|
Litchfield Chronology
|
||
|
1750 1770 1773 1776 1789 ca. 1790 1791 1794 1795 1795 1798 1803 1805 1806 1810-1880 1811 1814 1820 1822 1826 1840 ca. 1840 1845 1846 ca. 1850 1857 1860 1868 1873 1875 1875 1886 1895 1897 1898 ca. 1900 1900 1903 1907 1908 ca. 1913 1914 1927 1927 1946 1949 1954 1955 1961 1966 1966 1968 1971 1971 1973 1974 1974 1975 1976 1976 1976 1980 1981 1983 1983 1985 1986 1988 ca. 1989 1989 1990 1990 1990 1992 1992 1993 1993 1994 1994 1994 1995 1995 |
Area
visited by hunters from Topsham First surveys of "Ten mile lots west of the Kennebec" made Territory now Litchfield included in the Kennebec Purchase First settlement First sawmill built on Potter Mill Stream First Purgatory saw and grist mills built First Baptist Church organized Smithfield Plantation organized at the house of Henry Jewell Town incorporated; name changed to Litchfield John Neal, Esq., elected selectman; served 29 years North Baptist Church organized; meeting house built in 1810 Ten men, "one from each district," named to school committee First post office opened in the house of Jonathan Clark at Purgatory First schoolhouse built Brickyards, some eight in all, established First Congregational Church established at the Corner First carding and fulling mill built by "Mr. Adams" Elias Plimpton built the first of his factories at Purgatory Morning Star Lodge of Freemasons chartered Plains Baptist Church organized; meeting house built in 1837 Town House built First shingle mill built by Jesse Tucker and Daniel Bartlett Litchfield Academy incorporated; building erected in 1852 Litchfield Liberal Institute incorporated; building erected in 1851 Sodalite, a rare deep-blue mineral, discovered in town Farmers club, formerly the Litchfield Agricultural Society, organized. First annual exhibition - the Litchfield Fair - held in 1858 Town Farm, to support town poor, bought Fifteen district schools "kept" this year Litchfield Fire Insurance Company incorporated First steam power used - in Wyman's cider mill Litchfield Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, #127 organized Union Hall built by a stock company Town celebrated the centennial of its incorporation with a procession, band concert, historical addresses and a community dinner History Of Litchfield, Oramandel Smith, editor, published Kendall Chapel dedicated Frank Wyman said to have the first gasoline engine in town Mystic Chapter #60, Order of the Eastern Star, instituted Town established free high school education by paying tuition of town youth at Litchfield Academy First anti-pollution law covering town's ponds and waterways enacted The Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville Street Railway built across town from East Monmouth to West Gardiner Telephones reached Litchfield. The first telephone service was to Purgatory Village; later lines were extended to Lapham-Packards on the Lunt's Hill Road, Chase's on the Pond Road and Starbirds at the Corner First automobile owned in town The Ivy (girls) 4-H Club organized. Gertrude Small Rowe served as leader for 36 years First electric power line reached town North Litchfield Fire Department organized; Fred Edgecomb chief New Central School opened for grades one to eight and the last six district school closed Litchfield Academy bought by town; two new rooms added the next year First town manager, H.R.Johnston, appointed by selectman Richard C. Smith appointed second town manager Litchfield Academy ceased operation as a high school; Grades 9-12 conveyed to Monmouth Academy St. Leo's Roman Catholic chapel built and dedicated The post office moved into a new building at Bachelder's Corner A new wing was added to the Academy building, which was renamed the Libby-Tozier School in honor of Mrs. Elsie Libby and Mrs. Irene Tozier long time Litchfield teachers The remaining members of the Congregational Church donated their meeting house at the Corner to the Litchfield Youth Fellowship. During 1973 and 1974 the group, under the leadership of Lester Black, and and with generous donations of logs, equipment time, labor and other things got their building ready to use for a Youth Center The town built and occupied new town office and garage building The town elected a committee to establish a museum or historical society at the old Town House; the group incorporated as the Historical Society of Litchfield The town joined Sabattus and Wales in a Community School District to build and operate a secondary school The Litchfield Bicentennial Committee sponsored "Settlers Days" on July 25 through 27 with parades, public suppers, colonial costumes, floats, programs, exhibits, socials, concerts and dances Construction of the new community high school, named Oak Hill High School is well under way opening planned for fall By the mid 1970's, all of Litchfield's poultry farms had gone out of business The Gowell's opened G&G General Store in Rte 197 The 1980 census put the population of Litchfield at 1,954 persons The town office burned to the ground and a new office was built David Byras was appointed Town Manager The Country Cafe opened for business at Bachelder's Corner A major addition to the Litchfield Corner fire station was completed The Pulks opened the Family Pizza and Diner opposite G&G Feed; in 1988, it was sold and reopened as Riccardo's Pizza and Video A library, classrooms, offices and multi-purpose hall were added to the Libby-Tozier school; and the Academy ceased being used for classes Two of the five remaining dairy farms (Harvey's and Week's) ceased operating Smithfield Plantation, a 100-acre piece of town forest land on the Libby Road was dedicated as an outdoor science "classroom" for elementary school use The new Walter "Red" Cook, Jr. fire station at Purgatory was completed The Litchfield Country Store was reopened by Dennis and Sharon Tilton after being closed for three years The 1990 census counted a town-wide population of 2,650 The old Masonic Hall burned down The Town Meeting voted to adopt a Comprehensive Land Use Plan to guide growth in town; the Plan noted that Litchfield grew at an average rate of 30 new houses every year during the 1980's The town accepted Whippoorwill Beach, a State Park, as a town-owned facility Wendy Nesbit served as Town Manager for 12 month; she was followed by Steve Musica A new wing, consisting of six classrooms, offices and courtyard, was added to Oak Hill School A new Masonic Hall was built on the corner of the Hallowell Road and Plains Road Central School was destroyed by fire; temporary classrooms were erected at Libby-Tozier and a decision to build a new middle school west of Libby-Tozier, was made February 18, 1995 marked the Town's 200th birthday July 7, 8 and 9 were designated as the dates for Litchfield's official bicentennial celebration, to be held at the fairgrounds. A bean-hole supper, parade, marathon, speeches and memorial service are among the special events scheduled |
|