Sunday.... we slept in... peaceful, restful, and still watchful (well, I was on hurricane watch). We didn't have to deliver until noon so we time to sit in the truck, talk, drink coffee and take showers.
During the trip to Waterville, ME, I googled the town. Again, I like port cities and their history. As I was reading the history... I recognized the name of the company we were delivering to! We're hauling scrap paper to a mill that has been a structure in Waterville, ME since the early 1900's... it was the Keyes Fibre Company (nicknamed "The Pie Plate Company") it became the Chinet Company and was ultimately bought out by Huhtamaki. Huhtamaki was our delivery point. I was looking forward to making our delivery so I could take pictures!
The truck stop was only a mile or so from the plant. We start making our way down Hwy 139 and we turn right on Hwy 201... I don't pay a lot of attention to bridges and overpasses generally... This one caught my eye!!!!
The sign says (the clearance is)... 13' 7'.... CRAP!!!!! The truck is 13' 6"!!!!!!!! Slow down, cross your fingers, cross your legs, cross your toes!!!!
Ok... we made it under and through... Whew! And just when you think it's safe and you can raise your head up.... here comes low lying bridge or train trestle, number 2!!!! No clearance sign at all!!!!! Being (what appears to be) eye level with overpasses... it doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.
Oh yes! We made it under both overpasses and to the historical landmark I had read about. I'm excited, like a kid in a candy store! I'm looking around taking it all in, getting my camera ready and focused and then Trapper, unknowingly brings me back to the fact that I have a job to do... it was time to recite the driver directions, which driveway, what the dispatch said about the tandems... my historical picture taking will have to wait a minute.
This picture is of the "The Pie Plate Company", formerly Chinet... owned by the "H" word but still packaged and sold under the Chinet label. Our final destination.
The pictures look like there is plenty of room, but there wasn't. There are these "Cram-A-Lot" dumpsters sitting everywhere and this little fella driving the dumpster truck that keeps wanting to play chicken with us! After some twisting and turning... we are completely turned around and backing straight into the dock.
We dropped the trailer and now we can bobtail! Yes, I feel sightseeing on the horizon. But first, we must do laundry and run to Wal-Mart. We met a really nice man that works in the shipping department that pointed us to a laundry mat and we headed that way.Next door to the laundry mat was the "Purple Cow". Talk about diversification. Looks like they serve a little of everything. They had a steady stream of customers, so it must be working for them. 
Laundry done... on to Wal-Mart. This was short and sweet this week... we still don't have our appliances because of the inverter problem. I hope we get to Joplin, Missouri soon! I miss being able to cook and it's nice to have coffee ready in the mornings.
We took the scenic route through town on the way to the Lobster Trap for dinner. I got my old building fix and Trapper will get his lobster fix!
The town of Waterville is a quaint town on the bank of the Kennebec River. In my years of "old building" photography... antique hunting, auctions, etc... I've never seen a "vault alarm" box attached to the outside of a building. This building was originally a Savings and Loan which now housed an insurance company.
Local thrift store
Various Pictures of Downtown
As we crossed the Kennebec River, looking for the Lobster Trap, this building caught my eye. It's an extremely large building right on the river bank. Researching the history... the building was built in 1866 and housed the Ticonic Water Power and Manufacturing Company. The building changed owners in 1873 and became a large cotton mill called the Lockwood Company. By the turn of the century it employed 1300 people.
The building is now slated for a major revitalization and will be developed into a shopping mall, small offices, and apartments.
Waterville's history also includes a gentleman named Alfond who came to town to marry the daughter of a prominent business man who owned Levine's clothing store. I wonder if these Levine's are also the ones responsible eventually for Family Dollar Stores? Dexter shoe company was started in this area as was Hathaway Shirt Company.
As we were sitting at the restaurant, I snapped the photo's above. And then... our attention was diverted to the waitress with our dinner!
Trapper had Steak and Lobster while I opted for ribs. I'm glad he was hungry... he had to help me with my ribs!
We returned to truck stop to recuperate from our day and dinner! What an awesome day.
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