This picture shows the crossroads at North Gray. It was probably taken around 1900. Associated with the saw mill at the left of the picture were a shingle mill and a grist mill.
The 1871 maps shows the saw mill as owned by A. Small and the grist & shingle mill complex as owned by C.E. Libby. It is known that the C.E. Libby who owned the saw mill at Dry Mills also ran the saw mill at North Gray, probably after A. Small. In about 1893, a T.L. Libby was operating a saw mill at North Gray.
What the shed close to the bridge was used for is not known.
The building just above the shed with two windows in the end and a chimney was a residence occupied in succession by Ira Sawyer, An Allen family , and Alfred Britton. The house was moved. The building just to the left of this house may have been a barn associated with it. The white patch at the left edge of the picture just above the saw mill is believed to be the school house now the residence of James King and the white buildings just to the right of this were once the home of the Leonard family are are now occupied by Richard Hodge. The darker building directly above the barn-like structure is the home of Joseph Sawyer.
The large long building with a large barn near the center of the picture was for many years owned by Horatio Sawyer and known as “Rache” Sawyer’s store. In addition to the store it also housed the North Gray Post Office. There was a residence, at one time occupied by Perley Sawyer and his family, at the front of the building over the store. Upstairs at the back of the building there was a hall with it’s name Saint Clara’s Hall painted above its stage. The walls of this hall were painted in decorative patterns and its floor was constructed with circular rubber blocks between it and a subfloor. Royal Manchester of Windham, famous in these parts as a polished dancing master as well as a talented musician and violinist, often officiated at dances in this hall. At other times, music was furnished by Sam Foster who was a violinist and his daughter Edna (Foster) Woodbury who was a pianist. The entrance to the hall was on the south side of the building. There was a cutoff road which ran along the north side of the house and joined the Mayall Road close to the Leonard place.
The small white building to the right of Rout 100 and just beyond the Mayall Road is very close to the present location of Mrs. Phynney’s produce stand. It was a slaughter house operated by Fred Sawyer. Through the leaves just beyond this building can be seen part of a residence that was occupied by Fred Sawyer and his stepson Carol Foster. This building burned in the 1920s. The 1871 maps show E. Maxwell and an 1857 maps shows S.J. Foster as names on wheat is apparently the same building. Directly south of the Foster residence but not shown in the picture were a blacksmith’s shop and the residence of S.P. Cummings who for many years was the blacksmith in the shop. Mr. Mildred Kimball and Mrs. Jenney Sawyer both recall that at one time there was another blacksmith’s shop at North Gray located near he bridge east of Route 100. The large barn near the top of the hill and to the right of the big tree is believed to be on the Stub Hall place.
In addition to Mrs. Kimball and Mrs. Sawyer, we are indebted to Margaret and Kenneth Sawyer for information about this picture which was furnished by Donald Chandler.
North Gray view from Lewiston Road just north of Mayall Road
43.91862, -70.31663
Written circa 1970, author unknown
