DEAR SUN SPOTS: What is the history of the Knight House near Great Falls in Auburn? Is it the oldest house in Auburn? — Auburn visitor.
ANSWER: From an Androscoggin Historical Society press release comes this information: The small Cape Cod-design building, dating back to 1796, is in West Pitch Park near the falls and the Auburn Riverwalk. The Knight House is not the oldest house in Auburn, but is the oldest frame house in the Goff Corner area, which is downtown Auburn. It is typical of houses built at the time.
The oldest house title probably would go to a building in the Danville or South Auburn part of the city. Those neighborhoods, with the present New Auburn, were once part of the town of Danville, first settled in 1762.
Records indicate that the house has had 12 owners and was moved six times. It was originally located on Cross Street near North River Road, about a mile from the present site. It probably was built on a 100-acre tract by settler Caleb Lincoln, a Revolutionary War veteran who soon conveyed it to Hezekiah Wyman of Bath.
After a succession of six owners, the house was sold to Nathaniel Knight in 1864. Knight had it moved to Goff’s Corner village, which began near what is now the corner of Court and Main streets.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: Do you know anyone who can fill in a 20×40 pool? If so, call me at 207-783-9747. Thanks for all your help. — Sheila P.
ANSWER: Most excavating companies do that type of work. You will probably need to get a permit (about $25) from the city for the fill, depending on which city the work is done in. The cost for the work may be around $3,500, depending on whether you have the pool walls, patio, diving board, etc., hauled away or if you fill the hole with that stuff before covering with dirt.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: What is going on with the Snake Trail in Auburn? Is it being re-designed? I use the trail as a short cut to go to and from school. Thank you. — No Name in Auburn.
ANSWER: Sun Journal reporter Scott Taylor wrote in August, “Engineering work is being done along the Snake Trail connecting Edward Little High School to Elm Street-Minot Avenue in preparation for Chinese investors’ planned renovation of The Barn, according to officials.
“Plans call for extending S. Goff Street past the former Lunn and Sweet Shoe factory building, up a single-track dirt trail to the lowest turn on the asphalt-paved Snake Trail.
“The new road would turn downhill there, connecting to Minot Avenue, creating a four-way intersection with Elm Street. It would be part of the city’s work for the Chinese investment group hoping to turn the former shoe factory at 67 Minot Ave. into a four-star medical tourism destination for wealthy Chinese.”
High school students have used the Snake Trail through the Edward Little-Franklin Woods to reach the school for years, and a part of it was turned it into a community garden in 1992. The walking trail was paved with asphalt in 1993.
“The community garden at the foot of the trail is maintained by volunteers from the Optimists Club.”
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