by Mary Grow As last week’s article on the Masse family suggested, from the late 1700s through the 1800s central Kennebec Valley entrepreneurs dammed streams and rivers to provide water power for industry. Local histories have long lists of dams on streams tributary to the Kennebec River, before people got up the courage to try […]
by Mary Grow At their Nov. 20 meeting, the majority of China’s select board members enthusiastically and unanimously approved a new town logo, designed by board member Jeanne Marquis. Marquis showed how the simple, symmetrical design can be used as a letterhead for town stationery, on town vehicles and on T-shirts and caps, in color […]
by Mary Grow When Louis Masse’s name appeared in last week’s article on the Starrett family of China, knowledgeable Vassalboro residents might have been surprised. They thought he was theirs, founder of the family that owned and ran the Masse mill on the Masse dam, in East Vassalboro. Same man. First he lived and worked […]
by Mary Grow In the course of exploring two applications for solar power developments at their Nov. 14 meeting, Vassalboro planning board members found what most of them consider an omission in the town’s new solar ordinance. The application that raised the issue was from ReVision Energy for a small array on Route 32 (Main […]
by Mary Grow At their Nov. 16 meeting, Vassalboro select board members talked again about the fire station roof, a generator for the town office and recording board meetings (theirs and other town boards), and revived a topic not discussed for years, membership in Kennebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG). They made no final decisions. […]
by Mary Grow On Nov. 14, China planning board members held their rescheduled public hearing on Novel Energy Systems’ proposed community solar farm on Parmenter Hill Road, the section locally known as Moe’s Mountain. Attendees included nearby landowners who attended the Sept. 26 preliminary discussion and Novel representatives. Main issues were those already raised Sept. […]
by Mary Grow The Vassalboro Historical Society’s online collection, showing pictures of items from the society’s collection, is now available for viewing by computer at vassalborohistoricalsociety.org. People can see on line photos of items in the society’s collection, showing people, a great variety of documents, clothing, household objects and furniture, tools and other historic items. […]
by Mary Grow Two weeks ago, this series featured China-born inventor Laroy Sunderland Starrett. As suggested in that story, he was a member of a large family with generations of China connections. This article will provide information about Laroy Starrett’s family. A warning to readers: there is a fair amount of genealogy, which your writer […]
by Mary Grow Two positions on China boards have been filled, after Nov. 7 write-in votes were counted and winners informed. Town Clerk Angela Nelson reported incumbent Michael Brown received six votes for the District 1 planning board seat, and incumbent Michael Sullivan received five votes for the District 3 budget committee seat. Both have […]
by Mary Grow Members of China’s Tax Increment Finance (TIF) committee met Oct. 30 to receive progress reports on town projects funded with TIF money. Representatives from the China Lake Association, China Region Lakes Alliance, Four Seasons Club, Thurston Park committee and China Broadband committee reported on expenditures and plans. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood summarized […]