Maine Memory Network

Henry F. Smith age 72, on bicycle, Westbrook, 1940

Contributed by: Walker Memorial Library Date: 1940 Location: Westbrook Media: Photographic print

Wired! How Electricity Came to Maine

As early as 1633, entrepreneurs along the Piscataqua River in southern Maine utilized the force of the river to power a sawmill, recognizing the potential of the area's natural power sources, but it was not until the 1890s that technology made widespread electricity a reality -- and even then, consumers had to be urged to use it.