Text by Marilyn Gorman & Dianne Pease
Images from New Portland Historical Society
West Village Main Street
New Portland Historical Society
The village of New Portland was commonly known as West Portland and today is referred to as the West Village by most people that live here. It is located about sixteen miles from Farmington and twelve from North Anson. The village is located on Lemon Stream, so called because the water was a light yellow color, and two hills known as Clark Hill and Bennett Hill.
Over the years there have been many different mills and businesses that have operated in the village. Moses Mitchell operated a grist mill that was later operated by Frank and john Dunlap. The lat person to perate the mill was Claude Johnson. W.W. Jordan ran a carding and novelty mill making good use of available water power. A short distance from the girst mill was a shoe shop owned by John Metcalf. At one time the shoe shop had a tannery connected to it operated by H.C. Clark + Company. This business was a leading industry for many years and gave about 20 workmen steady and lucrative employment. Later the shoe shop manufactured a well known riveted moccasin that only they had the right to manufacture in the United States. Later this building was used as a corn shop.
West Village John Mitchell's Farmhouse
New Portland Historical Society
There was a novelty mill in the West end of town that was visited by four fires. N. S. Stowell, of Dixfield, operated it until it was destroyed by fire. It was repaired and sold to Cash Clark and Clayton Atwood. Lester Henderson took charge of the novelty part which turned out candy sticks, heel stock and other things, the mill soon burned again, destroying the mill and other buildings in the town. Clark & Atwood rebuilt the mill and operated it until it was destroyed by fire again. Several years later Norris Luce and Harold Ranger bought the sight and rebuilt the mill but the mill didn't operate long. It was then purchased by Arthur Coburn, then sold to C.B. Weese of Chicago. The company was called Carrabassett Dowel Company. Some of the local people found employment at this mill. This mill was also destroyed by a fire that started at midnight. Mr. Forest Strickland purchased the site and built a smaller mill, this mill operated for many years and emplyed many local people. In later years it was owned and operated by Gerald and David Strickland, sons of Forest Strickland. It was later sold to a New Hampshire company and the mill was known as Dirigo Dowel.
The following is a list of the people and businesses that were operating in the West Village in 1860:
New Portland Directory
Business Card Dated 1860
Samuel Vose Physician & Surgeon
Gould & Spooner Dry Goods & Groceries
John P. Hodson Postmaster
S.S. Locklin Dry Goods & Groceries
S. Lake Stoves, Dry Goods & Groceries
T. & B. Emery Boots & Shoe Mfg.
Walton & Quint “ “ “ “
Spooner & Hanson Carder & Clothier
Mrs. P. Spooner Millinery
T.D. Phillebrown Blacksmith
James Collins “
A. Spooner Painter
I.L. Tripp Lumber Dealer
A. Jordan “ “
W. Pratt Shingle Mfg.
Col. C. Harvey “ “
I.E. Thompson Millwright
A. Morse Cabinet Maker
W. Sylvester Carriage Maker
A.L. Watson “ “
H. Clark Tanner & Currier
Z.F. Moor Blacksmith
Judkins & Lucke “ & Carriage Works
Ward Spooner Mill Proprietor
E.S. Hopkins Cong. Clergyman
A.P. Allen Physicians & Surgeons
J.P. Walton Merchant Tailor
J. Knowlton & Son Dealer in Livestock
Col. A. Plummer “ “ “
A. Elder “ “ “
West Village Old Mill Dam
New Portland Historical Society
The West Village was once a very prosperous place, mills were in operation, there was much agriculture business being conducted, and trade was in high gear. In 1883 meetings were held on the proposed location of a railroad from Farmington, some townspeople were for the railroad and some were against it, circumstances developed and New Portland was bypassed by the railroad. This may have been responsible for the decline in the business atmosphere in New Portland as it would have been difficult to transport their goods where they needed to go.
There are four bridges in the West Village, the Wire Bridge, the Grist Mill Bridge, Gould Hill Bridge and the Tannery Bridge. A detailed description of these bridges is available as a separate exhibit.
About a mile from the West Village on Route 27, on the way to New Vineyard and Farmington there is an area known as “Great Works” first called “Hamblin's Mills”. John Elliot came to this area from Turner in 1803 and built a mill. This was a good dam, lumber mill, grist mill, clover and starch factory. Later a school house was built. John Elliot had built a tavern in 1807, it had a bar and liquor was sold for 3 cents a glass. This area was bypassed when a new road was built and now the old road is closed to public traffic and the area is privately owned.
The West Village area has had a long and interesting history and will without a doubt continue to do so for many years to come.
This research was done by students at Carrabec Community School
The Strickland Mill
by C.M. and B.T.
There use to be a mill in New Portland named Strickland. It was a mill that made furniture and other wood products. It was located in west New Portland behind Lemon Stream so they could use the river to transport logs. It opened in the 1930s and was shut down around 1990 due to foreign imports that were cheaper to buy than American.
About 60 people worked there. Mr. Strickland told us that a lot of people liked to work there. Wood working was some of their hobbies which meant they liked to work in the mill. With all the money spent on wood and payments, the mill made about a 10% profit. Even though Strickland's Mill is now shut down it played an important part in New Portland's history.
