by Mary Grow Winslow wasn’t the only small town in this section of the Kennebec River valley with its own 19th-century lawyer(s), though no other seems to have been as conspicuous as Eleazer Ripley (see The Town Line, May 8, 2025, page 10). Or maybe many were, and appear less known and important now only […]
by Mary Grow Vassalboro Planning Board members approved the only application on their agenda at a brief May 6 meeting. Keith and Lise Marlowe had applied for an addition on the back of their cottage, at 148 Park Lane, in the Three Mile Pond shoreland zone. Architect Tobias Gabranski, from Bath, and builder David Tyrol, […]
by Mary Grow China Road Committee members spent their May 8 meeting talking about two roads and a parking lot in the northwestern end of town and a bridge in Branch Mills, on the eastern boundary. The roads are Maple Ridge, which runs from Vassalboro northeast through China into Winslow, and Neck Road, which dead-ends […]
by Mary Grow In his Kennebec County history, Henry Kingsbury wrote that Winslow lawyer Lemuel Paine once had a partner whom Kingsbury called “General Ripley, the hero of the battle of Lundy’s Lane, Canada.” This man was Brigadier General Eleazer (sometimes Eleazar) Wheelock Ripley, and he deserves recognition in two spheres, as a useful citizen […]
by Mary Grow Chapter One: the Building’s Story Historical information on the wooden building at 363 Route 3, in China, comes from a combination of town records, provided by China Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood and Codes Enforcement Officer Nicholas French, and local people’s memories. These sources say that Richard and Rita Hussey had the building […]
by Mary Grow Vassalboro town clerk Cathy Coyne reports the following candidates for elective office have qualified for the June 10 local ballot. For one three-year position on the select board, incumbent Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr. For two three-year positions on the school board, incumbents Jessica Clark and Amy French. For a one-year term on […]
by Mary Grow Four members of the Vassalboro Cemetery Committee met April 28, mostly to continue discussion of who’s in charge of tree removal in cemeteries. In the audience were Holly Weidner, chairman of the conservation commission; Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., chairman of the select board; and, until he had to leave for another engagement, […]
by Mary Grow Dan Mayotte, co-founder and director of Vassalboro’s First Responder unit, updated select board members on grant funds at their May 1 meeting. Mayotte said after the Vassalboro unit was upgraded to advanced EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) status last year, part of a $17,500 state grant was used to send assistant director Josi […]
by Mary Grow China select board members got updates on the community garden and Thurston Park, accepted Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood’s idea of contracting with a professional grant-writer and presented the annual Spirit of America award for volunteerism at their May 5 meeting. Planning Board chairman Toni Wall received the award – to her surprise […]
by Mary Grow Four members of the Vassalboro Cemetery Committee met April 28, mostly to continue discussion of who’s in charge of tree removal in cemeteries. In the audience were Holly Weidner, chairman of the conservation commission; Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., chairman of the select board; and, until he had to leave for another engagement, […]