The Town House was built on the hill of Widow Jane Small overlooking Caesar's Pond. One half an acre of land was bought for $15, and Lincoln Malloon bid the building of the house at $590, "with said building to be built and finished in part like the Town House at Bowdoinham." He was paid $10 extra to add a window to the Northern exposure.
This building was used for town meetings until it burned in 1971.

Bowdoin
1788-1988

This, our Bicentennial Year, is a time to remember all that Bowdoin was, celebrate its present, and plan for its future.

Bowdoin incorporated as a town March 21, 1988, but a few families had been living in this area for some 40 or 50 years previous to 1788. Some families held Indian deeds, but many had no clear title to the land. In 1750 when James Bowdoin had a horse path cut through his Bowdoin holdings, he bluntly considered then squatters. Following the American Revolution many veterans came seeking the virtually free acreage promised them as a reward for service. In the 1790 Census this ninety square mile area, which included present day Lisbon and Webster, had 193 resident families numbering 978 people.

In 1799, with 88 votes for division and 30 opposed, the Western section of Bowdoin incorporated as a separate town Thompsonborough, and since that time Bowdoin has maintained its present boundaries.

After incorporation Bowdoin's town records show a constant move toward civilization. In 1791, 40 pounds were voted to maintain three school districts. In 1796 it was "voted to support the gospel agreeable to law in the Baptist order, 26 of the Baptist order. Eight of the congregational, "with the small 'c' showing where the recorder stood on the issue. In 1798 the Baptist meeting house was built on the Lewis Road, and was used for town meetings. In 1805 the North Church was completed. In 1797 James Rogers and Ebenezer Temple paid the town of Bowdoinham $2000 for the privilege of building a road from Bowdoinham's Cathance landing to the Bowdoin line. This road gave Bowdoin's residents access to the Kennebec River and hence to the world.

During 1836-37 the South Church, the West Bowdoin Meeting House and the Town Hall were built.

The Civil War had a powerful impact on Bowdoin and 128 of its young men marched off to war, and at least 16 lost their lives on Southern soil. These were hard and heartbreaking years for all.

Presently, through careful planning, Bowdoin is keeping the rural atmosphere while enjoying the advantages brought by growth. As a part of SAD #75, and with the help of the PTC, Bowdoin has a modern school housing grades K-6 with gym and cafeteria facilities. A full educational program includes sports, art, and music. Grade 7-8 and high school students are bussed to Mt. Ararat in Topsham where they receive every opportunity made possible by a large school complex.

The PTC, organized in 1953 as a non-profit service organization, has raised money primarily through suppers and beano games, to give the Bowdoin School many benefits. They have earned money to fully fund the building of a much needed Community Center, which was built in 1979. This building is generously shared with youth groups and the Bowdoin Historical Society. It is also used for town meetings and voting.

Two Baptist churches are active, one in Bowdoin Center and one in West Bowdoin. Sagadahoc Grange still maintains its hall in Bowdoin Center.

Presently a group of volunteers has formed a volunteer fire department which is operating in conjunction with the Bowdoinham Fire Department. The equipment is housed on 201.

In 1940 Bowdoin's population reached a low of 466, and the once thriving farms had grown up to woods and bushes. Now the 1980 Census shows 1,629 people, and every road is bordered with new housing. Undoubtedly the 1990 Census will show Bowdoin's population to be near 2,000.* Careful planning and vigilant maintenance of controls must continue if we are to secure our valued rural way of life for the future.

*1990 Census -c. 2207

*2000 Census - 2727

In 1907 Governor Cobb stood by the monument at Bowdoin Center and dedicated it to the memory of all those Bowdoin veterans of the Civil War. One hundred twenty-eight names were inscribes there. The cannon had been dismantled and brought up from Fort Popham,

Following the dedication of the Civil War Monument in 1907, the band led the parade past the Bowdoin Center Store to the picnic grounds. The picnic grove was located along the brook between the present day homes of Gerald and Laurance Adams. there was a band stand and a grove which made it a very popular spot for public summer time affairs.

The West Bowdoin Baptist Church was organized in 1818 as the 2nd Free Baptist Church of Lisbon by Elder Humphry Purinton, Josiah Farwell and 12 members. Meetings were held in a schoolhouse which was probably located on the old Bickford farm in Lisbon Falls. The meeting house was built at a cost of $1,306.16 in 1836 with Rev. Nethaniel Purinton doing the masonry, and his son Albert doing the woodwork. In 1896 it incorporated as a Parish Church with Baptist affiliation and in 1976 reverted again to a strictly Baptist Church. This church has never missed a Sunday Service since its beginning in 1818.

The South Bowdoin Baptist Church, directly across from the South Cemetery, stood on land originally owned by Elder James Potter, a very active Bowdoin evangelist. The church was built in 1836. There was a balcony over the front door.

About 1960 the South Bowdoin Baptist Church was torn down and the materials were used to enlarge the Bowdoin Center Church.

In 1835 the Calvinistic Baptist Church, founded by Elder James Potter, was burned. Solomon Eaton deeded the members land on which to rebuild with the stipulation that the building would revert to his estate if the church ceased to function. A surviving descendant, Viola Coombs, made a bequest to Bowdoin College with the stipulation that Bowdoin College own and always be responsible for the upkeep of the church and its adjoining cemetery.

The building, now known as the Bowdoin Central Baptist Church, has had a varied usage. During the 1880's it was used some years as the Bowdoin High School. For short periods of time it was the Quaker's Meeting House, the Good Templar's Lodge, and the Sagadahoc Grange. In 1897 the property was deeded to the Baptist Society of Bowdoin and has remained in that ownership.

The North Bowdoin Baptist Church was built in 1805. The side opposite the front door had a pulpit placed high on the wall against a sounding board and backed by a beautiful curve-topped window. A balcony was on the wall above the front door and extended down both walls. The pews were high with doors. There was no chimney as creature comforts were considered a detriment to spirituality. In the 1930's the church was torn down by Charles Dumas, and the salvaged material was used to build his home at Higgins Corner in Lisbon Falls.

The East Bowdoin Chapel was located slightly south of where the Millay Road enters Route 201. The land for this Free Will Baptist Church was donated by Horace and Frank Millay, and the chapel was built in 1897. In 1950 the Baptist Association sold the building and contents to Carroll Williams. It was moved up the Old Gardiner Road and is now the home of the Williams family.

The parsonage for the West Bowdoin Brick Meeting House was located between the Church and the red school house. The Kettlebottom can be seen as a background and Deacon William T. Higgins and his wife are sitting in the yard. Dan Stevens, the local blacksmith, was living in the home when it burned July 4, 1908.

Sagadahoc Grange was organized in 1874-1879 and reorganized in 1888. The officers for the year 1952 are: Front row left to right: Charlotte Fowler, Herbert Adams, Alice Larrabee, Ida May Fowler and L. Bruce Small. Second row left to right: Helen Rideout, Helen Anderson, Wallace Trask, Anna Frost, Viola White, Mary Trask, Charles White, Patricia Morrill, and Alice Small. Back row left to right: Gladys Rogers, Robert Bickford, Leslie Bickford, Daisy Bickford, Percy Rideout, Erland Rogers, Nathan Doughty, and Melvin Skelton.

This little Red School House was located at West Bowdoin on the land presently owned by George Bernier. The Kettlebottom land formation can be seen in the background. The building is still standing and used as a tool shed. This school and another called the Kingdom School on the present day Littlefield property, were replaced in 1898 by a new West Bowdoin School at a cost of $623.94.

The Judah Small School, District No. 9, was built on the lewis Hill Road in 1880. This school, which closed in 1945, was of the style typical of all Bowdoin schools of that era.

From 1948 to 1959 four schools, housing 2 grades each, remained in use in Bowdoin, and children were transported to the Jacques, Bowdoin Center, Adams, or Kingdom Schools, depending on their grade level. In the fall of 1959 these schools were closed, and the Bowdoin Central School was opened. A new gym and many classrooms have been added to accomodate the town's escalating population. The school has been helped immensely by a very active PTC.

The Alonzo Purinton Store stood on the corner at West Bowdoin. Alonzo came home from the Civil War and went into merchandizing during the aproximate years of 1873-1908. The store carried everything for household and farm supplies, and during the Republican presidencies it was the Post Office. During Democratic terms the Post Office moved next door and was run by Hosea Bickford. In 1927 the roof was raised and in the 1940's the store area was made into an apartment. This house is presently owned by Marcel Mathieu.