Radio Script #1023
Little Talks on Common Things
October 27, 1974
Nearly 20 years have elapsed since sharp controversy was aroused by the decision of the State Highway Commission to have the new four-lane freeway, Route 195, go right through the east part of the Colby campus. Plenty of people who listen to this program remember the controversy in general, and especially that Colby finally won out, so that the highway crossed behind the campus, using only a small portion of college land west of any existing or proposed buildings. But I am sure we have newer listeners who never heard of the uproar caused by the Commission’s original plans. Anyhow, it may be well on today’s broadcast to bring to light again some details of the controversy.
On August 31, 1956, the Commission released to the press the plan for the highway to go through the Colby campus. The Colby Echo of that week published a half-page, hand drawn map showing the proposed highway crossing Mayflower Hill Drive just west of the brook, where the college pumping station now stands, and crossing North Street just beyond Thayer Hospital, where now is the Hilltop School. It would thus cut off a substantial piece of college property between the new highway and the Messalonskee Stream. Text accompanying the map said: “The highway will cut across the property of Mount Merici and Colby, and will cover an area of the city needed for future homes and other development. The outcry against this intrusion comes not only from Mt. Merici and Colby, but also from the City of Waterville, the Chamber of Commerce, and Thayer Hospital.
“A letter from Pres. Bixler to alumni and parents, urging them to protest to the State Highway Commission, resulted in hundreds of telegrams and letters. The New England College Fund, representing 24 colleges, adopted a resolution in protest. It is estimated the highway will cut off 200 acres from the present Colby campus. The highway itself will use 31 acres, and will be fenced in on either side. Another outspoken opponent of this intrusion is the famous author, Kenneth Roberts.”
The protest from the Waterville Chamber of Commerce said, “The people of this city are really concerned, and many just cannot believe that the proposed location is seriously considered.” When the fall issue of the Colby Alumnus appeared just before Thanksgiving in 1956, it said: “After several public hearings, there is still no verdict on the location of the proposed four-lane highway. Throughout the fall the controversy has raged. The College has steadfastly opposed any route through Colby property in front of the campus buildings. Currently under consideration is a compromise route passing directly behind Johnson Pond and circling back of the Veterans Apartments and across the Messalonskee to Upper Main Street. College authorities will not oppose this compromise route. A member of the Bowdoin trustees, Leonard Pierce, a prominent Portland attorney, is representing Colby in this matter.
When the winter issue of the Alumnus appeared in February, the matter was still unsettled. The Alumnus said: “On February 4th the State Highway Commission released results of a study made by the Clarkson Engineering Company of Boston on the propose route behind the College. They found that the proposed change would not materially increase the cost, as it would be only 6/10 of a mile longer than the plan so strenuously objected to. Approximately 23 acres of Colby property will be taken on the west and northwest and 7 acres cut off, compared with 33 acres taken and 53 cut off by the original plan in front of the buildings. The edge of the right of way will be 1,300 feet north of the men’s dormitories and 700 feet from Alfond Arena.”
Even when the spring issue of the Alumnus came out in May, no final decision had been made. One setback had been rejection of the change to put the route behind the college by the Federal Bureau of Roads. On March 8, 1957, Chairman Stevens of the Maine Highway Commission had reported: “The State Commission has advised the Federal Bureau of Public Roads that the route in front of the College buildings, between Colby and the City of Waterville, is the most desirable for location of the Interstate Highway. The Comission has further advised the Bureau that, since public acceptance of this route has not been obtained, the proposed site behind the college should be accepted.”
In a letter to Colby on April 17, 1957, the Federal Bureau rejected the State Commission’s recommendation because the distance would result in longer travel and higher cost.
The dispute dragged along during the summer and it was not until November 1, 1957, that the Colby Echo could report: “Federal approval of the last link in the Maine Turnpike was received on Tuesday. The highway will loop west of the Colby campus behind the Veterans Apartments. Representatives of the college, the city, the Chamber of Commerce and citizens’ groups worked out the compromise at a series of conferences brought on by protests against the original route. The original plan would have put the highway in front of the women’s dormitories and the President’s House, taking out a big piece of land planned for future college development. A group of former Waterville mayors proposed and worked for the compromise.”
A few weeks later the issue of the Alumnus for the fall of 1957 had this to say: “The controversial issue of the Interstate Highway was settled October 28, with federal approval of the route behind the Colby campus. The decision came as a satisfactory curtain on an issue that stirred up tremendous interest and months of heated discussion. The tireless work of Chairman Leonard, Pres. Bixler, and the late Wallace Parsons has been rewarded. Thanks must also go to Mayor Clauson, the Waterville City government, the Waterville Area Chamber of Commerce, and to Attorneys Leonard Pierce and Sigrid Tompkins. The contribution of Mr. Pierce, Bowdoin trustee, was rendered without compensation, indicating that he spoke for many people involved in higher education, that our colleges may be free to develop and serve.”
So it was that 17 years ago, in the fall of 1957, there was stopped a highway plan that could have severed the beautiful Mayflower Hill campus of Colby College.
Now let us turn to the subject of an old-time Central Maine inn – the Danforth Tavern at Norridgewock. Israel Danforth came to that town in 1800. A saddler, he built a large house in which was his saddler’s shop on Norridgewock’s Main Street in 1807. Seven years later, in 1814, he turned it into a public tavern and stop for the stage coach line from Augusta to Caratunk Falls at Solon. All the wood that went into the making of that building, even the rafters, was hewn by hand. For many years afterward the old shutters over the windows were still in evidence, used to keep out the cold or sometimes to shield the interior from the gaze of passersby.
In that house were born Israel Danforth’s 17 children. It was a large structure with 30 rooms above the basement, which itself was at one time divided into several rooms. It took 70 cords of wood a year to stoke its 12 fireplaces. There was a large hall for meetings and dances, with seats built along the walls after the manner of the much heralded deacons’ seats.
The oldest Danforth daughter made frequent trips to Boston, no small task in the early 19th century. She usually went by stage to Hallowell, and from there to Boston by sailing vessel. If the weather was fine, the trip took three days, but if bad with contrary winds, it lasted a week or more. If was, of course, possible then to go all the way from Norridgewock to Boston by stage, with several changes and a number of overnight stays. Few people travelled that way because it usually took longer and required tavern stops – not likely to be of uniform comfort because, unlike the Danforth Tavern, many of the smaller inns required as many as a dozen people to sleep in the same room. The cheaper and smaller taverns sometimes had only two large rooms for the public to sleep in – one for men, the other for women.Travelers complained not only of the unceasing snores but also of the bedbugs.
Charles Danforth, one of Israel’s sons, became a lawyer and a judge, often holding court in Norridgewock when that town was the county seat of Somerset.
The Danforth Tavern was much more than a public inn. It always had within it a large and busy household of the Danforth family. The unmarried girls were industrious at spinning, weaving, dyeing, making soap, dipping candles, with the usual daily housework added. They made thick heavy woolen blankets, all produced on the place, beginning with wool sheared from the Danforth sheep. One of the daughters got interested in silkworms, cultivated them and succeeded in making small quantities of silk. The six men of the household required a lot of shirts and underclothes, all made by the women and girls. Yet those females found time for needlework, turning out many pieces of exquisite embroidery.
Preparation for court was an especially busy time at the Danforth Tavern. Court session meant that the inn would be full of paying guests – judge, lawyers, witnesses, and sometimes even spectators. Court was held in March, September and December All food that would keep well was prepared beforehand and carefully stored. That meant often as many as three dozen pies – apple, mince and pumpkin, and big crocks filled with cookies of every description. In the cellar were numerous barrels of turkeys, chicken and geese, packed during the winter in snow. At that time turkeys were extremely cheap, selling for 9 pence each regardless of weight. Those pence were reckoned according to the New England shilling, not the worth of the coin in London. The New England conversion of its own Free British money with American currency was six shillings to a dollar, making each shilling worth 16-2/3 cents. Since there are 12 pence in a shilling, the New England pence was valued at 1-1/9 cents. That meant that those 9 pence Norridgewock turkeys could be bought for ten cents apiece. Danforth charged 25 cents for dinner and 75 cents for supper, lodging and breakfast.
Just as the oldest girl made her trips to Boston, so did the oldest son, but his were on business, to buy supplies, including the big chests of tea, of which the Tavern consumed large quantities.
Court days in Norridgewock were enjoyed by the whole town, and also saw an influx of people from Madison, Canaan, Mercer, Starks, Solon and other towns. Every evening the Tavern bar room was filled by men discussing the day’s proceedings in court. Participating in those discussions were young lawyers who became distinguished statesmen in later years.
Year: 1974