulling
ring in 1971, a french fry stand in 1973, and in
1977, a fully enclosed 30' by 40' diner was
built to replace the original one and a well was
drilled by Weeks and Son. The Lion's provided the
labor for the horse barn that was built for the
riding club, and the Lions use this during the
fair. A 12' by 60' annex was added to the
pavilion in 1992, and in 1994 the 4-H and Grange
exhibition hall was built. A new diner was built
in August of 2003 after the previous building was
leveled in a wind storm. In the early 1980s,
mechanical pulling became an additional
attraction at the fair. Under the direction of
Fair Chairman Jon Whitten, Sr., the fair has
shown much growth. In the 1970's, the fair
expanded to three days - Friday evening, Saturday
and Sunday, and in 1983 it expanded to Thursday
evening also. The club has never lost sight of
its goal to help those in need. The club
believes now, more than ever, that they follow
the Lions motto WE SERVE
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27
Clinton Evening Extension The Clinton Junior
Extension Association was formed in 1953 under
the continuing education division of the
University of Maine. In 1956 the name was changed
to Clinton Evening Extension. The local unit
belongs to a county organization which is run by
the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Training sessions and programs are offered
through these offices. The Cooperative Extension
"strives to promote a better way of life for all
through fellowship, continuing education and
service to provide guidance in our homes and
communities for the uniting of people to make the
world a better place in which to live." In the
early days, through the county program, the group
was taught to perform Emergency Feedings in case
of local tragedy. Strict guidelines were given
on how to feed a large number of people in a
short amount of time. Regular drills were held
at meetings with the number of people and the
time required to feed them reported to the
county. Meetings are held once a month in
members homes or at the Methodist Church
Fellowship Hall. The programs cover a variety of
subjects of interest to the modern woman, from
cooking and sewing, to health issues and
financial management. Always concerned with the
community, the group has long supported the
schools, library, 4-H Club, and bible schools,
and has equipped the Town Banquet Hall with
dishes. Since 1962 members have staffed the Well
Baby Clinic. This service provides immunizations
and medical evaluations to pre-school children of
the town. Everyone enjoys the opportunity to
support the Clinton Senior Citizens organization,
a well as other seniors in town, with meals and
gifts on special occasions. The Evening
Extension has supplied the schools with extras
such as televisions and VCR's. Funds are
provided for incentive programs, scholarships for
higher education, and a Girl's State delegate.
The group provides Christmas gifts for needy
children, aid to fire victims and others with
special needs, and supports the Clinton Community
Food Bank. During the years, a variety of
projects have been tried for raising funds to
support community service. In the beginning,
plastic parties, craft sales, and suppers were
held. The sale of dish cloths has been ongoing
since the group formed. Cookbooks have been
published in 1964 and again in 1971. Craft sales
and Lions Club suppers were the mainstay for
years. In the mid 1970's, the group decided to
try a Dough Boy booth at the Clinton Lions Club
Fair. This booth has grown from a portable one
with a canvas roof to a permanent building on the
fairgrounds. This effort, along with Clinton
Lions Club suppers, provides most of the funds
needed to support all activities. The group has
become affiliated with the Somerset Extension
Service and is looking forward to many more years
of community service in Clinton.
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28
Clinton Baptist Church On December 27, 1887
the Waterville Quarterly Meeting met at Oakland,
Maine, at which a group of Baptists requested
permission to establish a church at Clinton. On
February 25, 1888 the Clinton Village Free
Baptist Church was organized. Meetings were held
at the home of William Lamb, or at the Union
Church on Church Street. Rev. Albert Dodge, a
Clinton native and William Lamb's son-in-law, was
the first pastor, with a salary of 450 per year
payable monthly. On August 3, 1888 plans were
submitted for a church building, and on August
20th excavation began. Four days later the
corner stone was laid with appropriate
ceremonies, and a box containing various articles
was deposited in it by senior deacon Joseph
Spearin. The church was finished, except for
painting, on Dec. 31, 1888 and used for services,
although it wasn't formally dedicated until
August 24, 1889. The day of the dedication,
fourteen hundred dollars remained unpaid, but
before the dedicatory sermon was preached, the
unpaid balance was pledged. The total cost was
3,832.41. William Lamb gave the land, labor,
and some materials. In those days it was
customary for the men to sit on one side of the
church or meeting place and the women on the
other. At communion the cup was passed from man
to man, each taking a sip before passing it on,
while the women did the same. Several years ago
the church severed its connections with the
Quarterly Meeting and became known as the Clinton
Baptist Church, which name it still bears. In
1954 the balcony was divided into classrooms and
a nursery. A kitchen and Sunday School rooms
were constructed in the basement. Beginning in
1966, an addition of 36 x 40 feet was added to
the east end of the building. Seven new
classrooms were located in the basement, and the
main auditorium was lengthened about twenty-five
feet, leaving room for a baptistry and Pastor's
study to the rear of the pulpit. In January
1977, the church voted to establish Clinton
Christian School and the first session opened in
September of that year. In 1978 a two-story
school building was constructed by men of the
church. During the course of operating the
school, there were 40 graduates. It was closed
by vote of the church as of June 1990. A new
parsonage was built on the Horseback Road in
Clinton in 1974. Extensive damage occurred when
a lightening bolt hit the church steeple in March
1983. Clinton Baptist Church has faithfully
proclaimed the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
for over 100 years - it observed its centennial
in February 1988.
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Brown Memorial United Methodist Church
The well-known evangelist and circuit rider,
Jesse Lee, who traveled the area on horseback,
introduced Methodist preaching to the people of
Clinton in 1794. In 1802, a class was formed
with Jonathan Brown as its leader. For 45 years,
the meetings were held in the Brown home on upper
Main and in two schoolhouses. (One schoolhouse
was located on Town House Hill, Bellsqueeze Road
the other was located part way up Gospel Hill,
Bangor Road). In 1847, the Union Church was built
on a lot across Church Street from the present
United Methodist Church, with Congregationalists,
Methodists, and Universalists meeting there. It
was told by Miss Sarah E. Richardson that her
father was present one evening at a Methodist
prayer meeting that was held on the front steps
of the Union Church. It was held on the steps
because the Methodists arrived to find the Church
doors locked. They were informed that they were
holding too many meetings and were wearing out
the carpets too fast. It was at that front-step
prayer meeting that the Methodists decided to
build their own church! The present church
building was completed and dedicated on September
27, 1866. The original building was much smaller
than today's structure. Extensive remodeling was
undertaken in 1884, when William W. Brown of
Portland, son of Jonathan and Betsy Michaels
Brown, expended nearly 3,000 in making
improvements. The audience room (sanctuary) was
cut in two, 12 feet were added, and a vestry was
built that opened onto the sanctuary by means of
upward sliding partitions of ground glass. Both
rooms were beautifully finished in fresco, with a
seating capacity of nearly 400. In the upper
story of the vestry building, the ladies had a
fine parlor, with a kitchen and cloak room. It
was dedicated as Brown Memorial Methodist
Episcopal Church in memory of the original class
leader, Jonathan Brown, and his wife, Betsy. A
beautiful stained-glass window was installed
above the pulpit in their memory. In 1893, the
present parsonage was built. In 1937, the old
barn was torn down, and a new garage was built at
the Parsonage. In 1977-78, the inside of the
parsonage was completely renovated and insulated,
and a new furnace and combination windows were
installed. The United Methodist Women paid for
the new windows and papered the rooms. A new
chimney was built in 1980 at the parsonage.
Major structural repairs were made to the
foundation and basement floor in 1992, and a new
drainage system, a new oil tank, and a new hot
water heater were installed. The fellowship hall
was built in 2001, and has enjoyed by the whole
community. This is a church with open hearts,
open minds and open doors.
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Fireside Chapter 103 (The order of the Eastern
Star) Fireside Chapter 103 was instituted
February 11, 1904 and constituted June 10, 1904.
The Chapter meets on the second Monday of each
month (except for July and August) at 730 p.m.
The Order of the Eastern Star is a social and
charitable organization that was founded by the
Masons in the mid 1800's. The Order supports
many national charities including Heart, Cancer,
Arthritis, Diabetes, as well as local charities.
It provides social activities that people of all
ages enjoy. An ESTARL (Eastern Star Training
Award for Religious Leadership) fund at State
level provides many scholarships, totaling
10,000 or more, to individuals entering
religious fields. Fireside Chapter has
contributed to this fund each year since its
establishment in the 1950's. Fireside Chapter
has been honored by the Grand Chapter of Maine
with several appointments. Sister Marjorie
Goodwin was elected as Worthy Grand Matron of the
Grand Chapter of Maine, and Brothers Carroll W.
Keene and C. Ross Buzzell were each elected as
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Maine.
Sisters Lila Watson, Carrie Greenleaf and
Margaret Drew served as District Deputy Grand
Matrons. Sisters Velma McKenney, Bertha
Thrasher, Nancy Locke, and Joyce Rowe have served
as Grand Representatives to other Grand
Jurisdictions. A Traveling Jewel was presented
to the chapter by the late Past Matron, Elizabeth
Darling. Sister Barbara Rogers was the first
Worthy Matron to wear it. Sister Nancy Locke and
Brother Raymond Locke presented the chapter with
a Traveling Jewel for the Worthy Patron. These
pins are worn with pride as the Worthy Matron and
Worthy Patron travel throughout the various
jurisdictions. Fireside Chapter is a vital part
of the town of Clinton's history, and hopes to do
even more in the years ahead to promote peace and
prosperity in the community.
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The original shape of Clinton, Massachusetts in
1795 was as followsNorth boundary was a
straight East to West line at about 10 to the
north.East boundary was a straight North to
South line perpendicular to the North boundary.
South boundary was a line along M-1s South
boundary established by the great lots.West
boundary was the center of the Kennebec
River.Today Clinton is much smaller.The
following slides will show how Clinton got to its
current geometry.
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Approved 31 January 1814 by the Governor.
(Commonwealth of Massachusetts)AN ACT TO SET OFF
JONAH CROSBY, JR., AND OTHERS FROM THE TOWN OF
CLINTON AND ANNEX THEM TO THE TOWN OF FAIRFAX.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives, in General Court assembled, and
by the authority of the same, that Jonah Crosby,
Jr., Ezra Crosby, and Jonah Crosby 3rd, with a
tract of land bounded as follows, to wit
beginning on the north line of the town of
Fairfax, one hundred and eighty rods to the
eastward of the north-west corner of Fairfax
aforesaid thence running north, twenty-two
degrees east, half a mile thence east-southeast
to the east line of the town of Clinton thence
south twenty-two degrees west, to the north line
of Fairfax thence west-northwest to the first
mentioned bounds, be, and are hereby set off from
the town of Clinton, in the county of Kennebec,
and annexed to the town of Fairfax (now Albion)
in the same county.
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AN ACT TO SET OFF SHUBAL DIXON AND ALEXANDER
POTTER FROM PIITTSFIELD TO CLINTONApproved 7
March 1830. Section 1. Be it enacted by the
Senate and House of Representatives, in
Legislature assembled, That Shubal Dixon, with
his estate, poll and farm, being number one in
Letter B, number six on great lot G, containing
two hundred acres, according to a plan made by
Daniel Stewart, Jr., surveyor, dated the
sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, with the
land lying between said farm and the east line of
the town of Clinton, and Alexander Potter, with
his estate, poll and farm, adjoining said Dixon
farm, and containing about two hundred acres, be,
and hereby are set off from the town of
Pittsfield, in the county of Somerset, and
annexed to the town of Clinton, in the county of
Kennebec Provided however, That the said Dixon
and Potter shall be held to pay all taxes
assessed upon them in said town of Pittsfield,
prior to the passing of this Act. Section 2. Be
it further enacted, That the dividing line
between the towns of Pittsfield and Clinton as
established by this Act, shall be, and
constitute, the dividing line, between the
counties of Kennebec and Somerset, so far as the
same runs between said counties, any law to the
contrary notwithstanding.
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AN ACT TO DIVIDE THE TOWN OF CLINTON AND TO
INCORPORATE THE TOWN OF SEBASTICOOK Be it
enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in Legislature assembled, as
follows Section 1. All that part of the town
of Clinton, which lies south and east of the
following dividing line viz beginning on the
Kennebec river. In the center line between L 2
and K I, thence east-southeast on said line to
the Sebasticook river thence up said river, in
the center thereof, to the east line of Clinton,
be, and the same is, hereby incorporated into a
town by the name of Sebasticook, with all the
privileges and powers, and subject to all the
duties of incorporated town in this State and
until another general apportionment, shall be
classed with the town of Clinton and Clinton Gore
for the choice of representative to the state
legislature Section 2. All taxes assessed by
authority of the town of Clinton, which remain
unpaid at the time of the passage of this act,
shall be collected by the several collectors of
the town of Clinton, remaining on bills to them
committed, agreeably to their several warrants,
and pay the same into the respective treasurers
of said town of Clinton and Sebasticook, in the
proportions in which said assessments were made,
on polls and estates pertaining to said towns
respectively and all debts due from said town of
Clinton, shall be paid by said towns in said
proportions, and all funds and debts, and all
personal and real property belonging to said town
of Clinton, shall be owned and divided between
said towns, in the same proportions, the same to
be ascertained by the last valuation of the town
of Clinton. Section 3. The town of Sebasticook
shall be holden to pay their proportion for the
support of all paupers actually chargeable upon
the town of Clinton, at the time of the passage
of this act, to be ascertained as in the
foregoing section.
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AN ACT TO SET OFF LORENZO GERALD, TOGETHER WITH
HIS ESTATE, FROM CLINTON, IN THE COUNTY OF
KENNEBEC, TO CANAAN, IN THE COUNTY OF SOMER
SET.Approved 24 July 1849.Be it enacted by the
Senate and House of Representatives in
Legislature assembledThe south part of check
lot numbered four, on great lot G, one, and the
south parts of lots numbered one and two B, five,
on said great lot G, one, in the town of Clinton,
in the county of Kennebec, together with the
estate of Lorenzo Gerald, who now lives on the
south part of said lot number two B, five, be and
the same are set off from said town of Clinton,
in the county of Kennebec, and annexed to the
town of Canaan in the county of Somerset
Provided, however, that said Lorenzo Gerald, and
the proprietors of lots set off as aforesaid,
shall be holden to pay all taxes legally assessed
upon said Gerald and upon said parts of lots
hereby set off, prior to the passage of this act.
(This act was repealed 8 August 1850 see next
slide)
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THE ACT TO SET OFF LORENZO GERALD, TOGETHER
WITH HIS ESTATE, FROM CLINTON, IN THE COUNTY OF
KENNEBEC, TO CANAAN, IN THE COUNTY OF SOMER
SET.This is the Act that was Approved 24 July
1849. (This act was repealed 8 August 1850)
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AN ACT TO SET OFF A PORTION OF THE TOWN OF
BENTON, AND ANNEX IT TO CLINTON.Approved 24
March 1853Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives in Legislature assembled, as
followsSection 1. The range line between L 2
and K 1, shall be the dividing line between the
town of Benton and Clinton, in the county of
Kennebec, on the east side of the Sebasticook
river, and that part of Benton lying north of
said range line be and is hereby set off from
Benton and annexed to Clinton.
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AN ACT TO DIVIDE CLINTON GORE PLANTATION AND
ANNEX THE SAME TO ADJOINING TOWNS. Approved 26
February 1873 Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives in Legislature
assembled, as follows Section 1. Clinton Gore
plantation in the county of Kennebec shall be
divided by the following described line, viz
Beginning at a point in the east line of said
plantation at the southeast corner of Luther
Means land thence running westerly on the south
line of said Means land, and in the direction of
said line to the town of Clinton. And all that
part of said plantation lying north of said
dividing line, with the inhabitants thereon,
shall be annexed to the town of Burnham in the
county of Waldo, and shall become a part of said
town of Burnham, and be included in said county
of Waldo.And all that part of said plantation
lying south of said dividing line, with the
inhabitants thereon, shall be annexed to the town
of Clinton and become a part thereof. And the
corporate powers and organization of said
plantation shall cease on the passage of this
act except that they shall continue for the
period of one year, for the sole purpose of
collecting its dues, and paying such debts as may
be due when this act takes effect. Section 2.
The inhabitants, with the estates so set off and
annexed to the said town of Burnham, shall be
holden to pay the arrears of all taxes legally
assessed upon them, and shall assume and pay all
liabilities, and shall be entitled to all the
benefits growing out of the issuing of four bonds
of five hundred dollars each, voted by said
plantation in aid to the Belfast and Moosehead
Lake railroad and shall also pay their
proportion of all other corporate debts and
liabilities, due or owing from said plantation at
the time this act takes effect,
(CONTINUED
ON NEXT SLIDE)
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said proportion to be ascertained by the last
valuation of said plantation and the same shall
be assessed by the proper officers of the said
town of Burnham as a special tax upon the lands,
property and inhabitants of said plantation, so
set off, at such times, and in such sums, as the
same, or any part thereof, may become due, and
collected in the same manner as other town
taxes, and paid by the treasurer of said town.
And said inhabitants and estates so set off
shall not be liable to be taxed in the town of
Burnham for any of the indebtedness of said town
prior to the passage of this act.Section 3. The
inhabitants, with the estates so set off and
annexed to the town of Clinton, shall be holden
to pay the arrears of all taxes which have been
legally assessed upon them, together with their
proportion of all corporate debts and liabilities
due, or owing from said Clinton Gore plantation,
at the time this act takes effect, said
proportion to be ascertained as in section two.
And the same may be assessed by the proper
officers of the town of Clinton as a special tax
upon the lands, property and inhabitants of said
plantation, so set off, at such times, and in
such sums, as the same or any part thereof, may
become due, and collected in the same manner of
said town. Except that they shall not be holden
for any liabilities nor be entitled to any of the
benefits growing out of the issuing of any bonds
by said plantation in aid of the Belfast and
Moosehead Lake Railroad. And the inhabitants and
estates so set off and annexed, shall not be
liable to be taxed in the town of Clinton for any
of the indebtedness of said town incurred prior
to the passage of this act but, in assessing
taxes for that purpose, the assessors of Clinton
shall omit the lands, property and inhabitants
residing on the territory hereby annexed.
Section 4. For the purpose of assessing state and
county taxes after the passage of this act, there
shall be added to the valuation of the town of
Burnham, seventeen thousand five hundred and
seventy dollars. And to its number of polls
twenty-six so that its valuation hereafter shall
be one hundred and ninety-two thousand five
hundred and seventy-seven dollars. And its number
of polls shall be one hundred and ninety-two. And
there shall be added to the valuation of the town
of Clinton four thousand five hundred and
twenty-eight dollars, and to its number of polls
nine so that its valuation hereafter shall be
four hundred and thirty-three thousand three
hundred and forty dollars. And its number of
polis shall be four hundred and twelve.
Section 5. Until a new apportionment of the state
shall be made the inhabitants of said plantation,
so set off and annexed to the town of Burnham,
shall vote for state and county officers,
representatives to congress, senators and
representatives in the state legislature with the
inhabitants of the said town of Burnham. And the
inhabitants of that part of said plantation set
off and annexed to the town of Clinton shall vote
for the same officers with the inhabitants of the
said town of Clinton. Section 6. This act shall
take effect when approved.
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So these are the changes that has made Clinton,
Maine what it is today.
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Clinton, Maine
Clinton, the most northeasterly town in Kennebec
County is twenty-eight miles north-east
of Augusta. It is bounded on the north by Canaan
and Skowhegan, on the east by Pittsfield,
Burnham, and Unity Plantation, south by Benton,
and west by Fairfield. This town was a part of
Hancock Plantation prior to 1795, and on 28
February 1795, it was incorporated as the town of
Clinton, Massachusetts. In 1820 it became
Clinton, Maine when Maine was set off from
Massachusetts. It is 138 miles north from the New
Hampshire state line at Kittery, Maine on
Interstate I95 and is at Exit 138.
North 44 38.32 West 69 30.15
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Kennebec County is between 44 45 latitude
and between 69 70 longitude.
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Clinton, Maine Village
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This map is a result of a survey of the great
lots by Charles Hayden in 1811. The next view
will enlarge the names of those who owned these
lots in 1811.
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