When Frank and Emma LePage came to what would become the town of Millinocket, there was little here. In a news article interview several years ago Emma described the area as “rough” and there was only a portion of “one street with some buildings on one side and swamp land on the other.”
The museum recently received several old deeds including three that give background to the start of the LePage family’s business undertakings in Millinocket. These were received from Linda LePage Boyd. The earliest (1899) is an “articles of agreement” between a Coughlin of Massachusetts and “French LePage and King Bishop both of the village of Millinocket, Indian Township #3, County of Penobscot and State of Maine.” These “articles of agreement” stated that LePage and Bishop were borrowing money from Coughlin and that “the said owners will purchase a lot in the village of Millinockett” (yes, two t’s) “the same being Lot #3, block 27” and “will erect thereon a two-story building for a barber shop and tenement, lot and improvements to cost, approximately
one thousand, four hundred dollars.” In addition, up to another $225 would be spent on
improvements. They borrowed the money from Coughlin and on Feb. 22, 1900, LePage and Bishop signed a quit-claim deed with Great Northern Paper Company for the plot of land in Lot #3, block #27. In the legal wording on this document are some conditions. One, “no intoxicating liquors of any kind, either malt or spirituous, shall ever be manufactured or sold upon the premises, or any part thereof.” We know from a photo of the building that early on the building had a pool hall, shooting gallery and bowling alley. Were they liquor free? Another condition was the building had to cost at least $1000 to construct and that a barber shop was the planned business. Frank LePage was a barber. In the 1930’s LePage’s Dine and Dance was located in the building. The third document regarding this building is dated April 12, 1904. King Bishop deeded his interest in the building to Frank LePage. This early building, using the address 75 Penobscot Avenue, would be replaced by the Millinocket Theater and more recently by
Pins and Cues Bowling Alley. The lot is currently vacant.
Very early view of lower Penobscot Avenue. The Frank LePage building on left (pool hall etc.). Would be replaced by the Millinocket Theater building later. HAM Rush building across the street.
Museum open Thursday, Friday, Saturday Noon-3PM In the Museum Store! ***2022 Calendars, Everybody Loves a Parade! $14.00 each, add $5 each by mail *** Preowned yearbooks - $10.00 each. *** Matted photos, various prices – GNP mill, Little Italy, river drives, Mt. Katahdin. *** DVD’s, Little Italy Part 1 and Part 2 available at the museum ($15 each) or mail order ($15 each). ***Books: “Within Katahdin’s Realm, Log Drives and Sporting Camps” (Bill Geller) $30.00; “Logging Towboats & Boom Jumpers” (Moody) $18.00; “Tanglefoot,” (Edwards) $15.00; “The Nighthawk,” (Edwards) $15.00; “Millinocket” (D. Duplisea) $20.00; “A Little Taste of History” cookbooks - $15.00; both Laverty books, $25 history & $10 architecture; “Our Real World,” (M. Murphy) $15.00; “No Time for Moss (McKeen) $15.00 and several preowned books (out of print) by local authors. *** All items may be mailed – add $5 SH each item. *** For information, groups or appointments, contact Curator Trudy Wyman, 723-5477. *** By mail at Millinocket Historical Society, P. O. Box 11, Facebook or on the web at www.millinockethistoricalsociety.org or on Facebook. ***By email MillinocketHistSoc@gmail.com or trudy18@beeline-online.net