EUSTIS — A bill to rename Route 16/27 between Stratton village and Rangeley will be tabled because it needs the approval of town voters, state Sen. Walter Gooley, R-Farmington, said Thursday.

The resolve was scheduled to go before the State Transportation Committee on Jan. 12.

Since proposing a change to the ‘Caleb Dalton Stevens Memorial Highway,’ Gooley found the renaming needs to be approved by Eustis voters at their annual town meeting this spring.

Representatives from the Wilhelm Reich Museum contacted Gooley earlier this year about changing the name of the road between Stratton and Rangeley. However, lacking an agreement with towns along Route 27, Kingfield and Carrabassett Valley, the proposal was submitted for just Stratton village, from the town line on Route 16 to the town line on 27, he said.

According to local historical writer, Luann Yetter, in her book, “Remembering Franklin County,” Stevens lived from 1776 to 1855 and was an early settler in the northern part of Franklin County, Gooley said.

Stevens, his wife Sally Thomas, and their nine children moved from Kingfield to the intersection of Stratton Brook and Dead River in the fall of 1818. They walked as far as Carrabassett Valley the first day, and reached their destination on the second day, he added.

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Stevens made his first trip in August 1818 — finding land to settle, and building a cabin and barn, then returned in the fall to get his family and bring them there.

Phillip Stevens, of Stratton, a descendant of Caleb Stevens, organized a re-enactment walk in August 2009, traveling the same route the family took in 1818, Gooley said.

The Eustis Historical Society supports the name change but it’s up to voters, Stevens said.

abryant@sunjournal.com


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