Brunswick Rotary Club Recognizes Local Historic Sites
By Michelle Lester, Brunswick Rotary Club
Like many clubs and organizations, the Brunswick Rotary Club features numerous committees to accomplish work in specific areas. The Pride and Heritage committee is responsible for identifying and commemorating historical locations in the mid coast region. With the assistance of the Pejepscot Historical Society, the Village Historical Society, the Midcoast Region Redevelopment Authority and the Brunswick High School Alumni Association, the committee compiles information on each historical location and every other year, a new site is highlighted with a plaque. The latest installation recognized Senter’s department store, now known as Senter Place, located at 114 Maine Street in Brunswick. The Brunswick Rotary Club encourages the public to visit each location to view and read the plaques to deepen appreciation of the history that makes the mid coast region unique and interesting.
Recently, the committee organized the sixteen locations already commemorated into a walking tour and a driving tour to encourage public visits. Both tours are described below.
The walking tour includes ten sites and consists of a 4.5 mile walk. The description of each site included below also discloses the location of the plaque.
- The Brunswick Railroad Station (circa 1855) Brunswick Station Complex, Visitor Center exterior wall, central entranceway leading to the steps of the Amtrak Downeaster train platform, Brunswick.
- The Curtis Memorial Library (circa 1883/1904) Brunswick's public library, 23 Pleasant Street, an exterior wall to the right of the main entrance, adjacent to the Book Drop slot, Brunswick.
- Senter’s Department Store/Senter Place (circa 1909) A “Specialties in Dry Goods” store now known as Senter Place, 114 Maine Street, Brunswick.
- Site of many water-powered mills (circa 1715) Androscoggin River ocean shipping origin, and first upper falls dam, (circa 1753), lower Main Street at the corner of Green Street, Topsham.
- Androscoggin Falls (circa 1600) Anniversary Park Overlook, lower level, just before the Brunswick-Topsham Frank J. Wood “green” bridge, Abenaki Indian land and waters, Brunswick.
- Site of Thomas Purchase log cabin (circa 1628) Brunswick’s first settler and trader, The Daniel Hotel, 10 Water Street, Brunswick, at the base of the flagpole, Brunswick.
- Town Farm Cemetery (circa 1831) Monument is inside a fenced burial field beside Brunswick Public Works Department at the end of Water Street, Brunswick.
- The First Brunswick High School (circa 1851-1915). 46 Federal Street, formerly Hawthorne School, and now Superintendent of Schools District Offices, exterior wall, entranceway ramp, Brunswick.
- The Brunswick Mall (circa 1823). “Public walk for rest and recreation,” at the Mall Gazebo. Brunswick.
- The Former Brunswick High School (circa 1937-1995). Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School, inside the parking lot entranceway off Spring Street, Brunswick.
Included in the driving tour are six additional sites; the full loop of this drive is 41 miles and includes the following locations:
- Wharton Point (circa 1686) Named for settler Thomas Wharton, Brunswick terminus for commercial coastal vessels and early settlers, about 2 miles past Brunswick High School to the Head of Maquoit Bay, at the end of Maquoit Road known as “12-Rod Road,” Brunswick.
- Brunswick Town Commons (circa 1719) 1000 acres of common usage space, SW corner, 2.5 miles South on Harpswell Road. Walk the trail into the Commons about 500 yards. Brunswick.
- Mill Cove Tide Mill (circa 1830) Grist Mill Site; High Head Road on the crossing of Mill Cove, Harpswell.
- Orr’s Island Public Library (circa 1905) about a mile before the Cribstone Bridge, Orr’s Island.
- The Holbrook Wharf (circa 1853) Historic waterfront, three buildings, Cundy’s Harbor, East Harpswell, Sebascodegan Island.
- Site of the U. S. Naval Air Station Brunswick (circa 1628-1943) Brunswick Landing at the Orion P-3 aircraft interim Legacy Park on Fitch Avenue, just before the former Navy Chapel, now the Brunswick Naval Museum & Memorial Gardens, Brunswick.
A printable brochure is available on the Club’s website at brunswickmainerotary.org. To learn more about the work of the Brunswick Rotary Club, please join us at our weekly meeting on Mondays at noon. Full details on our meeting dates, locations, and weekly programs are also available on our website, or ‘like’ us on Facebook to follow our posts.
