Rockland’s Lime Rock Railroad

Owls Head, Maine - On Saturday, March 9 join David Hoch, Larry Goldman, Gil Merriam and John Ware as they present an illustrated discussion on Rockland’s Lime Rock Railroad.  The presentation will be held at 1:00 pm at the Owls Head Transportation Museum.  Admission is free.

Operating from 1888 to 1942, the Lime Rock Railroad supported one of Rockland’s most important industries, transporting lime from the quarries at the Highlands to the kilns.  The railroad operated on standard-gauge track, where many of Maine’s purpose-built lines relied on narrow gauge track.  This allowed the line to operate on not only the Knox & Lincoln County Railroad track, but also on the Rockland, Thomaston and Camden Street Railway, increasing its range.

Hoch, Goldman, Merriam and Ware, all historians of note, each have a unique connection to the Lime Rock Railroad, from the author of a book on the subject, to the last acting president of the Rockland Lime Company.  Their multimedia presentation will include photos, maps, commentary and film.

“Rockland’s Lime Rock Railroad” is the fifth in a series of winter education programs to be offered by the Owls Head Transportation Museum.  All programs begin at 1 pm and are free to the public, thanks to the support of the Museum’s Lang Education Center.

The remaining Winter Education programs at the Owls Head Transportation Museum are:

April 6 “The Trolley Parks of Maine” – Trolley parks are a now forgotten way of life, providing a destination for day-trippers and inexpensive entertainment around the state.  These parks were supported by the electric trolley lines that provided transportation to so many Mainers.  Join Amber Tatnall and Randy Leclair, of the Seashore Trolley Museum as they revisit some of Maine’s most popular Trolley Parks.

April 20 “Roadside Maine, A Nostalgic Journey Up Route 1” – Maine State Historian, Earle Shettleworth presents an illustrated talk comprised of post card views of roadside architecture along Route 1 in Maine from the 1900s to 1960s.  Learn how automobile travel, especially summer tourism travel, transformed Route 1 and the communities through which it passes.

The Owls Head Transportation Museum is located at 117 Museum Street, two miles south of Rockland, off Route 73 in Owls Head.  For more information, call 594-4418 or visit www.owlshead.org