We are up to 1912 now! Anyway, interesting to read about the medical care back in those days. Nurses and doctors visiting patients at their homes,etc. Can you imagine a doctor going to the home of someone with the swine flu nowadays??!! Certainly must have been somewhat comforting to have the home visits; however, many times there were real limitations as in what happened to Hilland Fairbanks in Feb. 1909. Then again, even today (but in much less numbers) there are times when the advanced medicine and medical care of today are not enough.

Back in those "good 'old' days", when physician's came to the house on house calls, it was always Doctor's Stebbins (who later moved to the Portland area and to Mercy Hospital there) or Doctor Houlihan who came to our house. Actually, it was Doctor Houlihan who was a neighbor of ours on Howard Street for many years. When the new flu shots, developed by Dr. Salk (the Salk vaccine) came to town, I raised so much turmoil and twisting getting this shot, Dr. Houlihan broke the needle off in my arm. Then it hurt five times as much to get it out. I was deathly afraid of getting shots!

I so well remember the "Christmas Seal Campaign" . We would never dare to send a card or letter out at Christmas time, unless we had the RC Christmas Seal licked, and pasted to the back of the envelope. Nearly every one of our cards and letters we received around November and December, always had the Christmas Seal affixed.

It was of no real surprise that the first "TB spitting arrest" was made at the Nickel Theater. This place was eventually that rat-invested ("Rat Hole"), sub-culture, drunken-master theater at the time; the Olympia. Across the Bangor House on Union Street.

I think, but not so sure, that the EMGH - Eastern Maine General Hospital, had a special ward for TB patients, plus the "Nut House", the "House on the Hill", among other names given to the Bangor Mental Health Institute, aka, Eastern Maine Insane Hospital, constructed in later years, a separated wing for TB patients on their campus. However, within the confined walls of the original building, somewhere about the year 1908, saw the addition of a special TB sanatorium. How we enjoyed, as children, to ride our bikes up and around the "Nut House", to delight in hearing people yelling, breaking out in uncontrollable laughter, singing, and screaming inside. Not so funny now, as we get older to see these folks did not have the advantages of modern medical or/and psychological technology as we do today, and in a deinstitutionalized environment at that!

Remember, too, in Wayne's new article (not mentioned), there were an influx of immigrants into Bangor, which grouped as residents in the confluence and confines of the York-Hancock-Exchange-basic waterfront areas, which, more than likely, caused other diseases such as cholera, yellow fever, smallpox - and TB. Those coming into Bangor via ship and through Canadian and New Brunswick Provinces could have all taken a part in bringing these diseases to Bangor as most everyone was interacting with each other.

TB is still with us (but not me or in my family). I would honestly say that this dreaded disease of the respiratory and lung system could cause great discomfort for the patient as well as for those living around this person. Someone once told me, of a quote in the Bibles of the world, "God will create diseases that man cannot control nor cure." Or something like that, anyway. I guess that is true.

Very interesting as usual, Cre8RoyalPalm. You add so much interesting detail to Mr. Reilly's articles.

I recall a doctor coming to my home in Conn when I had the measles. He even had my mother put up a dark curtain at the window. We often got bad cases of those childhood illnesses then. I had quite a time with the mumps and chicken pox! A girl down the street from where I lived had become partly paralyzed as a result of a terrible case of measles (also affected her sight some, as I recall.)

I have been told quite a bit about that area of Bangor around York-Hancock,etc. in those earlier times. Wow! "Busy, busy" area. I have friends who live in that area now. Very changed from those days of course! There was a word for that area..."shanty town" ????or something like that. Oh my.........

Ha, ha, ha, "chersully2000". "Shanty Town" was a mild word from those I have heard about the place around Hancock. It would best be considered Shi**y-Town, which best would fit the place. It was a mess! Glad it is gone, though.

"Dowdyville" was the area north of Mount Hope Avenue, to Stillwater Avenue and extending from Fruit Street (eliminating Otis and Howard and those other dead-ends on Garland) mostly comprising the area where those new homes are now and the park area; literally the entire area extending down from where the mall is now. This was the area where the poor people (second generation) resided in mostly cracker boxes of smaller, cheap homes which are thankfully all gone now. Seems they were built with the "remains" of the homes built outside that area and something had to be build rather than to waste the materials. These were the 2 to 5 thousand dollar homes at the time, around 1938 through 1948 or so which were built. We would always see the older, rattletrap kind of cars going by to and from this area; sometimes some residents who lived in "Dowdyville" walked everyplace...and there they went back and forth, carrying their lunchboxes, groceries or whatever.

The kids who lived in "Dowdyville" always wore corduroy pants, galoshes, and thin dog-eared jackets for winter attire. Us kids would never been seen in this fashion! I think the Pollocks and other's who migrated out of Hancock wound up in "Dowdyville". At least the air was better and the homes were individualistic. No bars next door, either. Neither were meat stores or houses of "ill-repute".

Whether or not you resided anyplace in Bangor, there was the threat of catching some disease. We all had to go to school. The Hancock Street (and surrounds) kids plus the "Dowdyville" kids all took the shop course at school. FLA; Future Laborer's of America, we called them. Us kids took either the "college course" or some, the "business course". My course was the "college course" in junior high and then high school (of which, I attended Higgins Classical Institute in Charleston). School was the disease capitol of Bangor. If one, just one of the Hancock Street or "Dowdyville" gang went to school with sniffles or "candles" hanging from his or her nose, we were all in for it. Even the teachers panicked and prevented anyone with severe colds to go home.

As a result of either measles, chicken pox or mumps, I do not know which one, but if you dig your zits, they eventually scarred your face for life. You resembled Noriega...the original "Pineapple Face", if you did. A lot of kids dug their itchy face to death, and they went through life with bumps and a red face as a result. Speaking of diseases!

I guess Herpes Syndrome and "The Syph" (or "The Clip") always were a part of Bangor's disease heritage, such as TB. Wayne is too nice to put this as an article, but with so many timberjacks and loggers, and sailors and traveling salesmen and those needing "comfort" now and then, partook of "Fan" Jones' comfortable "Blue House" out on Harlow Street. As luck would have it; and some say, "destiny", "Fan"s" home survived the 1911 fire. You will not find much about her or her "Blue House" in the Commerce or the Leisure Activities in any Bangor history book, however.

Wow......the "Blue House"! That is a new one to me....but then I did not grow up in Bangor. "House of ill-repute".....yes, it seems there were quite a few of those around. What a place Bangor must have been in those days. Sounds like going to school was sometimes a risky proposition back then. My school days in Connecticut sound quite tame in comparison!!

I wonder if the new rules of commenting apply to Wayne's articles as well. Look at the 4th point. I do not see (yet) anything concerning the "thumbs up/down" elimination. Well, see you in Maineville, "chersully2000". That is, if we have something personal to add. At least the BDN gave space for us to make individualized comments and another way to explain your rebuttals in the "Report abuse" section. Maybe I will get some clarification from Todd or Josh via email.

Cre8RoyalPalm: Yes, I wonder too. But can still comment on this Wayne Reilly column site.....just within certain parameters, I guess. It can get a bit subjective sometimes, can't it?! I am thinking , that for now at least, they are retaining the thumbs up/down function! I do not think it serves any real good purpose, but that is just my opinion!

I have never gone on the Maineville part much, so am not sure how.....or what (?)... we are allowed to post there. Still am not clear on all of this!

Cre8RoyalPalm: You mention here growing up in Bangor.....doctor.....street names......and your comments are not voted down. Look at mine that speak of similar subjects! Hidden. Any ideas on this, Cre8RoyalPalm? I know the answer but am not going to say anything. What is your perspective?

Have a good evening.

chersully, none of your posts on this thread are voted down. They are all still visible.

Cre8RoyalPalm: By the way.....the BDN people do not vote down comments....they remove (delete) them.

Hint, hint, hint.....An individual came on here a few nights ago and commented (and never about the Wayne Reilly topics.)

Good evening, Cre8RoyalPalm.

Oh....and btw.....I was not referring to you. But...thanks.

Funny, they were hidden a few mins ago. Perhaps it was just a temporary computer thing!

Cre8RoyalPalm: Please just disregard my post at 9:32 PM. Something disappeared , then reappeared! Who knows!!

Anyway, on this Wayne Reilly site, we will concentrate on Bangor history.....from shantytowns to majestic Union Station.....and everything in between!!

My comments, too, had disappeared somehow and they were okay. Then reappeared. Who 'ya 'gonna call...? GHOSTBUSTERS!

Maybe the BDN is adjusting their server in some way and something is happening to the comments randomly. I personally feel that the "thumbs" should be eliminated if we have the "Report abuse" icon under each comment. The "Thumbs" serves no real purpose, it seems to me, and is a double whammy in itself. I already emailed Todd and Josh.

Maineville is shown on the top right of the screen, but sometimes you have to click on "special sections" on the top bar, to the right. The best to go to is first the "News". you can comment on this, plus make your own post or articles. I already made one. For whatever good it will do. You can "Blog" on the other and comment on those articles. There are interesting things in Maineville. The BDN refers those commenter's to use Maineville for personal blogging about personal things, etc. I still think we can add some personal things to Wayne's link, if the comment stays in relation to the article. I really like the upgrade, though.

Just hope and pray in the meantime, our computers do not get a virus...or worse yet, TB!

Oh, I agree! And thanks for explaining Maineville a bit more. Yes, I think we can keep making comments here on WR site if, as you say, we are careful in what we say. Will keep it clean! (well, of course.)

Quite tired this evening......guess this weather is getting old. Ran into a couple from So Carolina today visiting Maine for the first time. Heading for Bar Harbor later in the wk. I told them it is usually a lot nicer here at this time of yr. They replied, they "did not mind some gloom." Well, they are getting it!!

Yes, the upgrades seem to be quite an improvement.

We spent a day out on the boat yesterday with my cohort. Pleasant day, it was! Nobody was on the ocean except for tankers and Navy ships. When you work for yourself, you can do most anything you want to do...I said "most anything".

The backup calls and work caught up with me this morning. I nearly got into a conversation with "PabMainer" about hazardous materials and at the time I read that particular article, I was bombarded with three things at once, and nearly forgot my mindless reading of the article. I commented anyway, missing some crucial points.

Anyway, in Bangor, in 1910, I find that the physician community were about 50 doctors at that time. That small house, the stone structure at the end-line of the Eastern Maine Medical Center campus, near the hillside, facing State Street and the old "Water Works" building - cum apartments for the needy (or something like that), was the original housing of the hospital. It was the old Mace House. I was in school once with a girl named, Melody Mace, and often wondered if she had been a relative of this house' original owner. Never knew.

In 1892 (400 years after it was said that Columbus sailed the ocean blue), Bangor opened its first nurse training school. The school was then located in the Mace House. The three women who trained at the first new school of nursing two year program were, Mable Mills (married: Mrs. Fred Allen); Ruth Russell (married: Mrs. Sherman Goodwin); and Mabel Larrabee Woodward. Only one attended the following year, 1895; Carrie Whipple Files. I also remember a Susan Files in school. Could, also, be a distant relative.

In the reports I have from actual accounts, school of nursing graduate list, and history of the hospital and of Bangor (all of them, even the private ones), Tuberculosis training also was offered in-courses. In the article, nurse McFarland was not a then graduate of the nursing school in Bangor. Even Mrs. Prentiss is not listed as a Bangor graduate nursing student. But, I'm sure, they all held some prominence in Bangor at the time, and most likely, undertook TB training somewhere. Even Ruth Julia Patten, married Fred Wing (of the "Wing Estate) family; but this is circa 1909.

Cre6RoyalPalm: Yes, that old stone structure is quite obviously the original building of Eastern Maine Medical Center....and still very much there. It somehow looks just like those old nursing school structures always did (same in New Haven,etc.) Those old brick buildings did have a mysterious quality to them, didn't they? Wow, your knowledge of Bangor, past and present, is truly astounding and remarkable! I do not recall all the people I went to high school with.....a lot but not all....it was a large class though.

Your boat trip yesterday must have been enjoyable. More cloudiness and rain here today, but supposed to change tomorrow and be sunny and warmer. Well, both almanacs (Farmer's,etc) were right on target in predicting a very rainy summer this year!

Sorry.....meant Cre8RoyalPalm, of course. Well, we are up to 1909 - 1912 era.....wonder what his next topic will be? Always fun to find out.

chersully2000, I think the design was "Italianate" on the Mace House. I know nothing about architecture like this, but I just threw that one out. Did you see that "widow's walk" atop the building? Maybe it is torn down by now, but still has those gable windows all-around.

Along Broadway, I think at the corner where Broadway curves a little to the left, then straightens out; on the corner where John Bapst is...could be Somerset Street; anyway, Husson College built a building along the corner on the right. There used to be a beautiful mansion on that corner. Fields Pendleton owned the home. I think Mr. Pendleton passed away, and nobody who was heir to the land and home really wanted to maintain it, so it was sold to Husson. I watched this beautiful home destructed, and then up went went this concrete building in its place. I do not remember what business Fields Pendleton was in, but if someone out there knows, I would be interested.

Yes, the boating was great. worked on my deep, dark tan more and enjoyed the day out. We have a hired-hand Captain to run the boat if we plan on having a few drinks. When we got back to the slip, my wife picked us up and drove us home.

Man, Maine folks must be really, really bummed-out with all this bad weather this summer. I do not know what to say about it, other than it would depress me no-end. I have no guess as to Wayne's next report will be. I think the BDN is in charge of that, and Wayne has many articles already submitted. Maybe the editor is responsible for this one.

You know, back on the subject of TB, I realize the disease is not as common as in previous times, and the ignorance level of containment and dealing with such diseases are mostly a thing of the past, it still amazes me how many people actually do not know they have the symptoms for TB. Maybe the TB centers and physicians have brochures on the subject in their offices. To me, this is one disease that incubates and takes years to come to the surface, unbeknown to the person who has it. In the meantime, all precautions have gone out the window and someone else could already have been infected. I'd hate to be single, kissing some girl and not knowing she has TB - and neither did she! Eeeeeyyyyuuuucccckkkkk!

Cre8RoyalPalm: A real nice sunny day in Maine today. Is it possible??? We had 22 days of rain in June....ugh!!

Yes, I think I mentioned the Italianate style of architecture above in another comment (and I am no authority on architecture either, but enjoy the different building styles). I will have to check out the "widow's walk" but believe it is still there and part of that building.

Yes, Somerset Street. So many nice homes and brownstones still around those blocks (on Broadway especially.) I believe that building (white concrete?) is some business now....can't recall at the moment. I believe at one time (if we are thinking of the same bldg) that some military recruitment offices were in there, but not positive. Very sad to think of a beautiful home or bldg. with character torn down and then replaced by some concrete boxy thing!!

I do not know too very much about current TB rates,etc., but something not to dismiss, that is for sure as it has not been eradicated.

Yup! The Husson building - if Husson still owns and operates it, was white the last time I saw it. I remember that the military recruitment offices were in a building next to the Graham Building, (located at the corner of Harlow and Central Streets; and housed the Bangor Railway and Electric Company, later the Bangor Hydro, and the Bangor and Aroostic business offices), in a three or four-story building. This building faced the park area of the Bangor Public Library on the corner of Harlow and Franklin Streets.

I joined (enlisted) in the US Army in this building in 1966. The FBI and some other government offices were also located here. But I cannot, for the life of me, recall what the building housed, other than a small grocery store or pharmacy store with a long lunch counter. Maybe the government did have some recruitment offices in that building once owned by Husson, however I was not living in Maine at that time. I actually moved out of Maine in 1969 and never returned except for vacation trips. When and if I retire, I would love to own a summer vacation or near year-round "camp" on some lake near Bangor or near the coast of Maine, though.

I, personally, don't know anything about TB, although I remember my mom always saying something about this person or that person who came down with or has "consumption". As young as I was, I thought "consumption" had something to do with "consuming" alcohol, so I related that to over-drinking and drunkenness! Quite a few Bangorites had this problem, chersully2000, as I remember it to be. Remember Wayne's previous articles on alcohol and related anecdotes?

Yes, I have heard that reputation of "quite a few Bangorites" as well! Exchange Street and area were particularly hopping areas in that respect in bygone days, from what I have read and been told.

Now, I think we are on the same page as pertains that white building. We were speaking of the one on Broadway on the other side of the street from John Bapst High School and where Broadway curves a bit. There was some kind of military recruitment place in part of that bldg up till a few yrs ago and may still be there. I am not sure what that bldg houses now. Of course it was way before my time here when you reference the Graham Building ,etc. I have a friend who grew up here, though, and she tells me about the various stores that lines the streets of downtown Bangor in those days.

Now, speaking of Broadway again. At the corner of Broadway and State Street there is a convenience store. Across the street from that is now a Family Dollar store (was a Rite Aid previously,etc.) Diagonally across from that store and at the top of State Street Hill (and across from All Soul's Church) is a tiny little bldg that use to house a photography development place for yrs and now is a small Thai restaurant (mostly take out). Also, there is a very new plastic surgery place on Broadway, (opened recently) just a little bit up from that convenience store on the corner. It is a brick building that had offices in it before I believe and now has been remodeled, landscaping,etc. and looks like some kind of place you find in the larger cities. The sign says "Hand and Plastic Surgery." What next??!

And now , today, we read of a big drug bust near two schools in the area I was referencing above.....the wonderful Abraham Lincoln School (near Miller Drugstore) and St John's School on State Street. Yikes!!!

That convenience store you mentioned across from the (former) Rite-Aid (which was originally an A&P Supermarket, cum "Family Dollar Store. In that convenience store location, across State Street, it originally was an Esso gas station (State Street Esso), then when Esso changed their name (by computerization process) it became Exxon. Down at the corner of Otis and State, there are or were two gas stations. One was an Esso (looking from State Street to Otis; on the left), and a Gulf gas station on the right. They were near my home on Howard, which was why I used both of these stations. Dad wanted Esso gas, and I used Gulf - as Gulf was cheaper. What are these buildings turned into now? More C-stores?

That tiny building that housed the photography processing shop was originally a Dairy Queen.

The other building which houses the plastic surgery facility was once an apartment-turned office building.

Unfortunate to see that elementary schools such as Abe Lincoln and the old parochial school I attended for 6 years, Saint John's, now was involved in a drug bust; well, the school was not, but the salesmen were. We never even thought such low-life would even be allowed into Bangor, but now look what is happening there. Is this progress? What a sick-minded way to introduce anyone to drugs and that is to use little kids for their dirty business. Sickening. Well, I'm bust today and part of tomorrow, but will try to blog. Check my news story in Maineville about the rain.

chersully2000; correction...first paragraph above; the Rite Aid place was originally an A&P supermarket.

The "Gulf" gas station on Otis/State was not a Gulf, it was a Shell gas station. My mind is slow today.

Cre8RoyalPalm: Actually I think the drug busts were in the vicinity of those schools, but not actually selling to those school children......close enough. Horrible. Both those schools are excellent elementary schools.

I will try and check out your news story about the rain.

Yes, I was aware that that store was once an A & P as friends who lived there then related that. The gas station/convenience store on the corner of State and Broadway has changed names so much , I can't keep up with it. Now it comes up One-Stop on the receipt. I don't get gas there so forget what the sign says near the gasoline pumps. I do like their coffee there though......hazelnut , etc.,and their pumpkin spice coffee in the fall and winter mos is excellent. Nice to grab one to go! As for the name of the gas station near Otis....I think it is a Gulf station still, but no convenience store. Across the street from that on other corner of Otis and State is Lougee & Frederick's florist at 364 State Street(very handy for those visiting Eastern Maine Medical Center across the street.) No, the gas station is Queen City Exxon Station at 358 State Street near Otis Street!!

We will cover all the streets in Bangor at the rate we are going!!

Cre8RoyalPalm: That gas station on the corner of Broadway and State referenced above is a Mobil station now (gas station/convenience store.)

Ah, yes, Queen City Exxon. I know the face of the owner...looked like Joe Palooka...(he retired years ago) but I will remember his name at the most unlikely time today. Oh, now the gas station across Otis has turned into a florist shop? Nice going, Lougee and Frederick's! How about that for a "convenience flower store"?

Okay, now I know the station is now a Mobil at that C-store/gas station at Broadway and State. Last time I was in Bangor, (1998) we stopped there to fill our tank up. We spent a night at a hotel near the Bangor Mall, and were on our way to Bar Harbor (where else) and other points along the coast where we spent the rest of our time in B&B's before we headed back home.

The guy operating the pump at this Mobil station/convenience store, noticed we had California tags on the car. He said, "Are you guys in the movies or on television"? We said, "Nope, but we would not be driving this new (98) Cadillac if we were - we would have upgraded to a Bentley". He asked us what a 'Bentley' was. We said, "Well, just another expensive car", and went along our way.

We are not coffee-drinkers at all. Not in our diet. But the hot hazelnut coffee on a chilly winter Bangor morning sounds awfully good right now. My drink would have been cocoa.

Lots of work today to finish for a presentation Monday morning, but I will try to get in to comment on Wayne's new article. Have a great weekend, chersully2000.

Cre8RoyalPalm: Well, at least I think we are both talking about the same corner......I think that is Otis Street......yes, I am quite sure it is, and now there is a very nice florist, Lougee & Frederick's where, I guess from what you say, once stood a gas station! Think I like the idea of the florist! Think we have enough gas stations and convenience stores.

I am not a huge coffee drinker (maybe one or two a day, average) but do drink lots of tea. Tea has been shown to have many health benefits; coffee in moderation (no more than 1 or 2 a day) also has certain health benefits, but certainly not essential that folks drink coffee!!!

To change the subject, for now, from streets of Bangor to the historic Mt. Hope Cemetery. I see where you commented on the re-enactment today at Mt. Hope Cemetery. I would have enjoyed that too but had other commitments at that time. I know the woman who portrayed Mary Lincoln today. That cemetery, as you know, is huge and quite fascinating. Very attractive too ,with the many trees, flowering and otherwise, bushes, ponds. I have seen deer, lots of huge crows, herons, ducks (including beautiful mallards) , many squirrels and other wildlife there. Many people just walk there, as it is peaceful, a beautiful setting, and many paths, winding and otherwise, and some quite hilly which makes for a very good work-out.

This cemetery is on the National Registry of Historical Cemeteries,etc. As you know, among others, Vice President Hannibel Hamlin is buried there; also the infamous Al Brady! I saw the Al Brady and gang re-enactment about 2 yrs ago here in downtown Bangor of that day in history in Bangor;it was very well done. People were hanging out of upstairs windows to witness it as well as people lining Central Street and spilling over to nearby streets.

You have a good rest of the weekend too....and good luck with that presentation preparation.

The original Queen City Exxon station owner was Vinal McGinley. I told you I would remember his name.

Short story, and I hope BDN does not take this off. When i was young; 14, 15 years old, Mount Hope Cemetery was very dear to me. Want to know why? I had many girlfriends back at that time. When I had my first car, I got around Bangor all the time. In doing so, I would go parking out at Mount Hope often, when the gates would be open. One time, I was shut-in, but climbed back over the fence and got out with my girlfriend, as we walked down Mount Hope Avenue, here came her dad in his Nash station wagon. She was the one to get the ride home, I continued to walk.

But driving through Mount Hope Cemetery proved rewarding. My girl friends always received fresh flowers in a bouquet. Lifted direct from the newly-covered burial sites of those who were laid to rest that day. I was the nicest kid around, "buying" all those nice flowers! Heh, heh, heh!

Cre8RoyalPalm: Good true life story! But you were only 14 or 15 yrs old at that time, so can be forgiven!!!