Eliot Time Line
Based on the Maine School Administrative District #35 Timeline of Eliot and South Berwick History - March 16, 2001
Natives living in Sturgeon Creek raise corn, beans and squash to supplement hunting and fishing Europeans (Basques, Portuguese) are already exploring area and fishing here, unofficial trading with the natives
Giovaanni da Verrazano first European to describe Maine coast Bartholomew Gosnold expedition to Maine coast Martin Pring visits our area of Maine coast Samuel de Champlain visits Maine coast Native population on New England coast devastated by European diseases (1616 and onward), 9 out of 10 die of diseases such as small pox and measles Popham Colony at mouth ofthe Kennebec River; colony fails Mayflower pilgrims settle Plimoth in Massachusetts Bay As many as 400 European fishing vessels now active off Maine coast; fishing stages on land to dry fish King James grants Charter to Mason and Gorges, businessmen from England; first official settlement at Little Harbor (now in Rye); settlements on both sides of the river are called the Piscataqua Plantations Nicholas Frost, father of Major Charles Frost, is early settler and is granted land in Piscataqua Plantations Alexander Shapleigh, wealthy member of London Fishmongers' Guild, obtains land in Piscataqua Plantations King Charles Creates Province of Maine Piscataqua Plantations on the Eastern Bank Renamed Kittery . (Province of Maine) Kittery "submits" to Massachusetts at publick meeting at Everett's Tavern (in today's Eliot) Saw and grist mills are built at Sturgeon Creek by the Shapleigh family Town Commercial Center at Old Fields, Lower Landing, Chadbourne's Mills Congregational meetinghouse built in Kittery's Unity Parish near Old Fields (South Berwick) Persecuted Quaker women are driven from Dover. They find safety in Kittery at the homes of the Shapleighs (Eliot), and Spencers and Richard Nason (South Berwick). Nason is disenfranchised for allowing Quaker meetings to be held in his home. Kittery becomes a haven for Quakers. During “King Philip's" War, Indians attack Salmon Falls (area of Rt. 236 between Berwick and South Berwick), and an eighteen-year old girl saves many occupants of the Tozier garrison through her bravery, according to oral tradition. “King Philip's” War Massachusetts Bay Colony buys Province of Maine from descendants of Ferdinando Gorges, and our area officially becomes part of Massachusetts English Crown appoints first Surveyor of Pine and Timber; James Warren in Kittery William Phipps captures Port Royal, Acadia Grist/Sawmill at Outlet of York Pond (Punkin Town in today's Eliot) Population of Province of Maine is 2,000; French and Indian attacks discourage all but the hardiest of settlers to remain HMS Falkland built at Kittery Major Charles Frost and his companions killed near Ambush Rock during King William's War; they were returning from Sunday meeting at the Old Field's meeting house (South Berwick) First meeting house built in Kittery Middle Parish John Shapleigh grants freedom to his slave, Black Will Third Indian War (Queen Anne's War) - the war between the English and the French (and their Indian allies) continues; Treaty of Portsmouth, 1713 A new congregation is formed and new meeting house built near the Spencer garrison at Old Fields (South Berwick); Many Residents from Kittery's North Parish (today's Eliot) attend Nottingham Galley sinks off Boon Island; 20th century writer Kenneth Roberts immortalizes story of survivors' plight, stranded on Boon Island Eliot and Sooth Berwick no longer share their town's name; Berwick separates from Kittery; Eliot becomes Kittery's Second Parish Treaty of Portsmouth ends Queen Anne's War Rev. John Rogers, first permanent minister of the Second Parish (Eliot), is preaching in 1714 and ordained in 1721; retires in 1768 Meeting house for Second Parish built at intersection of Old Road, Fore Road and River Road Fourth “Indian” War (Lovell's War; hostilities continue; Treaty of Falmouth(Portland), 1725 Anticipating French and Indian attacks, Frost Garrison built on Frost Hill Boundary Established Between New Hampshire and Province of Maine Several times during this period, Noah Emery is appointed King's Council (Legal Representative) for the Province of Maine Local men help capture Louisbourg in French and Indian War; Treaty, 1763 Fishing, farming, brickyards and shipbuilding key to economy of Kittery's Second Parish (later Eliot) One-room school houses become more numerous in Kittery's Second Parish (today's Eliot) Quaker meeting house moved from Dover Point across River to Kittery's Second Parish (today's Eliot) 300 colonists attack English soldiers at Fort Constitution in Newcastle, NH; they capture gunpowder and hide it on Frank's Fort (Island). Gunpowder used at Battle of Bunker Hill. Revolutionary War: Capt. Samuel Leighton leads company of soldiers to fight at Battle of Bunker Hill, June 6,1775 Berwick Academy incorporated; Berwick and Kittery (Eliot) youth can receive high school education Eliot becomes a separate town when Kittery's Second Parish separates from Kittery; now Eliot, Province of Maine, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Eliot is named for Robert Eliot (prominent Newcastle, NH resident of the early 1700s, who became a resident of Kittery's Gerrish Island), and his many descendants, including the famous donor of the bell which was never given! War of 1812: embargo devastates local trade, shipping, merchants; local North Berwick oral tradition recounts that when the war was declared over in 1815, a huge bonfire was built atop Agamenticus Mountain in celebration
Fort built on Dixon's Point by Mr. Joseph Dixon, to defend Eliot from attack of English ships Capt. Richard Waldron Shapleigh, master and co?]owner of his newly built ship, Granville, drowns in gale off Rye Beach returning from trip to Spain; his crew was saved Sturgeon Creek mill built in Eliot; tidal power processes corn and wheat; saws lumber Eliot Social Library established at Leighton House Maine is 23rd state admitted to Union, a free state (Missouri Compromise) Berwick Academy's 1791 House is moved; larger building constructed and female students now attend East Eliot Methodist Church built at Goodwin and Brixham Roads; remodeled over the years; new church now on Rt. 236 Eliot's Rogers Brickyard supplies brick for construction of Portsmouth Manufacturing Company in South Berwick Bicycles are invented as serious and quick alternative to harnessing up the horse Eliot Academy founded; unfortunately it burns to the ground in 1875 Portsmouth, Saco & Portland Company builds railroad, connecting Eliot and South Berwick to Portland and Boston Moses Gerrish Farmer is Eliot Academy Principal; inventor of fire alarm, produces first working light bulb, develops early "electric car" (trolley) Hanscom Shipyard launching many ships, including the clipper ship “Nightingale" (1851); today the site is the home of the Green Acre Baha’i School Civil War; many also from Eliot (see Willis' Old Eliot) “U.S.S. Kearsarge” built at "Portsmouth Naval Shipyard" (so called at that time); major employer of Eliot men and men from the entire region Eight school districts in Eliot by 1865; Eliot citizens are also very proud of their own Eliot Academy Maine State Law requires free public high school education; South Berwick contracts with Berwick Academy to serve as town high school; many Eliot students also attend as paying students Rowe Brothers, Tondreult Bricks, continue Eliot brickyard traditions by supplying brick for new buildings in Portsmouth Eliot Congregational Church Built on State Road Hannah Tobey Shapleigh Farmer establishes Rosemary Cottage in Eliot; retreat for needy mothers and children from nearby cities Green Acre Inn built; Peace Conference held there in 1894; becomes Baha'i Center Fogg Memorial built at Berwick Academy; stone is cut from local quarries. Berwick Academy is an integral part of South Berwick life. Students attend high school there. John Fremont Hill is Governor of Maine; he builds the Governor's mansion, the Blaine House; promotes the electric car system (trolley) Dr. John L. M. Willis edits and publishes History of Old Eliot, invaluable tool of Eliot (and South Berwick) history; its three volumes contain documented and oral history pertinent to both towns The John F. Hill Grange #393 is organized; in 1910, the grange hall is completed, overlooking the many farms of Eliot from its treeless location near the Library (today, most working farms are gone)
First electric car runs from Kittery to Green Acre; it's the 55th anniversary of Prof. Moses G. Farmer's invention of the first Electric Railway in the world (he presented a prototype of it in 1847) Electric cars (trolleys) run daily from Dover to York; called Atlantic Shore Line; old trolley rail beds can be seen along, Goodwin Road Dr. Willis and “his new machine” - the first auto in Eliot Eliot High School; this solid but out?]of?]date building was demolished in 1987, to make way for a new Eliot Town Hall on State Road. Lanier Camps provide summer activities for city children WWI ~ Ship building at the Kittery Navy Yard employs many local men Laura V. Dame School built in South Eliot; the building is now privately owned and contains apartments Morin family operates last brickyard in Eliot at the Joseph Morin Brickyard Farm on Cedar Road New Eliot High School is built (now Eliot Elementary School) WWII; many enlist; Kittery Navy Yard again becomes major employer for Eliot and South Berwick; 25,000 employed, including many women Korean Military Action B&M Railroad discontinues services through Eliot and South Berwick; railroad tracks are removed Dow Highway (Rt. 236) constructed over old railroad bed; named for Harold L. Dow, Representative from Eliot to the Maine State Legislature, who proposed the new highway and saw to it that it was completed
Viet Nam Military Action Eliot, South Berwick Schools join to become MSAD #35; New High School is built on Depot Road in Eliot Odyssey of the Mind (OM), National Problem-Solving Competition, comes to MSAD #35 Great Works Regional Land Trust is established, to protect and preserve our towns' dwindling natural resources Mildred Holmes Obrey, Student and Teacher of our schools, retires from MSAD #35 School Board Chair Marie Donahue (BA graduate), Teacher, Local Historical Author, publishes “Old Academy on the Hill” Joseph and John Frost, Mara (Frost) Marshall community-active descendants of Nicholas Frost (1634) At the March 25th town meeting, the people of Eliot approved the purchase of ancient Punkin Town from Frank Parsons, for use as a recreation area. Mr. and Mrs. Silas Weeks, and the Great Works Regional Land Trust were instrumental in accomplishing this farseeing purchase. Few of the old working farms now remain in Eliot; Goodwin Farm on Cedar Road; the Leavitt, Schultze, and Kashmere Farms on Goodwin Road Dedication of New Marshwood High School on Rt. 236 in South Berwick. Realignment of student population of Eliot and South Berwick results in Eliot Elementary School and Central School, South Berwick consisting of Pre-K through and including 3rd grade students; Marshwood Middle School, 4th grade through and including 6th grade students; Marshwood Junior High School 7th and 8th grades; and the new high school, 9th through 12th grades.