In 1899, housing was scarce for the influx of workers coming to help build the new mill. Behind the millsite, tents, hovels, tar papered shacks etc. provided some shelter. Soon, boarding houses began to appear on the mill end of what would be Penobscot Avenue. A small boarding house, Penobscot House, was erected across from the future park (Scootic In location). Dick Levasseur’s Boarding house, built for his mill work crew still exists today with its tower, across from the park. GNP required these buildings to each be unique, not like some company town’s worker housing.
On the mill end of Katahdin Avenue stood the Little Northern, the Windsor, the Eureka and the Brunswick House. The Little Northern, at the corner of Katahdin Avenue and Poplar Street burned to the ground July 4, 1901. A traveling salesman from Boston was seen the next day sifting through the ashes attempting to retrieve his wares.
The Windsor was located at the corner of Katahdin Ave./Pine St. Built by a Mr. Crandlemire and this too burned. On that lot, Eugene Rush later built a home.
The Eureka House (originally called the Katahdin House) was a three-story building with attic and front verandas for the first and second floors. The Eureka advertised “Home Comfort – JW Clifford, Prop. – Good Livery Connected – Hack to All Trains.” Arthur Russell ran the livery stable.
A news article from the 8/23/1900 Bangor Daily Commercial has the headline, Four Millinocket Hotels Raided by Deputy Ireland.” These included the Windsor, the Little Northern and the Katahdin House (all mentioned above). The article states the owners appeared in court (except one) where they were fined for “maintaining slot-machines in their hotels. Under Maine law it is sufficient to brand their houses as gambling resorts.” The law was tipped off by GNP officials who claimed “the slot machines gobbled up the week’s wages of the men employed in the mills.” They claimed the men “played the machines until every cent was gone, go home mad and empty and let their grocery bills go by.” The store keepers objected until the mill people took over and had the offenders fined.
The Brunswick House was located further along Katahdin Avenue. This also was partially consumed by fire and tragically a Millinocket fireman, Joseph Perry, died in that fire. The Laverty book states “some claim the old office safe still lies buried in the ashes of that fire.” Rebuilt, this became White Hall Apartments.
In addition to Levasseur’s and the Penobscot House (mentioned above), smaller boarding houses appeared on streets near the mill. Bossie’s Boarding House was on Birch Street. The Laverty book lists Hanley’s and Moore’s (moved from Shack Hill and had boarders) and also The Club House and Abbott’s (no information given). There was also a Sandstrom’s Boarding House in that area.
Belle Atherton had a small boarding home near the park. She provided food for the boarders’ dinner pails (including cookies, donuts, home-made pickles and bread). The first day she opened her boarding house, there were nine men lined up for a room and board.
Out near the railroad yard were other early “housing options” for railroad workers and mill workers. Some in that area were living in railroad cars or improvised camps. Almon Reed had a “lunch room” there and then he built a larger boarding house with a sign stating “Ladies & Gents Lunch Room.” Later, this establishment became Legassey’s Boarding House.
(Photo is Windsor Hotel/Boarding House)
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