Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-21
Activities In Several Chapters Of
Maine Daughters Of Revolution
The Governor King House or King
Tavern at Bath

! The Governor King House or King
Tavern at Bath
1t is hoped that when the approach
( to the Kennebec Bridge at Bath is
| commenced and it becomes neces-
| sary to remove king Tavern" that
! the historical old structure may be
! preserved. The members of the
| Colonel Dummer Sewell Chapter, D..
A. K. at Bath are taking an active
| interest in it's preservation, and
! have appointed a committee to con-
! ID. Sargent, Secy of the Kennebec
| Bridge Commission; Rev. Henry f.
Dunnack, State Librarian, who has
in the past had to do with setting
aside and marking historic sites and
buildings in the State; and with
other prominent men throughout the
State.
"The house was built and occupied
by William King, First Governor Of
Maine, and originally stood on the
site of the present Custom House
and Post Office. Governor King was
| a Merchant, Mill Owner, and Ship
builder. He established the first
cotton mill in Maine. He founded
the town of Kingfield; was Presi-
dent of the Convention that framed
luc LIluIlOt VI liz r"oo
author of the Betterment Act; Com
missioner of Public Buildings when
the present State House at Augusta
was built; Colonel in the War of
1912; Governor of Maine 1S20-21;
Commissioner to France 1921; Trus-
tee of Colby College 1S21-4S; Trus-
tee Of Bowdoin College 1862;
He was born at Scarboro, Me-, Feb
9. 1853, and died at Bath June II,
1852" The above information ap-
pears on the marker which the
Maine Daughters of the American
Revolution placed on the house in
1915.
At the State Field Day Of the
Maine Daughters held in Madison,
June Is, it was reported that it was
feared that the King Tavern might
be torn down, when the approach to
the bridge was begun, as it stands
on land which the State is to acquire
for the purpose of building the ap-
proach on the Bath side. 1t was
unanimously voted that the Maine
D. A. r. go on record as being op-
posed to the demolition of the Gov
ernor King House. 1t was also
voted that. Publicity Committee be
appointed to arouse Statewide inter-
est in the preservation of the Gov
ernOr King House, or winch COM
mittee Mrs. NLlewellyn N. Edwards,
55 Capitol ST, Augusta, was ap-
pointed the. chairman.
The matter has been presented to
Governor Brewster who is very
much interested, and he has reported
it to Mr.. Sargent, Sec'y of the Board
of Directors of Kennebec Bridge,
Of which Board Senator Carleton is
the chairman. Mr.. Sargent stated
that there would be a meeting of the
directors to condemn the land in
August (probably between the first
and middle of August, the date at
presnt not having been seD, and
that it would be well for the Daugh-
tiers Of the American Revolution to
have in the hands of the directors
at that time a formal letter or re-
quest, stating their plans and desires
in the matter.
Few towns in the State have a
more historic building. the home for
many years of it's first Governor,
and now that the State is about to
acquire it in getting an approach to
the Kennebec Bridge, the time seems
most propitious to arrange for
permanent site.
"Echo of Liberty Bell Celebration"
AS previously stated, the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution
through out the country haFe been