I got this stick several years ago in a barn we were tearing down in Maine . Thought it looked good enough to set aside an keep . The other day I needed a piece of wood for a project I was doing . Just before I was about to cut it , I saw inscriptions on it .
Mount Washington Party
Sept 18th 1884
Geo. W. Brown
Emma Brown
Lizzie Huston
Ester H. Huston
Jessie M. Cate
Clara H.
JoeL P. Huston
Geo. E. Gay
Mattie S. Robinson
Then it says - "Bought at Fory? " House
the words " bought at " and ''House" are very clear . I'm very curious about the " F " word .
I know there was a place called the ''Tip Top House " up there .
The stick is 6 feet 4 inches tall - 2 inches thick at the the top , tapering to about 1 inch at the bottom .Looks like it was shellacked a long time ago . There is a rusty staple at the the top , so I think it was used as a flag pole . They probably climbed up there and had a picnic or something back in 1884 . I just can't figure out the ''F '' word . Any ideas ? Thanks ! .....(I'm Glad I didn't cut it)
Don't know if this helps, but I've tweaked that image with Photoshop. It looks like the word is "Fortyan" or "Forty an". Have you tried researching the names on the stick? You might be able to track down descendants of some of those people.
Middenmonster
There are things you can replace. And others you cannot. The time has come to weigh those things. This space is getting hot. Whoa! This space is getting hot!
Also... Mount Washington seems to be in New Hampshire? Not a bad trip for 1884. The Geo. W. Brown listed in the above site would have been 34 years old in 1884! Seems to fit!
That definitely sounds like he's the dude. If so, that stick has got to have some value to it beyond the historical. The stick can also be viewed as a "Brown record", and may be of interest to Ray, the guy who maintains the web site:
"NOTE: I will be filling in the other sections of Brown Vital Records, Ect from information at other parts of my web site and other sources. If you have Brown records of any type I will be happy to include them if sent to me, see email address below.
<snip> ray@rays-place.com"
Middenmonster
There are things you can replace. And others you cannot. The time has come to weigh those things. This space is getting hot. Whoa! This space is getting hot!
I was thinking that the word your looking at is "FABYAN" so a quick google found this from the below site: "1837 Horace Fabyan opens the Mount Washington House. Renamed Fabyan House in 1872, it operates until 1951." I think this is where the stick was picked up and years line up perfectly!
Also see this cool site for great pictures from that era of the hotel wagon/coach that tourists rode from the Fabyan House and was owned by the Mt. Washington Stage Company!
I was thinking that the word your looking at is "FABYAN" so a quick google found this from the below site: "1837 Horace Fabyan opens the Mount Washington House. Renamed Fabyan House in 1872, it operates until 1951." I think this is where the stick was picked up and years line up perfectly!
I think you've nailed it. And if you look carefully at the lower right Library of Congress picture I think you can see this very stick leaning up against the building next to a window on the porch...
Middenmonster
There are things you can replace. And others you cannot. The time has come to weigh those things. This space is getting hot. Whoa! This space is getting hot!
Can you imagine tracking this guy down and finding out that he actually went to this place and maybe there is some other proof, like some old family photos of this group? Keep us posted if you choose to explore the mystery any further!
MiddenMonster may be right-on-the-money with contacting ray@rays-place.com
Can you imagine tracking this guy down and finding out that he actually went to this place and maybe there is some other proof, like some old family photos of this group? Keep us posted if you choose to explore the mystery any further!
MiddenMonster may be right-on-the-money with contacting ray@rays-place.com
This stick and the history that surrounds it might also be a good idea to submit to History Detectives. For those who don't know about History Detectives, it's a show on PBS that tracks down stories and legends connected to historical artifacts. Here's a link to the show:
They have one hot history detective in Elyse Luray. If she came out to your place for a visit it would be worth it, even if the stick thing didn't pan out:
Middenmonster
There are things you can replace. And others you cannot. The time has come to weigh those things. This space is getting hot. Whoa! This space is getting hot!
Wow ! This is getting real interesting ! The stick was found in Bristol ( my home town), which is right next to Damariscotta . (I also graduated from Lincoln Academy) .
I have an extensive collection of old newspapers from this area dating back to the early 1800's . I just got the box out - the second old paper from the top of the stack - Pemaquid Messenger October 6 , 1886 has this ad on the front page . Note the name - upper right
Here are a couple more clues from a 1910 newspaper .
It seems like all these people were prominent businessmen . My girlfriend thinks she heard that Joel eventually went on to be president of the bank . There is an eccentric old man in Damariscotta named Huston Dodge , he's in his 90's now . He has a son named Joel Huston Dodge . Ironically , when I was in the process of tearing down the barn , my helper buddy quit on me .It was too much for me to do alone so I gave the rest of the barn to Mr. Dodge . He is very well known around here for his collection of old buildings and architecture that he removes an puts on his many properties . This was back in 1988/89 . I think he's a relative of some of the stick people .
I plan to go to the bank this week and ask a few questions / maybe there are some placks on the wall with the names of past bank presidents . I hope to talk to Mr. Dodge too !
It's kind of hectic this week with Christmas comming up .
I plan to go to the bank this week and ask a few questions / maybe there are some placks on the wall with the names of past bank presidents . I hope to talk to Mr. Dodge too !
Now a big question: If it turns out as it appears to be heading that the names on the stick are in fact the people who went on to some prominence in town, would you donate the stick to either their descendants or a local historical society? I'd be tempted to keep it, but I would be worried about being able to preserve the pencil writing. The more it's handled the more it will rub off. I would also be concerned about dust and oils collecting on it. It ain't the staff of Moses, but it does represent an important piece of history for the area, and possible region.
And do dugfinds: Are you writing to History Detectives because of this stick, or because of Elyse Luray? I'd agree that either is a good reason!
Middenmonster
There are things you can replace. And others you cannot. The time has come to weigh those things. This space is getting hot. Whoa! This space is getting hot!
The first hotel on Mt. Washington was the old Summit House, built in
1852 by L. M. Rosebrook, N.R. Perkins, and J.S. Hall. The Tip Top
House was built in 1853 by John H. Spaulding and others. He was part
owner of that and the Summit House, and conducted them for several
years. The first Summit house was torn down in the spring of 1884, to
give place to a new building, built in 1872, to be used as lodging
rooms for the employees of the hotel.The signal station at the Summit
was established in 1870.
1880 census
Birthplace
Joel HUSTON Self M Male W 71 ME Ret. Ship Builder ME ME
Ann HUSTON Wife M Female W 58 ME House Keeping ME ME
Lizzie S. HUSTON Dau S Female W 27 ME At Home ME ME
Joel P. HUSTON Son S Male W 22 ME At Home ME ME
Esther H. HUSTON Dau S Female W 20 ME At Home ME ME
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Originally Posted by Montana Jim
I'd agree that either is a good reason!
