Long gone, a bit of Seaview’s past

It amazes me how many old buildings, and antique homes are still standing in Sea View.  A few date back to the 1700’s, and many  were built in the early to mid-1800’s.

For now I’ll cover some buildings that no longer exist or are doomed.

272 Summer Street

Photo taken about 1910.

This typical  center-chimney Cape was built about 1780.
The first Littletown/ Sea View post office operated from the front room on the left from 1837 to 1880.
This was the residence of Henry Hatch Little, a descendant  of  Thomas Little, credited founder of Littletown.
During the 1930’s & early ’40’s It was The Little Green Light Tea Room.

It has been condemned due to structural decay.

 October 2020, UPDATE, THE NEW OWNER WILL RESTORE THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.  

An original business card in pristine condition.

 

128 Summer Street

Sketch by W. Ray Freden

This two-story building once stood on the corner of Warren Ave. & Summer St.  and was originally owned by Jedidiah Little.  It was built sometime before 1858. It was a store and boarding house.

Photo was taken c. 1910 looking north.

It was moved to 12 Warren ave. in the late 40’s, maybe early 50’s, and became a residence.

Sea View Post Office

Corner of Capt. Luther Little Way & Summer St. Built by George Currell sometime before 1880.

The building continued to be a general store until the mid-1940’s.
It was remodeled  into  a residence,  burned beyond repair and was demolished in the early 60’s.

The Federal Home

Across from the Post Office is a beautiful Federal brick-end home built by Jedidiah Little (b.1807- d.1882).  The Building to the left was a large Store & Factory built in 1852. The Federal home still remains

Photo taken c. 1910.

From 1865 to 1879, Gardner and Arnold ran a Shoe Shop employing up to 100 employees, followed by J.H. Stetson.  It was one of the first shops to use  shoe sewing machines.
In 1879, George Pecker owned the factory and made shoes until 1882. He  sold  the house, barn and factory to the Donovan family in 1903.   The factory made raincoats for a short time,  and  became vacant from 1920 to 1930.
At some time the above building was reduced in size as seen below with the entrance now on Summer St.

Paintings by W. Ray Freden

This business card was found by Ray in the building in 1951.

 

The Shoe Shop at 101 Summer St.

The red building in the center is the Shoe Shop at 101 Summer St. After the shoe business moved to Rockland, the building was used for Woodworking by Gould Crosby, making model boats and possibly other wood products in the 1930’s.

The building was torn down in 1951 by Bill Freden & son, Ray, to build a shop from the lumber. The twin front doors from this building are still being used .

91 Summer Street

This small farm house and barn were built by a Stetson who was also a partner in the shoe-making business next door.
William Randall  purchased this 2 1/2-acre property from Fredrick Cornwall in 1891. William was a partner with his brother,  George, and the company was known as Randall Brothers Manufacturing.

The Randall family lived on this property until  1999.

This residence no longer exists.  It was torn down in 1999, and replaced by a new residence.

Gasoline  .07 ¢  @ gallon.

Visible pumps were not the earliest pumps, but were quite interesting. You would pump a handle to fill your desired amount into the glass-visible container.  A scale in gallons was located within the glass.  After the desired amount was reached, you would place the nozzle into your tank, pull the trigger and the fuel would flow by gravity into your tank.

This early gasoline station was located at 91 Summer St. and operated by Charles W. Randall in the early 1900’s.  He discontinued selling gas after the Sea View Garage opened under the new owner Charles Langille sometime after 1919.

Charles (Charlie) Randall in his 1904 Rambler hauling gasoline to his Gas Station at 91 Summer St.
(1904 Rambler photo and research, compliments of Bert O’donnell, Jr.
Also, a special thanks to Janet Peterson, researcher for the many details used in this blog. Thank you.)

 

“It takes time, or does time – take it?”
Anthony Liccione

 

I have been recently asked, ”Ray, what would you keep of your past ?”
My first answer was, ” My memory”, which I seem to have & kept”.
Second, ” just about everything I’ve written about, and more to come.”.
Ray.

More to come:
Keene’s Ice House.
Gov. Emery’s Mansion.

W. Ray Freden.  Sea View, 70 years.