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LISBON FALLS — Mert Ricker will recall the days of trolley travel at the November meeting of the Lisbon Historical Society.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the MTM Center at 18 School St., Lisbon Falls.
While the trolley era lasted only about 60 years, it saw much development in central Maine.
It began in 1881 with horse-drawn cars in Lewiston/Auburn, and soon electricity brought on the time of the trolley. This made possible the transportation connections of the Lewiston, Brunswick and Bath Streetcar System. Turner, Mechanic Falls and Sabattus were soon added to the network, which became known as the Androscoggin Kennebec Street Railway System.
Ricker says later consolidations of trolley lines made it possible to travel by trolley to Portland and beyond to the south, as well as to Gardiner, Augusta and Waterville to the north.
An S-shaped wooden trestle bridge crossing the railroad tracks south of Lewiston was a thrill for passengers in the old days. Lake Grove Park on Lake Auburn, Frost Park in Lisbon Falls, and Merrymeeting Park on the Androscoggin River in Brunswick drew weekend passengers for the trolley company, whose cars might not be filled on weekends otherwise.
Better roads and the family automobile spelled the end of local trolleys in 1941. The history of these trolley times will be detailed in Ricker’s presentation.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.; refreshments will be served at the close of the meeting. Parking and entrance are at the rear of the MTM building. For more information, call 207-353-8510, or email LisbonHistSoc@gmail.com.
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