Gridley Barrows’ Mysterious Places Gallery

This week’s Mystery Picture

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal, Mon.  8/30/10.

1053 Lisbon St., across from the Lisbon St. Fire Station

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal, Mon.  8/23/10.

First correct ID by Pam Little.  Pam’s mother, Muriel Dutile Berube, was born in the house in 1917 and lived there for her entire life except for about a month when she needed special nursing care.  Ironically, and in a strange twist of fate, Mrs. Berube passed away at 93 on 8/18/2010, just 5 days before the photo appeared in the Sun Journal.  Pam believes the house was built between 1910-1912 for her grandmother,  who’s last name was Perron.

1901 Walker built in Bridgton, ME by Dr. Asaph J. Walker (dentist) and his brother Warren Ward Walker (furniture maker)both of Bridgton

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal, Mon.  8/16/10.

First correct ID by Richard Fraser of E. Poland ME, author of A History of Maine Built Automobiles and Motorized Vehicles: 1834-1934

The Libbey House at 612 Main Street,  Lewiston,  now housing the Androscoggin Home Health Services.

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal, Mon.  8/09/10.

First correct ID by Carolyn Libbey of Lewiston.

This entry received the most guesses of any photo so far and most of them were correct — 13 out of a total of 18!  The winner mentioned that the photo was reversed.  (Thanks for the correction!   With photo slides it’s sometimes hard to tell which way is which!)

She also wrote that “the garage was later (re)located and then demolished to make room for AHHS. ..The photo was possibly taken around the 1960′s.”

311 Main St., Lewiston,  home of Daniel J. McGillicuddy,  prominent lawyer, former mayor (1887-90), US House of Representatives (1911-17),  builder of 1st McGillicuddy Block at 133 Lisbon St.

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal, Sat.  7/24/10.

We had many good guesses that kept us working to verify the identity of this distinctive building…but, alas, LPL Reference Tech Jim Allard correctly identified this building when he remembered having seen buildings covered with snow in an old (1907) Maine Magazine.

The finishing room at Bates Mill.

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal,  Mon.  7/12/10.

First correct ID by James Deschaine.

“The finishing room was located on the 1st floor, directly below #5 Weave Room, on the Main St. end of the mill. This room was where the bedspreads were cut to size, stitched, and packaged for shipping to the consumer.  When the mill was booming, there were approximately 100 to 125 people working just in this department. I worked at the Bates Mill for 17 years and was familiar with the majority of the different processes throughout the mill. Those were the good old days!”

We had some great guesses for this image (see below), but we would need to obtain access to the sites to verify accuracy.  Anyone want to corroborate either guess?

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal,  Mon.  7/5/10.

“It is the top plate of wooden Columns holding the beams for the  upper floors, at the bldg 20 of the old Pepperell Mill on Adams St. the building  was built in 1927/29 by Maxim Contractors, the cast iron plate was on top of the  wooden column to support the double beams which supported the planking between  beams, the planking was 3″ thick by 10 inches wide and with grooves and a wedge  was inserted in the grooves between planks, then a hard wood floor was installed  on top of the planking.  There were top plates on every floors to hold the  beams for the next floor.”~Normand L. Angers

Second floor window of 11 Lisbon St. circa 1976-1977. The window is over the main door on the Lisbon St. side.

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal,  Mon. 6/28/10.

First correct ID by Jim Bishop of Carrabassett Valley.

“It had been the home of another independent adjuster, A.K. Alexander of Paris Hill, who was closing his business and graciously allowed me access to his clients an shared his extensive knowledge.

“There is a sign (in the window) “T.C. Blake, Inc.” which was a large independent adjusting business with a S. Portland home office and branches in Lewiston and N. Conway, NH.  I was the Lewiston manager and placed the sign there.  The great fire 1977? drove us all out of the building and I relocated to the Professional Buliding at the corner of Lisbon and Pine.  The fire was said to have originated in ceiling wiring in my office.”  – Jim Bishop

The backside of Barker Mill, in New Auburn. Known as the old wheel house, it controlled the dam at one time.

Published Lewiston Sun-Journal,  Mon.  6/21/10.

First correct ID by JoAnn Tancrel.