From the pages of the Livermore Falls Advertiser 

75 years ago:  

The Livermore Falls Garden Club, an active and progressive community organization, has worked to turn the area at the end of the bridge as one drives into Livermore Falls into an attractive rock garden that is drawing notice from tourists.

A short time ago the most notable thing in that area was an old, unused, boarded up railroad station. The building has been removed as has a former weight shed that was used as a storage warehouse.

The Livermore Falls Garden Club landscaped the cleared are and created a beautiful rock garden for passers by to enjoy.

Two brothers, ages 11 and 12, escaped serious injury last week when the truck on which they were riding overturned and showered them with logs.

The truck, driven by the boys’ father, was traveling slowly at the time and hit a soft shoulder. The boys escaped with cuts on the back of their heads. The driver and a passenger were uninjured.

The Livermore Falls girl scout troop under the direction of Mrs. Margery Stetson made a field trip to study minerals on Monday. They visited at Wilson Lake, in Wilton, where the floating island is being removed. From there they went to the North Jay granite quarry. Specimens of granite and other minerals were secured.

Reports from fruit growers indicate that the fruit bloom was moderately good but very generally later than usual this year. MacIntosh had an excellent bloom while the Baldwin bloom was above average.

The weather conditions were extremely unfavorable to pollination. From May 20-26, when most orchards were in full bloom, cool rainy and foggy weather prevailed without interruption. Under those conditions, the prospects for a good set are unfavorable.

50 years ago:  

Due to the lack of average snowfall last winter together with the below average rainfall this spring and summer, the towns of Livermore Falls and Jay water supply is very much below the average of this time last year. The trustees of the Livermore Falls Water District are requesting that water users water their lawns and gardens between the hours of 6 and 9 p.m, in the evening only.

After 26 successful years in business, Wellman Chevrolet Agency and garage will close its door on Friday, July 23.

Miller Lodge, the former Leslie Griffin place on Butter Hill, burned flat Sunday evening in a fire of undetermined origin.

A Livermore resident notified the North Turner Fire Department which sent two pumpers and a tanker. Firefighters said the main building was nearly leveled by the time they arrived.

The outbuildings, including a large barn, were saved. Firefighters reported there was no one at the lodge, which is used by Marlene Sedgley as a baton school.

Petitions are being circulated for signatures of residents of this area who are in favor of asking the Maine Highway Safety Committee and the Maine Central Rail Road to give serious consideration to relocating the Maine Central Rail Road tracks to eliminate at least some of the three rail road crossings in the central business area of Livermore Falls.

Safety, highway safety, pedestrian safety and fire protection are the main reasons why the tracks should be eliminated. Lives have been lost and persons maimed for life.

With the increased freight traffic brought on by the construction of the new $54 million Androscoggin Mill of the International Paper Company at Jay, the danger will be much increased. The mill is scheduled to be in operation this fall.

Anyone who has to cross one or more of these crossings is asked to sign one of the petitions. Signers need not be registered voters. The petition is a protest to allowing the rail road crossings in the business section.

25 years ago:  

Jay Police say a deep ditch on Spruce Road has created a safety hazard.

Last week, developer Howard Bickford dug a three foot deep ditch along approximately 100 feet of property belonging to Michael Bartlett and installed a culvert near Mt. Bartlett’s driveway at the same time.

Mr. Bartlett says if he hadn’t come home for lunch and ordered the backhoes off of his property, the ditch would have extended around the corner and down the remaining length of his property, creating a “moat” filled with water from an underground spring which begins beneath his driveway.

Mr. Bickford did the work because he wants the town to accept responsibility for the road in a development he built. He said the selectmen told him the ditch had to be three feet deep. The ditch work was needed in order to solve a water drainage problem on the road.

Town manager Charles Noonan said the ditch was totally unacceptable and that selectmen would be making a recommendation to Mr. Bickford in an effort to solve the problem. He thought there might have been some confusion created by the road specifications and that to his knowledge, none of the selectmen told Mr. Bickford that a three foot ditch would be needed.

The selectmen will meet with Mr. Bickford to discuss the matter further.

Jay Fire Chief Ron Shink advised members of the Jay Fire Department Monday evening that the proposed 911 emergency call system for Jay should be in service before 1991.

Chief Shink has been working with municipal officers and New England Telephone Company for the past several months. The telephone company has programmed the system to coincide with their new phone directories scheduled for December distribution in this area.

There is still a lot of technical work to be done. Emergency services in Jay are now handled through two telephone exchanges in Livermore Falls and Wilton. When completed, residents of Jay may dial “911” and the call will automatically go to the Jay Police Department’s dispatcher.

The Tree Farm owned by Leroy and Melvina Souther and sons of Moose Hill was recognized as the top tree farm in New England and the second best in the North East Region.

The 120 acre Souther farm has 110 acres in woodlot and is the largest of the three semi-finalists in the North East Division. That division is comprised of the six New England states, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Mr. Souther was named Maine’s Outstanding Tree Farmer last December.

Compiled by Pam Harnden.