Along the Lakeshore
Along the Lakeshore

Author: Lisa Bondeson

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2015-02-15

Total Pages: 98

ISBN-13: 9781507832011

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Living in Central Maine, it is hard to imagine that a thriving railway industry once existed here let alone that the industry created and operated popular tourist attractions. At the turn of the 20th century, the railway companies built entertainment destinations to increase ridership. The Maine Central Railroad established attractions on the shores of Lake Maranacook and the Augusta, Winthrop and Gardiner Street Railway Company did the same on Lake Cobbosseecontee. These became incredibly popular destinations. The tourism industry continued to grow as hotels, full service resorts and steamer lines sprung up to meet demand. Unfortunately, the trolley cars, train depots and resorts are long gone now and little has been written on the subject. In Along the Lakeshores, Lisa Bondeson presents a comprehensive history of the rise and fall of the railway industry's tourism destinations in Central Maine. She takes the reader along for a ride on the trolley to Winthrop, stopping at each waiting station to describe the various attractions. Using pictures, she brings to life the excitement of the time when throngs of people flocked to Central Maine for entertainment and the state began to use the moniker "Vacationland."

History of Maine Railroads, A
History of Maine Railroads, A

Author: Major Bill Kenny, USAF (Ret.)

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1467145297

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Maine is populated with intriguing characters who set in motion a fascinating, compelling story of railroads and the unique communities they helped to build. One of the first states to build railroads and trolleys in the United States, Maine at one point had more than ninety communities with trolleys. Standard-gauge and "two-footers" crossed the state, including the St. Lawrence & Atlantic and the Bangor & Aroostook. From an international electric trolley to the attempted World War I dynamiting of a railroad bridge between the United States and Canada, the state is home to a rich rail heritage. Join Bill Kenny as he takes you on a journey from the first tracks made of wood to today's high-speed Downeaster Amtrak train.