Name/Title
Wentworth Store | 31 Boynton Street, Eastport, Maine | I7-0B3-23 | District #89Entry/Object ID
089Description
This two story hip roof house was built in 1896 as a grocery and confectionary store. A newspaper account at the time describes the building as 28 feet long by 22 feet wide. It stood across the street initially from Memorial Hall and Brooks School. Memorial Hall burned in 1913 and was replaced by the Eastport Primary School building in 1914. Jimmy Wentworth who had the building built operated the store for over forty years. The first floor was for groceries and the second was an ice cream parlor. He made his own candy and ginger pop, often with the help of the local youngsters. Afterwards, Jim and Mary Follis operated the store until the 1970s. The building is now a private residence. The building is very much intact on the outside from when it was first built.
From Eastport Walking Tour Brochure, 2010:
58) The Wentworth/Follis Store 31 Boynton Street, 1903.
Jimmy Wentworth operated a confectionery store across the street from the Eastport Elementary School for over forty years. The first floor was for groceries and the second was an ice cream parlor. He made his own candy and gingerpop, often with the help of the local youngsters.
• From Eastport Sentinel, March 27, 1895, p.3,c.3: “James E. Wentworth has purchased the old Bradish homestead on the corner of Boynton and Elm streets, and will alter on, after needed repairs are made, move into the same.”
• From Eastport Sentinel, November 18, 1896, p.3,c.3: “Jas. E. Wentworth has had part of the ell of the Martin Bradish house, which he purchased some time ago, taken away and is moving the stable up to thm remaining part. He is soon to build a small store and workshop directly in front of where the stable formerly stood. The lumber for the new building has not all arrived yet, but he hopes to have it erected before winter. A small confectionery store there would get considerable trade from the school children, and if hot oyster stews could be obtained after entertainments or during the intermissions of dances in the hall or rink, quite a little business could be done there.”
• From Eastport Sentinel, December 16, 1896, p.4,c.4: “James Wentworth has the frame of his new store up and boarded in and expects to have it finished in two or three weeks. The building is 28 ft. long by 22 ft. wide and two stories high. Mr. Wentworth is to keep a general line of goods on the first floor, while the second floor will be for the manufacture and sale of candies.”
