My 2X great grandmother, Nellie F. (Tarbox) Adams (1856-1927) was born in the small town of Robbinston, Washington, Maine, just south of the big city of Calais, where much of my mother’s paternal family had lived since the 1830s.

Nellie’s father, unlike many men of the time, wasn’t a farmer. He bought up various businesses and ran them.

Although George and Mary Elizabeth (Scripture) Tarbox had originally settled in Robbinston, having migrated north from Newburyport, Massachusetts, they soon moved into Calais. I suspect that their move was precipitated by George’s need to be in Calais often to attend to his business concerns.

Robbinston had a population of just over 1100 residents back in 1860, when Nellie was a little girl. Today, the population is only half that – 575 souls.

EBay is a favorite shopping site for historical photos of the towns in which my ancestors lived.

When I saw the photo above up for sale, I knew I had to buy it and send it back home to its current owners.

Since this house was said to be on “Main Street,” which today is the state highway, I spent a few minutes meandering along the road via Google maps, until I reached today’s street view of the house.

Because I don’t know who owned this house at the turn of the 20th century and the address was only R.F.D. #3, Robbinston, Maine, I had no clues to follow. By the way, R.F.D. is Rural Free Delivery.

Since the photo was taken, the road has been widened considerably and it looks like much of the added roadway came from the front yard of this house.

However, I asked a contact who lives in the Calais area if it would be possible to knock on the door to find out who lives in the house today so this photo can go back home.