Center & Main Street in the 1930’s

Most of my postcards are from earlier in the century, but here are two showing two views of the intersection of Main and Center St.
The first image is heading toward French Island and Milford. Note the fine steel bridge which I loathed crossing. It had a grated deck and “sang” as you crossed in a car. It still brings shivers thinking of when I walked across it because you could see the Penobscot River; it seemed like, miles below.
The second image, and much safer direction in my mind, is toward Indian Island, the woolen mills and where I grew up. When I visited Old Town last summer I sat on a bench where the drug store was and imagined all what had happen in that spot over the last few hundred years. I invite others to do the same in a location familiar to you and feel how relaxing and satisfying it can be.

44°56'5.27"N
68°38'44.63"W

Old Town Woolen Mill

Old Town Maine has been a mill town for over 150 years. We have seen saw mills, pulp mills, shoe shops, canoe/boat shops and woolen mills. Some are still here and producing and some are here, but serving other purposes.

The subject of this posting is the Old Town Woolen Mill. From Sanborn Maps this building is shown in place as a woolen mill in 1895, but it was there many years before that. In the 1960’s it was a shoe shop and today is called Penobscot River House (a retirement apartment complex).

It is sometimes confused with the American Woolen Mill which was south on N. Main St. At one time they were under one ownership.

I do plan on sharing more information in the future, but now it is about the pictures.



In the distance is the woolen mill, Indian Island would be on the left.

From the Milford side of the river.



A comment on the back of the above postcard states this is a place where he works with about 200 little french girls.


A little drama added to this postcard.


The road looks rutted and muddy.