Yesterday’s trip down Memory Lane was to Passaic General Hospital, which showed that the grand old lady is faring well as part of a 21st century medical center complex.
Today, I’d like to share another treasure, a vintage photo postcard of Meddybemps, Maine. I’ve written about Meddybemps a couple of times, the last being when I wrote about Bertha Ella Stuart’s valedictory speech, in which she described life in this village.
Meddybemps, Early 1900s
This photo was taken about the time Bertha gave her speech, c1910. Meddybemps had several businesses, as you can see, but the building most likely to still be there is the little church. You can see the steeple down the road behind the man in the horse-drawn wagon.
Here is a cropped view of the little church:
Meddybemps Church
I’ve visited Meddybemps and it remains a very small little town, not more than a village even today. Bertha would likely be pleased if she could see it now.
The church steeple has been removed, but the church is still on Main Street.
Here is the 2016 view of the same stretch of road:
Main Street in Meddybemps Today
This is a second view, a but further on down the road:
Meddybemps Church on the Left
If it weren’t for the church, I would never in a million years expected that this was the same road. Massive clearing had been done by those early settlers. As years passed and old farm houses fell vacant, nature took over and brought all the trees back.
Meddybemps is a beautiful little town!
My great great grandfather was William Gould Harriman, mentioned in the speech