By: Cindy Woodworth
MEMORIES REMAIN - BUILDINGS OF THE PAST
GUILFORD TOWN HALL
Here is the Guilford Town Hall as it was originally built, circa 1890. This is only a photographic memory to most of us today. The Town Hall was used as a movie theatre, a play house, a school, and as a multiple purpose hall. An addition was added later to the back of the building. The Guilford Town Hall was built on land donated by the Martin family. This beautiful building was lost to a fire in 1928.
We have yet to find any photograph of the interior of this building. This creates an ongoing search to find the missing pieces. This building was never rebuilt. While many towns today have the opportunities to refurbish their old buildings and bring them back to life, the old town hall remains only in the photos and written history. Behind this area where the town hall was located, is the current location of the Guilford Town Office and Fire Station.
M. & J. HUDSON STORE
The general store of M. & J. Hudson, the Post Office and the Odd Fellows Hall were located in this building. In the late 1800s, it was located at the intersection of Main Street and Hudson Avenue, at the head of Bank Square, and faced north. It was built in 1879 and the Post Office wing was added in 1893. Another wing was added to the other side shortly before the building burned in 1902. New contstruction began and the dedication of the new brick building was held in 1904.
The magnificent brick building shown to the left, in 1916, replaced the wooden structure, and was the location of the French & Elliott Company, the Masonic Hall and the Odd Fellows Hall. The left wing was later the office of the Walter Blake Insurance Company. This building has been the home of a grocery store since 1903. In 1962 Cliff & Naomi Worthen opened Worthen's Market. This beautiful building was razed in 2000 to make way for the Rite Aid store which currently stands at this location.
FRANKLIN HOUSE, TURNER HOUSE, BRAEBURN HOTEL AND EDES BUILDING
The original building was built in 1834 and known as the Franklin House, built by W. W. Harris; all improvements, including porches, were added by Howard and Betsey Turner, then known as the Turner House. It was located on the corner of Water Street and North Main Street. It was a stop for the stagecoach and, in addition to the dining room and traveler's rooms, it had a large horse stable. It was lost to fire in 1903, but part of the building was salvaged and relocated. The part of the building that remained is today operating as a laundromat.
The Braeburn Hotel was built on the site of the Turner House. During its early years, it was considered the ultimate in accommodations. The dining room, kitchen, Jackson's Clothing Store, Ross Drug Store, the United States Post Office, and Mrs. Ayers Millinery Shop were located on the first floor. The second floor was divided into rental rooms for travelers. It was operated, over the years, by Percy Stacy, by N. N. Scales, and later by Laurice Goodwin, who converted the hotel into small apartments.
The Braeburn Hotel was built in 1907 at the site of the Turner House and former Franklin House. The Turner House was partially lost to fire in the year 1903. One hundred years later, in 2003, the Braeburn Hotel was completely lost to fire. The original piece of the Franklin House was once again saved. This part of the building is still operating today owned by Chastenay Property Management. Notice the J. K. Edes Building is shown at the right in all the photos. The Edes Building was razed in the year 2009. The corner lot currently remains empty.
GUILFORD REGISTER BUILDING
The Guilford Register newspaper office building also had space for the Guilford Steam Laundry and D.H. Whiting & Sons Company. In this photo, the town of Guilford was preparing for the Guilford Centennial Celebration in 1916. Copies of the Guilford Register newspapers have been preserved on microfilm and the original newspapers are kept at the Guilford Historical Society for anyone interested to come and research the history of Guilford and surrounding areas.
SCALES BLOCK AND BANK SQUARE
This photograph shows the beginning of the Scales establishments in 1880s. The first building was the large wooden structure and two smaller buildings closer to the Piscataquis River were later replaced. The Scales building that still exists today, a brick structure, sits next to the riverbank at the bridge on Main Street. The entrance to the covered bridge is on the right of this photo.
Bank Square - South Main Street on the right showing Spearing Furniture Store and Undertaking Parlor, Scales Block and Covered Bridge. Spearing Furniture later became the location of Crockett's Bakery and Koritsky's Clothing Store in the 1950s. To the left is Elm Street businesses. Notice the Methodist Church in the background.
This is a Winter scene of Bank Square and the Elm Street business district in the 1950s. Included is the Koritsky's Store, Crockett's Bakery, The Gold Nuggett Restaurant, Treworgy's and the Mobil Station.
In the photo below, Abe Morris, Manager of Koritsky's Department Store, on the left and Gordon Crockett, right, are inside Crockett's Bakery on Elm Street in the mid 1950s. Koritsky's and Crockett's were in the same building on Elm Street, before the devastating fire of 1969.
HENRY HUDSON HOME AND OFFICE
This was the home of Attorney Henry Hudson. His office is the building on the left. Both were located on Hudson Avenue. In the rear, between the two buildings, is a large carriage barn. This was later the home of Attorney John P. White. The office building shown on the left was later relocated across the street and is still operating as a real estate office. This is the current location of the United States Post Office.
PAST and PRESENT
Historic buildings still in existence
STRAW AND MARTIN INSURANCE OFFICE
This photo, taken around 1880, shows the Straw and Martin Insurance Office located on North Main Street. C.A. Smith rented space from Straw & Martin for his photography studio. It is not known if the studio was located on the first or second floor. Note that School Street did not exist at the time this photo was taken. Currently School Street turns to the left just past the little girl standing alone on the sidewalk.
This building is the current home of the Guilford Historical Society (since 1983). The large maple trees are gone but the building still looks the same today. The building location now has an address of 10 North Main Street.
ELM STREET BUSINESSES
Elm Street businesses in the late 1880s. The building on the left is the S. L. Williams, Millinery and Fancy Goods store. The person on the extreme right is William Appleyard. This photo was taken by The C. A. Smith Photo Co. This building is currently operating, and for the last 50 years, as Davis Brother's Furniture Store.
DAVIS BROTHERS FURNITURE
GUILFORD MEMORIAL LIBRARY
This is an unknown celebration on Water Street. It is quite possibly the dedication of the new Carnegie Library around 1900. Members of the band can be seen sitting on the knoll to the left of the Library building. To the right is the F.S. Stevens home built by C.F. Packard in 1891. It is still the home of Guilford Memorial Library today.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
Services and speeches were given at the Universalist Church in observance of the Centennial in 1916. The Universalist Church is located on the northwest corner of School Street and North Main Street across the road from the Town Hall andd Fire Station. Today it is operating as the United Methodist Church and is the home of Little Miracles Country School.
United Methodist Church, Guilford
GUILFORD BED AND BREAKFAST
This is an early 1900s photo of the Guilford Bed & Breakfast. This building was built in the 1890s by David Campbell for his daughter and her husband, Ernest and Louise Genthner. Over the years some owners included Micajah J. Hudson, the Hilton Family, Drake Family and Cummings Family. In 1986, it was owned and operated as a bed & breakfast operation by John and Pat Selicious, and Lynn and Harry Anderson in 1998. It is located on the south side of Elm Street facing the Piscataquis River. The building has six beautiful guest rooms. The building still exists today and is still operating as the Guilford Bed and Breakfast. The property now has many mature trees surrounding this beautiful structure.
GUILFORD BED AND BREAKFAST
GUILFORD COMMUNITY THEATRE
True Textiles, Inc.
The Community Theatre was built and financed by Henry and Minnie Elliott in approximately 1932. It was managed and operated by their son, Richard Elliott, and partner Walter Mills for several years. The building was used as a roller rink for a period of time after the development of television, making movies less profitable. The office of the Guilford Water Company was on the second floor.
On July 3, 1939, The Community Theatre in Guilford presented the movies "Charlie Chan in Reno" and "In Hollywood."
Today the building still exists and is owned by True Textiles (formerly Guilford of Maine).
THE CHASE-EM-IN TEA ROOM
In the 1920s on State Route 15 in Guilford, a small lunchroom and filling station was opened for business known as the Chase-Em-In Tea Room. It was Located at the top of the hill about two miles east of Guilford Village and across from Guilford Industries yarn mill. Several businesses were operated from this location over the years. Later it was rebuilt and known as Hill Top House as a residence. In 2000, it was owned and operated by Mr. & Mrs. Dwinal Hall as Hall's Restaurant for several years. Note the gasoline sold for 26 cents.
HOLBROOK'S POOL HALL
This is a view of Water Street, looking west, around 1930. The Bangor & Aroostook Railroad tracks are on the left. The first (closest) building on the right is M. Holbrook's Pool Hall and Bowling Alley. In recent years it was and still is today operating as the American Legion Hall. The next building on the right is the Willis Bennett Garage. It is currently Clarke's Restaurant. At the end of the street is the Douglas Store with an awning over the entire length of the front of the building.
THE PREBLE FARM AND GRAY GABLE TEA HOUSE
The Preble Farm on Water Street and Gray Gable Tea House, operated by Elsie Preble, are shown partially under water during the 1936 flood. The tea house was mostly destroyed and is not here today. Guilford Hardware moved to the site around 1980 and suffered great damage during the flood of 1987. Lovell's Guilford Hardware still occupies the site today.
Lovell's Guilford Hardware
W. G. BLAKE'S AGENCY
This office building was originally located across the road and beside the home of Henry Hudson, Esq. It is currently operating as a real estate office, W. G. Blake's Agency. This building is one of only two buildings in town listed in the National Historic Register.
