The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine History Documents Special Collections 2019 History of Oakland Maine Michael J. Denis Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mainehistory Part of the History Commons Repository Citation Denis, Michael J., "History of Oakland Maine" (2019). Maine History Documents. 240. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mainehistory/240 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine History Documents by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 Some Tidbits of Oakland History Michael J Denis Draft Copy June 2013 2 Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................... 4 Municipal Functions ................................................................ 63 Physical and Cultural Geography ............................................. 5 Oakland Public Library ...................................................... 63 Native Americans and Early Settlers ........................................ 6 Fire Department ................................................................ 65 Native Americans of the Oakland Area ............................... 6 Some Fires in Oakland ..................................................... 67 Early Settlers ...................................................................... 7 Police Department ............................................................ 67 Ten Lots ........................................................................ 7 Transportation ........................................................................ 68 Other Early Settlers ....................................................... 7 Roads, Sidewalks, Sewers, Bridges ................................. 68 Foreign-born Settlers .......................................................... 8 Railroads .......................................................................... 72 Civic Briefs ............................................................................... 8 Androscoggin & Kennebec Railroad ........................... 73 Oakland as Part of Winslow 1771-1802 .............................. 8 Somerset Railroad ...................................................... 73 Oakland as Part of Waterville 1802-1873 ........................... 8 Maine Central Railroad ............................................... 74 West Waterville 1873-1883 ............................................... 10 Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railroad .......... 76 Oakland 1883-1993 .......................................................... 10 Street Railways ................................................................. 76 Education ............................................................................... 11 Waterville and Fairfield Railroad Company (WFRC), 1888 Important Dates ................................................................ 11 .............................................................................. 76 Winslow and Waterville 1771 - 1873................................. 12 Waterville and Fairfield Railway and Light Company Winslow, 1771-1802 ................................................... 12 (WFRLC), 1891 ..................................................... 76 Waterville, 1802-1873 ................................................. 13 Waterville and Oakland Street Railway Company West Waterville and Oakland 1873-1918 ......................... 13 (WOSRC), 1902 .................................................... 77 West Waterville, 1873-1883 ........................................ 13 Waterville, Fairfield and Oakland Railway Company Oakland, 1883-1900 ................................................... 14 (WFORC), 1911 .................................................... 78 Oakland, 1900 - 1918 ................................................. 15 Civic Organizations ................................................................ 79 Union #53 with John S Tapley 1918-1931 ........................ 16 Messalonskee Lodge, 1863, No 113, F&AM (Masons) ..... 79 Union 53 after John Tapley 1932 - 1945 ........................... 21 Drummond Royal Arch Ch, Messalonskee Lodge, 1867, No From World War II to School Administrative District No 47, 113, F&AM (Masons) .................................................. 80 1945-1965 ................................................................... 25 Cascade Grange, 1875, No 92, Patrons of Husbandry ..... 80 Education in SAD 47, 1965 on .......................................... 31 Mt Lebanon Council, 1877, No 13, R&SM (Masons) ........ 80 Industry................................................................................... 37 Amon Lodge, 1882, No 95, International Order of Odd Fellows Coombs's Dam ................................................................. 37 .................................................................................... 81 Cornforth's Dam ................................................................ 39 Sgt Wyman Post, 1883, No 97, Grand Army of the Republic81 Cascade Dam ................................................................... 40 J Wesley Gilman Camp, 1894, Sons of Union Veterans of the Lord's Dam ....................................................................... 40 Civil War...................................................................... 81 Industrial Activity Elsewhere in Oakland ........................... 42 Sgt Wyman Woman's Relief Corps, 1895, No 68, Auxiliary to Downtown Area ........................................................... 42 Sgt Wyman Post No 97, GAR ..................................... 81 North of Village Area ................................................... 42 Acme Rebekah Lodge, 1896, International Order of Odd Alpine / Summer St Area............................................. 42 Fellows ........................................................................ 81 Heath / Oak St Area .................................................... 43 Ladie's Auxiliary, J Wesley Gilman Camp, 1910, Sons of South of Village Area .................................................. 43 Union Veterans of the Civil War .................................. 81 Other Locations ........................................................... 43 Sarah Simpson Tent No 6, 1916, Daughters of Union Other Industries in Oakland .............................................. 43 Veterans of the Civil War ............................................ 81 Cascade Woolen Mill ........................................................ 44 Harry G Decker Post No 51, 1919, American Legion, now Business ................................................................................. 45 Decker-Simmons Post ................................................ 82 FirstPark ........................................................................... 45 Harry G Decker Post No 51, 1922, Auxiliary to the American Businesses in Oakland ..................................................... 46 Legion ......................................................................... 82 Central Maine Power Company ........................................ 57 Dorcas Dearborn Ch, 1925, Daughters of the American Professionals -- Doctors, Lawyers, etc. ............................ 57 Revolution ................................................................... 82 Physicians ................................................................... 57 Oakland Ch, 1927, Order of the Eastern Star ................... 82 Attorneys ..................................................................... 57 Oakland Area Historical Society, 1974 ............................. 82 Newspapers, Authors ....................................................... 57 Miscellaneous Trivia ............................................................... 83 Churches ................................................................................ 58 Military Lists ............................................................................ 84 Universalist Church, 1802 - Present ................................. 58 Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 ......................................... 84 Free Will Baptist Church, 1832-1921 ................................ 59 Militia List 1795 ................................................................. 84 Ten Lots Chapel, 1836 - Present ...................................... 59 War of 1812 ...................................................................... 84 Methodist Church, 1843 - Present .................................... 60 Cpt William Pullen's Company, LTC Sherwin's Regiment Calvinistic Baptist Church, 1844-1921 .............................. 60 .............................................................................. 85 United Baptist Church, 1921 - Present ............................. 61 Cpt Dean Bangs' Company of Artillery, in Maj Joseph St Theresa's Catholic Church, 1928 - Present .................. 62 Chandler's Battalion, LTC Sherwin's Regiment ..... 85 Calvary Church of God, 19?? - Present ............................ 62 Cpt Joseph Hitchings' Company, LTC Sherwin's Regt 85 Mountaintop Christian Church, 19?? - Present ................. 63 Aroostook War, 1839 ........................................................ 85 Church of the Nazarene, 19?? - Present .......................... 63 Mexican War, 1846-1848 .................................................