Airline (Route 9) (Bangor, China, Calais: hotel, houses, dangerous)

[Kiwiluver]

OK, cabin fever setting in. I have always wondered why Route 9 is called "The Airline" or some such name. Sorry if this has been discussed before.
Thanks in advance! KL

[roadrat]

Originally Posted by Kiwiluver

OK, cabin fever setting in. I have always wondered why Route 9 is called "The Airline" or some such name. Sorry if this has been discussed before.
Thanks in advance! KL

I believe that at one time before radar became common, pilots used it like a waypoint path, it would lead you to bangor going south or north to Calais / Canada.
I think that is were the nickname came from.

It was quite a road back in the day, long sweeping curves, large hills, dangerous S curves, woop-d-woops (those small hills that make your guts feel weird as the car goes up over them) very scenic.
The DOT has made many improvements for obvious safety reasons, but it is still a very scenic ride.
I remember many road trips with my parents going to visit relatives in Canada taking the Airline Rd.


RR

[kellysmith]

It was named after a stage coach run. All you want to know at the link below.

The Airline Road

[mainebrokerman]

i was on the airline this past friday ....it would be easy to think -its because people fly on this road (go fast)

thanks kellysmith for the link

[Northern Maine Land Man]

What a great link, kellysmith. I intend to print it in case the link disappears. I was given a map of Maine from long ago. I have it framed.

Moderator cut: What's deleted is material about lakes, a doctor in Hawaii, water dams, FERC, China, and Baileyville. Since the topic of this thread is "The Airline," anybody can see why that is off topic.

[Kiwiluver]

Thank You for all the responses. I am very tired, had the granddaughter this weekend and drove about 500 miles today. I tried to read the entire article and I will read it again. I could not see the origins of the name "Airline" yet, but will continue to read, That has a great deal of information, thanks! You guys are the best.

[kellysmith]

Originally Posted by Kiwiluver

Thank You for all the responses. I am very tired, had the granddaughter this weekend and drove about 500 miles today. I tried to read the entire article and I will read it again. I could not see the origins of the name "Airline" yet, but will continue to read, That has a great deal of information, thanks! You guys are the best.

A couple cut and pastes to save you some time.

Concerning the road that most know as the Airline, and the State of Maine calls Route 9, it too had historic names. The first was General Cobb’s Great Road from the Penobscot to the Schoodic. General Cobb was William Bingham’s agent here in Maine. For many years in the middle of the nineteenth century it was called the Black’s Road after John Black, agent for Baring Brothers Bank. It eventually came to be called The Airline, after the Airline Stage Company that we will describe later.

In 1857 one George W. Spratt of Calais got the idea that he could get the mail contract and drive the mail over Blacks Road in one day. The contract, worth $5000 per year, allowed him to set up six post houses or stage stops where teams were changed. The stops were in Calais, Alexander [Ben Strout’s farm], Wesley [John Fox Hotel], Bacon Field [Eben Bacon’s farm], Beddington [Schoppee House], Aurora [Silsby Hotel], Clifton [Arthur Rankin’s farm], and Bangor. This required the use of 28 horses each way. The stage left Calais about 5 PM and was in Bangor the next day about 9 am. The Airline Stage Company (the name in contrast to the Shoreline Stage Company) carried the mail and many passengers until 1887 when steamships took over. At the turn of the century the Washington County Railroad, following the shore line route, connected Bangor and Calais.

[Kiwiluver]

Thanks kelly smith so the word "airline" has nothing to do with a modern airline, a stagecoach line from the1850's is the origin. That is indeed very interesting. I had always tried to put together in my mind the various scenarios over the years on how that name was arrived at.

Side Note: if you are thinking of moving to Maine this is the place to find out whatever you need. I've been on here 7 years and have received a plethora of information that assisted my wife and I through the process. Sometimes we argue, we loose beloved members, but we stick together and for the most part we help and support one another's needs. I am sorry I missed a get together we had about it years back, I had to go to New Zealand because my father-in-law was sick, but hopefully we will have another. Again, a heartfelt thanks to everyone helping me with my question.