Timeline
Significant Dates in Skowhegan’s Written History:
Courtesy of the Skowhegan History House
1629 – By charter of the British Crown, the British American Council of New England set the region’s first boundaries, claiming from the Wabanaki, a tract of land that ran from Woolwich to Cornville on both sides of the Kennebec River.
August 1724 – A force of 208 English militia soldiers (which split into 2 units under the commands of captains Johnson Harmon and Jeremiah Moulton) left Fort Richmond (now Richmond) in 17 whaleboats to go up the Kennebec. At Taconic Falls (now Winslow), 40 men were left to guard the boats as the troops continued on foot.
August 21, 1724 – Chief Bomoseen was killed as the English militia moved up the Kennebec. They fatally wounded his daughter and took his wife captive.
August 24, 1724 – English militia destroyed the Wabanaki village at Old Point in Norridgewock. It is estimated that 100 were killed, including Father Rasles, in the “Norridgewock Massacre.” Father Sebastien Rasles (1652-1724) was a priest who started a Jesuit mission and built a church in Norridgewock.
1771 – The first settlers of the region around Skowhegan were a small group of pioneers from southern Massachusetts. The group consisted of Peter Heywood of Concord, his son Asa and Isaac Smith, who lived with the Heywoods. The party included Heywood’s brother-in-law, Joseph Weston of Lancaster and his son Eli. Their first place of settlement was an island in the River of about nine acres. It had been used previously by local Wabanaki for planting crops. The island, being surrounded by water, allowed livestock to roam. The settlers built a cabin, planted corn and potatoes and cut hay for their cattle. In late summer Heywood, his son Asa and Joseph Weston returned to their hometowns, leaving two of the boys, Eli Weston and Isaac Smith, to finish harvesting their crops and tend the livestock.
1771-1772 – Unexpected delays caused both families to wait until the following spring to return, leaving Eli Weston (11 years old) and Isaac Smith (16 years old), to spend the winter alone in Old Canaan (now Skowhegan) in a log cabin on the westerly bank of the Kennebec, about three miles below the falls.
April 30, 1772 – Joseph Weston returned to establish the first permanent settlement.
Other early settlers from southern Massachusetts were Jonathan Oaks, who came in 1772 from Marlboro, Eleazer Coburn who came that year from Tyngsboro, John White, who arrived in 1773 from Lancaster, and Seth Wyman who came from Townsend in 1773. For several years, the community, now called Canaan, slowly increased in population and established the first elements of local government and essential services.
October 4, 1775 – Benedict Arnold’s Quebec Expedition, on its way northward, camped on Skowhegan Island.
1784 – Population of Norridgewock: 240; population of Canaan 420.
June 18, 1788 – Town of Canaan incorporated
Life for early settlers in this region was harsh and unforgiving in that they survived at the subsistence level. The rocky land was not easy to farm but they managed to grow rye, corn, beans, potatoes and other vegetables to survive. In addition to farming, they would hunt and trap. Most new settlers chose hardwood areas to clear as their titles required them to clear at least five acres. Trees would be burned allowing land to be cleared for the planting of crops and the building of a homestead. Spruce logs were mortised together for cabin construction and hand hewn cedar shingles were used for roofing. Everything from furniture to sleighs were made from the different types of wood growing nearby.
1790 – Peter Heywood established a gristmill and a sawmill on Skowhegan Island. Soon after this, a fulling and carding mill was constructed to process wool. Waterpower generated from the middle channel of the sluiceway supported these mills.
1793 – Population of Norridgewock: 427; population of Canaan 448.
*1793 – Norton House on southerly side of West Front Street at foot of Goodwin Hill built.
January 1795 – Massachusetts conveyed the township now known as Cornville to Moses Bernard, Joseph Hilton, and Peter Sanborn of Deerfield, New Hampshire for 806 pounds, 10 shillings.
1799 – Kennebec County (which included Somerset) separated from Lincoln County.
1803 – Abner Coburn born.
1804 – Dudley Corner Schoolhouse built.
February 17, 1807 – Bloomfield Academy incorporated as Canaan Academy by the General Court of Massachusetts.
1808 – North and South Channel Bridges built. Operated as a toll bridge for 75 years with a construction cost of $5,500. Ferry across Alder Stream discontinued.
March 1, 1809 – Somerset County, formerly part of Kennebec County, incorporated.
1810 – Population of Norridgewock: 880; population of Canaan 1275.
1810 – Pottery business established on Elm Street, at foot of Neal Hill; site of History House.
1810 – Samuel Philbrick House on Elm Street built on location later occupied by the William Philbrck brick homestead.
1811 – First dams built on north and south channels; the latter was about 75 feet above the steel bridge. Dams made it possible for an increase in industry. A tannery was constructed soon after this along with a foundry and a “pot house” where an early family, the Philbricks, crafted cream pots, bean crocks, molasses jugs, milk pans and other vessels from the red clay of the nearby riverbanks.
1811 – Locke Tavern built.
February 5, 1814 – Bloomfield south side of the Kennebec, including Skowhegan Island, incorporated.
1818 – First christian church on north side of the river within the present limits of Skowhegan established at Dudley’s Corner.
*1818 – Asa Dyer home built on Dyer Hill, Madison Avenue.
1820 – Population of Norridgewock: 1454; population of Canaan 1470; population of Bloomfield 889.
February 5, 1823 – Milburn incorporated.
1823 – Somerset Journal, first newspaper to be published in Somerset County, established by Thomas J. Copeland, at Norridgewock.
September 20, 1826 – Conveyance to Town of Bloomfield by Isaac Farrar and Judith McClellan, of land known as “The New Burying Ground.” It has since been enlarged several times and now the South Cemetery.
1827 – Methodist Society organized.
December 7, 1827 – Conveyance by John E. Cayford, to Inhabitants of Norridgewock and Milburn, land that has since been enlarged and now named North Cemetery.
April 1829 – Conveyance by Daniel Stewart, Jr. to Inhabitants of Milburn, land for addition to North Cemetery.
1830 – Population of Norridgewock: 1710; population of Canaan 1060; population of Bloomfield 1072; Skowhegan 1006.
*1830 – Old Red Dragon (hotel) established at the corner of Madison Avenue and Elm Street.
May 1, 1836 – James B. Dascombe walked on ice across the Kennebec above the dam.
June 5, 1836 – Village Christian Church organized; later occupying brick structure on High Street.
1836 – Name of Milburn changed to Skowhegan.
October 4, 1837 – Skowhegan Baptist Church at Bloomfield organized.
1837 – Boys Calvary formed, composed of about 70 youth from Skowhegan and vicinity.
March 21, 1838 – Somerset Central Agricultural Society incorporated.
1839 – South Channel dam carried out by freshet.
1840 – Population of Norridgewock: 1865; population of Canaan 1379; population of Bloomfield 1093; Skowhegan 1584. (Hanson, 1849)
1840 – Bloomfield Academy, present brick building built.
1841 – Washington Hall built on the corner of Madison Avenue and High Street, afterwards Skowhegan Marble Works.
1842 – First Baptist Church, later the Community House, built.
1844 – Starch Mill burned (south side); location afterward occupied by Savage Paper Mill.
November 4, 1846 – Death of Major Eli Westin, son of first settler Joseph Weston.
1848 – High Street Christian Church built.
1850 – Manufacture of paper commenced by A. & P. Coburn and Moses Pike. Location later used by R. E. Lyon and then Savage Manufacturing.
1850 – Population of Skowhegan, 1756.
*1853 – R. E.Lyon Paper Mill built at the location previously occupied by Savage Paper Company.
1855 – Manufacturing of oil cloth commenced by A. & P. Coburn.
*1856 – Kidder Mill built on Dodge Street by Reuben Kidder & Co. Mr. Kidder’s partner was Harrison Tuttle.
1857 – Railroad completed to Skowhegan.
1857 – Town purchased its second “hand tub” (fire engine). The R. E. Lyon was the name given to it and the company formed to take charge of it.
1857 – 27 acres of land on Plains, west of Madison Avenue, was purchased by Somerset Central Agricultural Society for $300. This was the initial area of Fairview Park.
*1860 – Engine Hall built on Island Avenue, near North Channel Bridge.
1860 – Population of Skowhegan: 2266; valuation $1,060,537.
February 19, 1861 – Skowhegan and Bloomfield united.
Mach 5, 1862 – Middle Street accepted by the town.
December 22, 1862 – Island Avenue Congregational Church (since federated with First Baptist Church) completed.
March 13, 1865 – Coburn Avenue accepted by the town.
September 25, 1865 – Skowhegan House burned. Located at the corner of Madison Avenue and Elm Street, it had been greatly enlarged from the Old Red Dragon.
*1866 – Excelsior Mill, south end of South Channel Bridge, destroyed by fire.
1866 – Coburn Hall Association formed.
1867 – Skowhegan Library Association formed.
1867 – Brewster House built at the corner of Madison Avenue and Elm Street.
1868 – Centenary Methodist Church on Island Avenue dedicated.
October 1869 – “Pumpkin Freshet”, so called because of the immense number of pumpkins swept off the intervales located on the banks of the river, especially along the Sandy River, and brought down with the flood.
1870 – High school built on Island Avenue.
February 1870 – Ice jam on Spaulding’s Island backs up water and sweeps away Norridgewock bridge.
October 1871 – “Gid” Wells, drove 2037 sheep in one flock through Skowhegan.
December 18, 1871 – Methodist Church on Water Street bought by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
1871 – Gift of new courthouse to Somerset County by Abner Coburn makes possible transfer of County Seat from Norridgewock to Skowhegan. Jail remained at Norridgewock for many years thereafter.
1872 – Pulp industry first established in Skowhegan by W. B. Drew.
*1872 – Shepherd residence built, now the home of B. W. Page.
December 30, 1872 – Brewster House on the corner of Madison Avenue and Elm Street burned.
1875 – Woolen industry established.
May 1875 – Eight rail carloads of general merchandise being received daily at the freight office.
June 1875 – Ground broken for new shirt factory – 36×80 – on Hathaway Street. This building, enlarged and supplemented by other structures now constitutes the Skowhegan Novelty Works.
March 2, 1876 – Maple Street accepted by the town.
1880 – Population of Skowhegan: 3860; valuation $2,053,818.
April 1881 – Telephone reaches Skowhegan, first central exchange opened in Gower Block, corner of Court and Water Streets.
May 18, 1881 – Turner House burned; loss $80,000.
1881 – Our Lady of Lourdes Church built.
1881 – Universalist Church built.
1882 – A Standard Columbia bicycle (high wheel “ordinary” type), purchased by Charles F. Ward was the first modern bicycle to be owned by a Skowhegan citizen.
1882 – First shoe factory established by Keene Bros, employing 200 local workers
1882 – Steam fire engine bought by Skowhegan Village Corporation, displacing R. E. Lyons “hand tub” purchased in 1857.
*1883 – Hotel Coburn built.
1883 – Swinging Bridge, a wire footbridge, was constructed by John Turner to provide access to house lots on the south side of the river. The bridge was damaged or destroyed by floods in 1888, 1901, 1936, and 1937.
1884 – Summer Street relocated by County Commissioners.
1884 – Skowhegan Jersey Creamery established, largely through the efforts of Charles A. Marston.
January 4, 1885 – Death of former Maine Governor Coburn, at age 82.
1885 – Suspension bridge across South Channel built largely through the efforts of John Turner.
1885 – First improvement work done at Coburn Park.
1887 – Skowhegan Board of Trade organized.
1887 – Coburn Hall wired for incandescent light.
1887 – Skowhegan Water Company organized by special act of legislature.
1888 – New passenger station built.
1888 – First annual exhibition and ball of Skowhegan Athletic Association
1888 – Six state championships held in Skowhegan: amateur baseball, rifle team, half mile bicycle, three mile bicycle, and bicycle team.
1889 – Skowhegan Public Library built.
1889 – Skowhegan sewer system established.
February 19, 1890 – Bethany Baptist Church dedicated.
1890 – Population of Skowhegan: 5086; valuation $4,023,207.
1891 – Receiving tomb built at Southside Cemetery.
1894 – Somerset Traction line built to Lakewood.
October 1, 1895 – Somerset County Jail completed in Skowhegan and ready for occupancy.
1895 – Lincoln Schoolhouse Built.
1895 – E. E. Greenwood house on Madison Avenue built.
October 9, 1897 – First football game played in Skowhegan.
November 27, 1897 – Grange Hall on Pleasant Street dedicated; lot and hall cost $4500.
*1898 – High Street Christian Church demolished; bricks sold to R. W. Brown and used for construction on Water street.
1898 – Eunice Farnsworth Chapter, Daughters of American Revolution organized.
1899 – Marston Worsted Mills established by Charles E. Marston, Edwin Gledhill, Herbert Wentworth, and R. T.Patten.
May 17, 1990 – Weston & Brainard sawmill burned; never rebuilt.
1990 – Skowhegan Trust Co. building remodeled to its present form.
1990 – Population of Skowhegan: 5180 valuation $3,460,118.
January 1, 1901 – Death of General Russell B. Shepherd, manufacturer, public spirited citizen, builder of Somerset Traction Line, donor of $10,000 Fund for Shepherd prizes.
December 16, 1901 – Suspension bridge swept away by freshet.
1902 – An automobile, a StaneySteamer, purchased by Charles F. Ward, was the first automotive vehicle to be owned by a Skowhegan citizen.
March 1902 – Suspension bridge over South Channel accepted by town.
1903 – North Channel bridge built.
1904 – South Channel bridge built.
1904 – Norridgewock Electric Railroad discontinued.
1904 – Skowhegan Fire Department erected on Island Avenue.
March 8, 1904 – First City Carrier delivery service established by Skowhegan Post Office.
September 1904 – Maine Spinning Company established.
December 16, 1904 – Coburn Hall burned; estimated loss $133,170.
September 1905 – Death of Joseph O. Sullivan, editor of Somerset Reporter.
December 17, 1905 – Heselton House burned.
1907 – Municipal Building completed.
1907 – Coburn Park opened.
September 2, 1907 – Fire – Sampson’s Corner and vicinity – started at Drake’s Cigar Store and stopped at Fairgrieves Block – $75,000 loss.
January 3, 1908 – Death of E. P. Page, banker, state senator, prominent citizen.
February 13, 1908 – Opening play at the Opera House, “The Wolf”.
May 12, 1908 – Skowhegan’s steam-roller arrived, first to be owned by a Somerset County town.
November 5, 1908 – E. L. Savage acquires property for a paper mill from Lewis Anderson.
December 31, 1908 – Hotel Oxford and Milburn Block burn; $150,000 loss.
1909 – Mail stage discontinued between Skowhegan and Norridgewock.
February 10, 1909 – Municipal Building formally opened.
September 9, 1909 – First issue of the Independent Reporter succeeding The Somerset Reporter.
1910 – Population of Skowhegan:5341; valuation $3,956,483.
1910 – Workshop added to county jail at cost of $5,000.
1910 – New Railroad bridge built to accommodate heavier locomotives being used.
1910 – Easterly end of dam, from central ledge in North Channel, replaced by concrete at a cost of over $10,000. This structure was retained by Central Maine ower when its new dam across the channel was completed.
May 11, 1910 – Hinckley Bridge formally opened; 608 feet long with a cost of $50,000. Replaced the ferry that operated there for 115 years.
February 18, 1913 – Horse carnival huge success – about 100 horses in parade.
August 20, 1915 – Death of Levi W. Weston, manufacturer and citizen of great public spirit.
1916 – County jail reconstructed.
1916 – First County Agent begins work.
1916 – Somerset Shoe Factory established.
February 8, 1916 – Savage Manufacturing plant destroyed at a loss of about $30,000.
October 25, 1916 – Thousands gathered to greet homecoming Company E from border.
Week of October 30, 1916 – State Reformatory for Women opened.
1918 – New Post Office building constructed on corner of Water Street and North Avenue,
March 3, 1918 – Hotel Coburn burned.
1920 – Population of Skowhegan : 5981; valuation $4,809,583.
1920 – South Dam and Weston Station of Central Main Power Plant completed.
1921 – North Dam of Central Maine Power Plant completed.
1921 – First wireless signals arrive in Skowhegan.
October 6, 1923 – Racehorse John R. Braden established a new track record at Skowhegan of 2.06 ¾ over one mile.
1929 – New high school on the hill constructed; later became the middle school.
1929 – Strand Theater constructed.
1930 – Population of Skowhegan: 6433.
September 9, 1933 – Last passenger train service to Skowhegan.
October 9, 1936 – World War I memorial erected on the lawn of high school
1937 – Skowhegan History House opened.
1940 – Population of Skowhegan: 7159.
1940 – Margaret Chase Smith elected to the United States House of Representatives (1940-1949).
1949 – Margaret Chase Smith elected to the United States Senate (1949-1973). She was the first woman to serve in both houses of the United States Congress. Smith was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in the 1964 election; she was the first woman to be placed in nomination for the presidency at a major party‘s convention.
February 7, 1949 – Death of Louise Helen Coburn.
1950 – Population of Skowhegan: 7422.
1953 – Television arrives in Skowhegan.
1954 – Skowhegan Drive-In opened.
June 27, 1955 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke briefly to the large crowd at the Skowhegan Fair Grounds on his way back to Washington DC after vacationing at a sports camp in western Maine.
1960 – Population of Skowhegan: 7661.
1967 – Skowhegan High School opened.
1969 – Bernard Langlais “Skowhegan Indian” dedicated to “the Maine Indians, the first people to use these lands in peaceful ways”.
1970 – Population of Skowhegan: 7601.
1976 – Log drives come to an end on the Kennebec River.
1977 – Margaret Chase Smith Bridge constructed.
1980 – Population of Skowhegan: 8098.
1983 – Margaret Chase Smith Library opened.
1987 – Major flooding in Skowhegan.
1990 – Population of Skowhegan: 8725.
May 29, 1995 – Death of former Senator Magarret Chase Smith.
2000 – Population of Skowhegan: 8824; median income for a household in the town was $28,390.
2003 – Empire Grill, a Water Street restaurant, was filmed during the production of the movie Empire Falls, based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Maine author Richard Russo.
2005 – Main Street Skowhegan, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on the ongoing revitalization of historic Skowhegan, Maine is founded by a group of citizens, Main Street relies on hardworking staff, energetic AmeriCorps members, a dedicated Board of Directors, and more than a hundred volunteers to execute major community initiatives and events.
2010 – Population of Skowhegan: 8589.
March 7, 2019 – Skowhegan leads the nation when Maine became the first state in the nation to completely eliminate indigenous mascots from its school by replacing “Indians” with “River Hawks”. Supporters of a new mascot applauded the 14-9 vote by the school board to replace the name and logo.
2020 – Population of Skowhegan: 8620.
