Dexter's Main Street, "the flat," as it appeared between 1925 and 1931, looking west from the intersection in the center of town. In the foreground granite cobblestones are visible, installed in the early twentieth century to facilitate travel through the intersection. The stones were laid beginning just below Grove Street and extended through the intersection to the point where Spring Street enters Main Street. They are still there today underneath the asphalt.

Relegated to a corner of Bailey's garage is Eagle 3 hand tub was overlooked when the call went out for scrap metal during World War 11. It had been purchased by Dexter in 1836 and used regularly until 1920, when the fire department was motorized with the arrival of a La France truck. Dexter had used five of these hand tubs at one time. The Eagle has been used as a parade piece for the last forty-five years. It has a special nozzle that throws a 1 -inch stream of water 185 feet. The total capacity is about 150 gallons, and takes about 5 minutes to pump out. Usually the crew consists of at least fourteen men, with six men pumping on the breaks on each side. When it is loaded it weighs around 3,000 pounds. Vern Bodwell rebuilt much of its wood structure and the wheels were rebuilt in Massachusetts. At the Maine Federation of Fire Fighters convention a few years ago the East Corinth Fire Department challenged the Dexter Fire Department to a race around the track in Skowhegan. Dexter was up to the challenge and won before a large crowd. What made the race unusual was that East Corinth's rig was being pulled by ponies.

This was a familiar sight for many years at the annual Fourth of July parade in Dexter. Roland and Poopie-Do could always be seen weaving in and out of traffic as the paradewas enroute to Crosby Park.

A favorite place to go with children because of their ice cream and soda. It was originally owned by Abbie and Bunny Landry and stood at the Esso station (Exxon today) when Vern Bodwell & William Russell purchased it. One Sunday, when people passed by, they realized it has disappeared. Vern decided to move it to the public beach, and got Bud Ellms to do the job. But put it on two logs and dragged it through the streets early Sunday morning. they just took it and went without saying a word to anyone. It has since been remodeled many times. Later owners were Phil Mealey, Mackie & Dana Wilbur, Ron Haley, and at present Peter Prescott & Joanne Hibbard. It is now known as Lakeshore Lunch. Nancy Landry pictured in the foreground in the white dress, with her Pleasant Street School class with Mrs. Coy on the last day of school.

Can anyone remember when Bobby Downing wasn't pedaling down the street? Who hasn't bought Christmas cards from him? Even at seventy-five years old, with defective eyesight and a loss of his sense of touch, he still mows lawns and shovels walks. (when picture was taken)

A Dexter resident remembers Bobby's work ethic quite well: "While visiting with a friend...I glanced out the window and saw Bobby pushing a wheelbarrow...full of leaves he had raked off someone's lawn. He was pushing the wheelbarrow the two miles to the town dump after raking off the lawn, and still had to push the wheelbarrow back the two miles to town after emptying it. To say the least, I was very impressed with the sense of dedication he had when he went about his work."

"Dexter has a $70,000 fire. Fierce conflagration Friday night fought with difficulty. With the temperature at 15 degrees below zero and a stiff breeze blowing, the most destructive fire in the history of the town visited Dexter Friday night and was still burning at a late hour Saturday. Seven stores were damaged, two tenements gutted, and several offices damaged. As soon as the fire was discovered the occupants were aroused and all had narrow escapes, owing to the dense smoke and rapidly spreading flames. The wind blew a stiff breeze and things looked dark for the business section of town. The whole fire department, assisted by scores of citizens, soon had five streams of water playing on the building. The water kept up its force well and the pumps were kept working getting water from the reservoir. Had it not been for the new water system the whole business section would have been totally destroyed. The firemen suffered intensely from the freezing water and the intense cold. They soon appeared like animated ice cakes but were often treated to hot coffee and sandwiches by the Exchange Hotel and the Dexter Club where a ball had been going on at the time the fire started. So far as can be determined, the fire was caused by a defective chimney in the building owned by Charles F. Witherell."
       .....from the February 23, 1907 edition of the Eastern Gazette

A 1920 hunting trip involving Ridge Road residents. These deer were shot at a camp in Shirley. The photograph was taken in front of Will Nichol's residence and barn by Puffers Pond, where Horace and Perry McKenny currently milk cows. From left to right are: Cell Crowell, Jim Ballard, Elwin Puffer, Winfield Frost, Alton Puffer, J. Sawtelle, and Willis Nichols.

In 1820, two brothers came to Dexter in search of a mill site. Amos and Jeremiah Abbott visited numerous sites Downeast before deciding to purchase the mill and privilege of Jonathan Farrar. Eventually, two of their brothers followed them to Dexter, Joshua and Paschal, and a fifth, Abel, lived here for a short time before returning to Andover, Massachusetts. This picture of the five brothers had to have been taken between 1847 (when Paschal moved here) and 1859 (when Pachal died). In 1894, when George Amos Abbott, son of Amos Abbott, donated a library building to the town, he dedicated the structure to the four brothers who lived out their lives here. Amos, Jeremiah, Joshua and Paschal. From left to right are: (front row) Abel, Paschal, and Jeremiah; (back row) Amos and Joshua. One interesting side note concerning Amos and Jeremiah: they married sisters, daughters of Lieutenant John Safford. Amos married Mehitable and Jeremiah married Lucy Safford.

By 1818 post roads were opened between Skowhegan, Dexter, and Bangor. At first the mail was carried by post riders. By 1822 a two-horse covered carriage was used for the mail and passengers, driven by Lawrence Green. John Favor had a Troy coach he used on the road between Dexter and Skowhegan. By the 1840's a route from Waterville through Dexter to Greenville was established. Jere MacDonald was the regular stagecoach driver later on and is shown here driving the stage in the 1901 centennial celebration. When the 1951 celbration was planned, Erma Bentley looked for this stagecoach to use again in the parade. Much to her dismay, she found that after the 1901 celebration it was stored outdoors behind a barn someplace in the #10 District and was no longer usable.

Main Street looking east from Zion's Hill, 1846. This photograph is one the earliest Main Street photographs known to exist in the State of Maine. The original daguerreotype was reproduced in the early 1900s by longtime photographer Bert Call. (The original was later stolen from the town's library in the late 1970's The picture appears to have been taken during a snow or rainstorm.) The old Dexter House (left) served as a hotel from 1846 to 1876. The building has the distinction of being moved twice. The steepled building in the upper left is the Universalist church; built in 1829, it was Dexter's first church. Directly right of the Universalist Church and in the middle of Main Street is the Eaton Store, which years later became known as the T&K (Thurston & Kingsbury) Store. It was razed in 1949 to make room for a filling station, and is now the site of the Dexter Oil Company. The building in the top center with cupola was Dexter's first town hall, which collapsed during the town meeting of 1856. It was purchased by the Abbotts, moved and incorporated into their mill complex. Dr. Burleigh's home (to the right from the town hall) is currently the site of the Abbott Memorial Library. The home was moved in 1894 to make room for the new library.