Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-28
The Old cushnoc House.

Under the above head a writer in the
Maine Farmer presents collection of in
teresting facts in relation 10 the old hostelry
known as the Cnshnoe House. Some of
these are given below
The Cushnoc House was built in 1903 BY
Mr. Amos Partridge, grandfather of Chas
X and Frank X. Partridge, druggists. in
business in Augusta and Allen Partridge.
agent of the steamboat company. II was
two stories high, and about one-quartcr of
its recent size. IL was first used rs a store
and dwelling. John Partridge traded in
the store part, in company with Kendall
/ Nichols, father of the late Asaph Il
| Nichols. Esq. 1t was comparatively a
small building at first. and was enlarged
/ from time to time to meet the business de-
mands of the times, until ii became the
tiree-story large building in which the
flames found il the other night. 1t was
low posted, aud the upper stories had the
old fashioned seventy nine windows. II
never enjoyed the reputation Of being a
hrst-class hotel, but was a home-like AMI
comfortable place for travellers.
We do not get the exact year in which
the house was made into a hotel, but in that
wear the livery stable. so long occupied by
Mr. Perry, was built, to be used in eonnec-
ton with the hotel. In this stable travel
ing menageries were held. and when the
show man came around with an elephant
and a monkey, the whole town was excited,
and people came forty or fifty miles TO see
the then wonderful show. The fiat west OF
the house was all forest. and the boys used
to have good time skating there IN the
winter. A private school was kept in the
/ house for a while, before it became a hotel.
/ The first landlord was Joseph Z. Diling
I ham, who was known as Pitt" Dillingham;.
! Right in front of the Winthrop street door
was a large well, which was maintained for
I some time, and afterwards filled up. In
/ the early DAYS and before the passage of
/ the Maine liquor law, there seemed but
( little need of wells in connection with the
house as it had famous bar where gin
cocktails and Tom and Jerrys were
mixed in the most approved styles,
AMI pure and g0od > New England rum
wns sold for the low price of three cents u
glass. It is said that on that bleak and dis
nal day in 1885, when Sugar was hung
near by. they took seven hundred dollars
NJ the bar of the house After the Maine
law was passed, the bar was driven down
INTO the darksome recesses of the cellar.
( In 1885, Henry johnson of Pennington
/ bought the house and moved into it. Mr..
( johnson was the father of the veteran
I printer, Doctor Robert b. Johnson, who
4 s,ill resides with US, and who has not yet
( laid down the composing stick. Farming
ton was then part Of Kennebec county, and
! Johnson was deputy sheriff, having charge
I of the Jail here. which was right opposite
tho hotel, on the lot afterwards owned by
/ Mr.. ii Staples Mr.. johnson built the ell
part of the house. His sign was an old
I fashioned swinging one, the erect figure of
an Indian being painted thereon by Mr.. B.
| 4. Morse. who in his old age still resides
( in our city.
/ Frosn the earliest days the delegates from
the Penobseot aud rassamaquoddy Indians
made their headquarters at the house, and
I it was through their suggestions. coupled
with the original Indian name of this local
/ ity, that -'Cushnocr was applied to the
house The bows used to have hgh-oti
times sno s-baling the figure OF the Indian
on the swinging. creaking sign. johnson
Kept the hotel eleven wears. Lewis u.
Moore was in company with him the last
year Mr. johnson sold the property to
Mr.. +. Butler of Pennington, who also
purchased considerable property in the I'M
mediate vicinity.
Mr. F.. T. Norton followed johnson as
landlord On leaving. Norton removed to
IIalloweIl. Mr.. +. j. Cox, member Of the
Legislature from Dixfeld about 1870, was
the next proprietor. The house was after
wards kept by Henry Lincoln who married
the daughter of W. Wendenburg, orrin
Rowe and .Iabez and Thomas Ballard. The
! Ballard Brothers bought the property of
| the heirs of F. Butler of Pennington. and
/ they continued to keep the house until ii
was abandoned rs a hotel 1t was then
( sold to Hon. VIM. 7. Whitehouse and the
| late Gardner c. Nose, and by them sold To
/ the present owners. the Iithgow Library
/ Association.
| Many noted persons might I've mentioned
/ in connection with the honse Ned O'Ball-
win, the great prize fighter, heavy weight
| champion of the world, came to the Cush-
noes friendly and hospitable shelter TO re-
| cuperate after his big fight of 1868 Horace
Greeley, when swinging round the circle,
| in l>12. addressed a large gathering in the
| square from the second story piazza of the
| Cushuoe. Later. Scion Chase drove them
steers" at lively gait on the same platform.
/ 1t was during the war famous resort for
soldiers and travelling showmen. Jabez
/ Ballard, who keeps summer resort in
/ litchted. near the shores of lovely Cob
/ bosseecuntee. is the only survivor of the
/ old landlords of the old Cushuoc.
The management of the Soldiers Home
at Togus are planning to dedicate the ele-
( CANT new Opera house now being built
I there on Christmas eve. This new opera
house will he the finest in the State, with u
stage capacity equal to the Boston Theatre.