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York, Maine, circa 1908. "Street in York Village." Handbill on the tree: GREAT BASE BALL GAMES FRIDAY & SATURDAY, YORK BEACH. View full size.
Finally, after browsing Shorpy daily for 3 years, I see a picture of my home town! I've been down that street thousands of times. That scene is at the intersection of York Street and Long Sands Avenue, right in the heart of "Old York", where there are many restored historic buildings, including the Old Gaol, which is is right behind the buildings on the left of this picture. A 90-degree turn to the left, and you would see the Civil War memorial statue, which bears a striking resemblance to a Confederate soldier. A 90-degree turn to the right, and you would be able to see my grandmother's house.
I'm pretty certain the trolley was standard gauge. I live in Pittsburgh where the trolley gauge was 5 feet 2-1/2 inches. It looks much broader than the gauge in this photo.
This one took some work because I couldn't quite read the sign. From the census it appears that an older Helen, head of household, is a widow, and her 28 year old daughter Helen M is the Milliner. The 1900 census shows the mother as Georan Bragdon, dressmaker, but the Maine birth records confirm Helen (Weare) as mother and a George Theodore Bragdon as father.
The Millinery Shop on the left is now the Old York Historical Society
If you take a left at Lindsey No 2 Rd you will see the little house with the window on the roof.
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...are probably for the Atlantic Shore Electric Railroad. This was an intercity electric trolley line that connected York Harbor to Dover, New Hampshire. On a 1920 topographic map the line's tracks are shown running down the main street in York Village.
and with just a little bit of work the Post Office could easily have a drive through window.
That streetcar track sure looks like something broader than the usual standard gauge. (The overhead trolley wire shows clearly, so at least something electric used the track.)
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