By Mike Davis

Assistant Executive Director

Bridgton Historical Society

In this week’s report, we are focusing on the resurgence of the Temperance movement in Bridgton during the 1880s.  

The ideology of Temperance, or anti-alcohol, had first come to Bridgton in 1829, just over a year after the movement was founded in Portland by William Pitt Fessenden and others. Fessenden’s uncle, Parson Joseph P. Fessenden, soon developed the concept of Temperance in South Bridgton, and through the 1830s and 40s Bridgton became a notable adherent to the cause. Their broader statewide efforts culminated in 1846, when Maine adopted our nation’s first state-wide law for the prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages. This was supplemented in 1851 by the so-called “Maine Law,” which expanded the prohibition to include the manufacturing of alcohol. From this point until the 1880s, the cause of Temperance stagnated somewhat, as generations passed and the fervor died down. While the laws still remained on the books, by the 1870s demand for rum was on the rise again, and bootleggers were more than willing to supply it.  

To combat the rise of bootlegging, in 1880 Maine’s Temperance groups began to push for an amendment to the State Constitution, which after several years of public relations work, was at last adopted in 1885. We see this meeting in Bridgton as an early step toward that amendment.  

From the Bridgton News of April 30, 1880:

“A rousing Temperance meeting was held at Gibbs’ Hall Tuesday evening. So long a time had elapsed since there had been a meeting of this kind that the event assumed somewhat of the character of a novelty. There was a large audience, who besides being treated to wide-awake, interesting speeches, were also entertained by the fine music of the Bridgton Brass Band, who kindly gave their services. The meeting was called to order by Dr. Wm. B. Perkins, upon whose nomination Mr. George W. Norton presided. Mr. Norton, on assuming the chair, made a few preliminary remarks, and prayer was then offered by Rev. N.D. Center of Waterford.

The first speaker was Rev. L.D. Raymond of Harrison, who made a telling speech, and who, in the course of his remarks, urged the necessity of surrounding the once-fallen but now rescued man with higher associations and influences – selecting for his associates those from whom he can draw noble inspiration and strength.

Rev. O.W. Rogers followed in extended and excellent remarks. He believed that “talk” was good, but what we now need is not so much the repetition of well-known facts and figures concerning the baneful influence of intoxicating drinks, as the rigid enforcement of our present prohibitory laws, which in enforced as well as other criminal laws, would drive rum out of Bridgton.  Our law officers doubtless have at heart the execution of the law, but what they imperatively need is the support of the masses.

Rev. O.M. Cousens forcibly urged direct effort and aggressive action. People will applaud condemnation of the rum traffic if expressed in general terms, but will hiss a speaker if he fire point-blank at a personal mark.  In an off-hand speech of considerable length, he placed in strong relief the lamentable fact that a “leader” against the common enemy is a leader only in name, he being without a practical following of the rank and file.

The last speaker, Mr. Rev. Center, gave an encouraging report of the success of the Temperance crusade in Waterford, where the Churches and Temperance laity went into a Committee of the Whole, and unitedly, drove the rum fiend out of that town.

On motion from Dr. Perkins, a committee of one from each of the three religious societies to arrange for subsequent meetings was chosen by the chair, who appointed Dr. Perkins, A.F. Richardson and M. Gleason. A vote of thanks was passed to the Band, and at about two the meeting adjourned.”

Of importance, it is worth noting that the A.F. Richardson referred to here is Mr. Amos Richardson, a Bridgton son who was then serving as Headmaster of Fryeburg Academy, and who would later return to Bridgton to become Headmaster of our Academy. All told the cause of Temperance continued to grow, both here in Maine and also nationally, through the turn of the century, and once most of the State constitutions were amended, the next push came for a national amendment. Prohibition arrived on Jan. 17, 1920 with the 18th Amendment, and was repealed on Dec. 5, 1933 with the 21st. Even after the repeal, Maine remained largely a dry state; our constitution allowing towns to make the determination for themselves following the repeal. The state held all control over the sale of alcohol until 1991, and while most of our towns, Bridgton included, decided to allow the sale of alcohol again in the decades after 1930, it was a choice not all towns were willing to make, and in truth some still haven’t!  Incredibly, at present, there still remain 56 dry towns in Maine. A legacy almost 200 years in the making, Maine still leads New England in the Temperance movement, and it goes without saying that New England continues to lead the country, for whatever that’s worth today.  Whether the cause will ever revive itself again, as it did here in 1880, seems most unlikely, but looking on its long history it must be allowed that there is a certain staying power to the idea. Who can say?

If this topic receives broader interest, I would be glad to develop on it in further articles; stories of staunch temperance leaders, and of the wily bootleggers they contested against, are plentiful enough in Bridgton’s history as to make for a very interesting series.

Till next time!