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Lincoln's business community has seen many changes. As the years roll by, business opportunities change. Livery stables give way to car dealerships and river drives disappear in favor of logging trucks. We've collected some great photos of Lincoln's business history for your enjoyment. If you have any old photos we could use on our site, please e-mail them to us in JPEG format, or call us at 794-8071 to arrange for us to scan your photos and return them to you.

This photo of Thornton Brothers car dealership was taken in the late 1970s, a few years after their opening.

Those Were the Days!

These images show the price of gasoline during a "gas war" in Lincoln long, long ago. Can you imagine paying these prices today?
At one time, fox farms in Lincoln raised the animals for their fur. This tower is all that remains of one of these farms. It is located on Route 2 in South Lincoln.

Sometimes businesses occupy buildings that were once homes. This house on West Broadway in Lincoln was home to Walter and Mae Coburn and their daughters. It's now Subway. This photo was taken about 1950.

These two photos show the old Buck Motors building, which burned in 1946. It stood where Whitney's gas station is now, at the corner of Main and Clay Streets.

Bailey Drugs on Main Street in Lincoln, year unknown.

For many years, the Lincoln Trust Company was the only bank in town.

Bob Drew's service station was located where Key Bank is now, at the intersection of West Broadway and Park Avenue.

Clay's Store served as the office of the Town Clerk as well as stationery items, school supplies and PENNY CANDY!!

Lombard log haulers replaced horses as a means of getting logs out of the woods.
Some of these log sleds can be seen at the Lincoln Historical Society's museum at the Corro house next to the Library on West Broadway.

Ferries like this one in Lincoln Center were once used to cross the Penobscot River between Lincoln and Chester until the bridge was built in 1950.

This building in Lincoln Center once housed Howard Annis' store, where you could buy an ice cream cone or a wedge of sharp cheddar cut from a big wheel. Photo courtesy of Ida Whitney.

The Lincoln House Hotel on Main St. in Lincoln, year unknown. The old hotel was torn down in the 60's, and the Lincoln House Motel now occupies the location.

For more photos of the Lincoln House, click here.

This photo, courtesy of Peter Lyons of the Lincoln Color Center, was taken in 1978 when the store was located on Main Street in Lincoln

At one time, fox farms in Lincoln raised the animals for their fur. This tower is all that remains of one of these farms. It's located on Route 2 in South Lincoln.

This photo was taken in downtown Lincoln in 1996. The Newberry's and Osgood's stores are now Marden's.

This picture was taken in June of 1995, on the last day the lunch counter at the former J.J. Newberry store (now Marden's) on Main Street was open. (Photo by Connie Rand)

At one time, there was a service station called Lincoln Motor Co. where Libby's Color Boutique is now, on West Broadway in Lincoln. Thanks to Brad and Cathy Wambolt, current owners of Libby's Color Boutique, for providing us with this photo.

This little restaurant, known as the Shanty, was on Main Street in Lincoln. It was run by Ernest Goding. Can anyone tell us when this photo was taken?

Geoff Nelson of Columbus, Ohio writes with some information. He says, " I asked my mother, who is in her late eighties and lived in Lincoln from 1930 until the late 1980’s, if she remembered the Shanty. She said it was a very popular spot during the war and in the late 1940’s. My dad, who came from East Millinocket, said that people would attend dances at the Lakeside Pavilion and grab a snack or a meal at the Shanty when they needed a break. The Pavilion apparently attracted good crowds - my mom said they used to book big bands."

Geoff would love to see some photos of the Lakeside Pavilion if anyone has some.

Does anyone else have memories of the Shanty? E-mail us!
Lincoln has 19 miles of frontage on the Penobscot River. Many years ago, logs were floated down the river instead of being hauled on trucks as they are today. Riverdrivers used bateaux to help control the logs as they went downstream. In this old picture, riverdrivers left their boats tied up on the shore while they stopped for lunch. Photo courtesy of Ida Whitney.
At first, horses were used to get trees out of the woods. Then steam log haulers like this one took over. Photo courtesy of Ida Whitney.

Teams of horses provided the muscle to haul these logs. Photo courtesy of Ida Whitney.
The forest products industry is still in operation in this area today, albeit with more modern equipment! All that wood has to go somewhere. Much of it goes to Lincoln Paper & Tissue, shown below. There are also many sawmills in the area which produce lumber and specialty wood products.
One of the largest businesses in Lincoln is Lincoln Paper & Tissue. During the mill's history it has had several different names, but it has always been a mainstay of the area. This photo was taken in December 2007. CLICK HERE for some much older pictures.
Lincoln once had a local radio station, WLKN-FM. The station is now closed, but we have some photos. CLICK HERE for a look at Lincoln's broadcasting past.
A HISTORIC VIEW OF PENOBSCOT VALLEY HOSPITAL
A First-Person Account by Bonnie Gray
Although we may think of June 4, 1973 as being the official opening day of Penobscot Valley Hospital, in reality that day was only the culmination of a dream that began in the summer of 1966. On July 1, 1966, Medicare went into effect, and the citizens of Lincoln and the surrounding towns learned that Medicare had denied compensation to the Lincoln Hospital and the Workman Hospital. The two facilities were not able to pass stringent inspections and did not receive Medicare certification.

In the midst of unrest in the community, and feelings of disappointment and discouragement, some very determined individuals dared to take on the daunting task of making plans to build a new hospital that would meet Medicare requirements.

A 25-member Hospital Committee was formed in August of 1966. G. Daniel Aiken was elected to serve as chairperson and Argie Edgecomb was elected to serve as secretary. Dr. Bourcard Nesin, one of the committee members, suggested that a petition be circulated in each of the towns within the geographical area. The wording on the petition was intended to alert government officials to the health-care plight of the local communities and to request that the two hospitals be approved for full Medicare use until a community hospital could be constructed and put into operation. The petition was successful and was eventually sent to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Medical care was then available in the community while citizens of the towns made plans to build a new hospital.
Penobscot Valley Hospital in 1979, courtesy of the Lincoln Historical Society
In April of 1967, legislation was passed to create a hospital district for the Lincoln area. It was signed into law by Governor Kenneth Curtis. In June of 1967, voters of 14 towns gave overwhelming approval to the proposed Hospital Administrative District. The first Board of Directors was elected in June of 1967. The Hospital District was finally approved on September 10, 1967. In November of 1967, it was reported that H.A.D. #1 would cost about one million dollars to build. About half of the money would come from the Hill Burton Funds through the federal government, but the other half million would have to be supplied by the participating communities.


In December 1967, the first fundraising project took place. Christmas trees were sold by hospital board members and members of the Hospital Committee, and the building fund went from 0 to $77.00. Serious fundraising did not begin until November of 1972, when a large group of volunteers organized to solicit pledges and accept money for an area hospital fund drive. The Lincoln Fund Drive was one of several taking place in all of the towns of H.A.D. #1. The goal of the drive was to reach $291,000. The plans for the hospital had been delayed by the closing of the Standard Packaging Company in March of 1968. All community efforts were focused on getting the mill to re-open.

On December 14, 1972, a local newspaper reported that more than 300 citizens from 15 area towns were hard at work soliciting support in the form of pledges to the fund drive for the new hospital which was under construction. The effort would help the hospital purchase modern equipment needed for the up-to-date facility.

There were large and small donations, but each one was significant—from the $10,000 pledge made by Northeast Bank to the $604.34 donated by seven 4-H youngsters who clipped coupons from packages of food products and turned thousands of coupons into the General Mills Company for a cash redemption.

The Hospital Auxiliary first met in March of 1973 with 35 women present. The group quickly became actively involved in raising money for the hospital. Their efforts have continued for 35 years, and their volunteer contributions of time and energy have done much to improve Penobscot Valley Hospital.

At last, the hospital was ready to open to patients. On May 19, and 20, 1973, a weekend open house for Penobscot Valley Hospital drew nearly 3,000 people. There were special speakers, an invocation, and music from the Mattanawcook Academy Band, the Penobscot Valley High School Band, and the Lincoln Town Band. The public was invited to tour their new building. The event was planned and hosted jointly by the Hospital Auxiliary and the Board of Directors.

I was hired to staff the one-woman Medical Records Department and was present for opening day at Penobscot Valley Hospital. I have been one of the fortunate people to benefit from the diligence and faithfulness of the members of the first Hospital Committee and the first PVH Board of Directors. As an employee, and occasionally a patient, I have experienced all that PVH has to offer. I am very thankful to be employed by such an outstanding facility, and to have shared in the early beginnings of the Hospital. I have been inspired by the early history from 1966 to 1973 and privileged to participate in history-making events during subsequent years.

I am also very thankful to every person who donated to hospital fundraisers. Whether the contributions came from holiday tree sales, bake sales, raffles, garage sales, dinner theatres, golf tournaments or annual campaigns, they were all greatly appreciated. The hospital and the communities it serves have truly benefited from the generous contributions received through the years. The new Founding Donor Wall in the main lobby of the hospital will serve as an esthetically pleasing reminder that people care about the health care needs of Lincoln and the surrounding towns.

- Bonnie Gray is the Director of Health Information at Penobscot Valley Hospital in Lincoln and has worked at PVH since its first year in operation.

This staff photo was taken in the early 1970s. PVH photo