timeline of sabino area history
1717
Fort George was built on Small Point in Phippsburg by the Pejepscot Proprietors at a settlement they called "Augusta," which included present-day Georgetown, Bath, and West Bath. Despite peace treaties between the local Native Americans and Massachusetts Governor Samuel Shute, negotiated in 1717 and 1720, the relationship was strained by settlers encroaching on Merrymeeting Bay and the sale of alcohol to the Indians.
1722-1738
Lovewell's War was declared with the Eastern Indians in 1722. Two tribes were wiped out, many settlers were killed or kidnapped, their farms and homes destroyed and cattle stolen before the conflict ended in 1724. After the war, only the settlement at Georgetown still existed. In 1728, its territory was expanded to include present-day Arrowsic, Bath, West Bath, Georgetown, Phippsburg, and parts of Woolwich.
1739
Joseph Berry bought land between Winnegance Creek and the New Meadows River and, in partnership with Mr. Sears, built a tide saw mill on what is now Berry's Mill Road in West Bath.
1749-1750
Berry built a second saw mill and a grist mill.
1753
The Second Parish of Georgetown (now Bath and West Bath) officially separated, reportedly due to the difficulty of women, children and the elderly crossing Winnegance Creek in winter to attend the meeting house.
1765
By this time, Benjamin Brown had established a ferry service across the New Meadows River between Brunswick and Georgetown (now West Bath).
Timeline
c. 1774
The Hall House (still standing) was built on Dam Cove Road.
September-December 1776
David Ring, of Georgetown, served as private on the local Committee of Safety, in command of the coast from the Kennebec to the Penobscot. He was stationed at Gloucester.
by 1782
David Ring and his wife, Mehitable Patridge, relocated his family from Georgetown to West Bath, where the last four of their 12 children were born.
after 1783
Captain John Peterson built a stone dam on the west side of Howard Point Cove at the Berry/Sears mills. He also operated a shipyard just below the dam, near Brown's Ferry.
1790
- The first federal census lists 131 household in Bath.
- Samuel Flanders purchased all of what is now Sabino, sold part of the land to his brother James, and soon re-located to Bath.
- David Ring built his house on Berrys Mill Road, south of the Mill Cove causeway.
1792
John Peterson acquired Brown's Ferry and operated it until about 1796.
timeline
Early 1800s
Samuel Flanders built his house on Sabino Road just before the road bends toward the river at the present-day Sabino Hall. The property was later sold to Samuel f. Bates.
1832
Revolutionary War veteran David Ring died and was buried in the Ring Family cemetery, on Loring Drive (near Berry's Mill Road) in West Bath.
1839
The West Bath Meeting House was built to serve the Phippsburg Circuit--Dronore, Winnegance and Mill Cove. Worshipers came from as far as Harpswell by boat. Member families listed include the Flanders, Larrabees, Rings, and Olivers.
1844
West Bath separated from Bath over a dispute about taxation for town streets, sidewalks, fire and police protection which did not benefit its rural citizens.
1847
Bath was incorporated as a city.
1849
The Portland & Kennebec Railroad was completed.
How the Sabino Improvement Association Began
The first summer colony at Sabino was started by a party of men known as the Bobtail Club. The first cottage built became the club house and was known as "The Tomahawk."
Legend says that "Sabino," "Winnegance," and "Sebasco" are original Native American names. The head of Winnegance Creek was where they carried their canoes across land between the Kennebec and the New Meadows Rivers toward the Portland area and westward. Many relics have been found along the riverbanks and at the sites of ancient camps on the hills and high clearings.
Descendants of some of these founding members are Sabino members to this day. The Tomahawk was sold to Charles Hyde who enlarged it and later transferred it to the Hooker family.
The Sabino Improvement Association was formed on August 12, 1921, and incorporated October 10, 1922. Construction of the Hall began that same year on land donated by Charles H. Bates, Jr., and the first meeting was held August 13, 1923.
Original Bobtail Club
Charles H. Bates Sr.
Samuel Bates
Charles Cheltia
Scott Frye
Charles Greenleaf
Andrew Hallett
Henry Hartleb
Henry Howard
Frank Mason
George Oliver
Frank Thompson
George Thompson
Huge crowds for early sabino celebrations
Sabino Field Days, Talent Shows, and Dances
For several years after the founding of the Sabino Improvement Association, the Colony would hold an annual Field Day celebration on one of the last Saturdays of the summer. Here are excerpts of a newspaper article from the late 1920's or early 1930's.
"Between 500 and 600 people are expected to be entertained in the afternoon and evening with an elaborate program (with every kind of sports for both sexes), a real baked bean supper ... and a grand windup of the celebration with a dance.
"Socially the small colony below Winnegance is at its height. Many familiar faces are back in its haunts and there is a general building of enthusiasm all pointing toward Saturday, which is the day when Sabino plays the host to hundreds of friends. The attractive little Association hall at the fork of the roads has been lighted a good percentage of the nights with colony dances, card parties, food sales, and other activities and it has been an unusually active season in every way."
The field days typically began at 1 p.m. with races for men, women, and children, including three-legged races, potato races, and shoe races. A baseball game followed, with venders peddling hot dogs, ice cream, soft drinks and more. Each of the nearly 30 cottages was expected to contribute a dish to the supper and many of them provided talent for the entertainment which followed the supper. General dancing followed.
Guests each year included the girls of Eggemoggin camp across the river, who brought their own special entertainment and sporting events.
The article concludes: "The colony is going to be thrown wide open for the occasion."
Portland Times Record reports Sabino's 75th Anniversary
"Sabino's Lodge Celebrates 75 Years"
by Alan Long, Times Record Staff
L to R in picture: Frank Newton, Bob Pouliot, Cathy Jacobs, ad Jean Newton
WEST BATH Tonight's celebration of the 75th year of the Sabino Improvement Association's lodge promises to be festive, but may pale beside the gaiety of such gatherings during the lodge's heyday in the 1920's.
"'We used to get dressed up. I'd put on my high heels and we would go to the lodge for [talent shows] and musicals,' recalls Jean Newton.
"Newton has been summering at Sabino for 75 years---except during World War II, when gasoline was rationed. This summer colony of Bath residents and Massachusetts families organized themselves into the Improvement Association in the early 1920's.
"Reflecting the spirit of the times, dues back then were $1 per man and 50 cents per woman. Dues for the 40 current households have risen to $8 per couple, $4 for a single person and 50 cents for a person under 16.
"Since this fee structure cannot support the lodge and the association, members sponsor suppers, auctions and speakers to help boost the budget throughout the summer.
