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I know we all attend Leavitt Area High, or, 99.9% of us reading that is, but do we really know the history behind our school, behind our town? Personally, before I began to research, I didn’t know much past the fact that some guy named Leavitt founded it. I feel that it is important that we do. These walls, the grass our feet trod upon, the cemetery, the library, even the corner store, hold magnificent memories of our ancestors, ones that deserve to be told

Turner, Maine has been located in Androscoggin County since 1842, and is bordered by the Androscoggin River on its east side. In 1772, Turner was settled by individuals including Daniel Staples, and members of the Record, Leavitt, and Bradford families, many of whom came from the Plymouth Massachusetts area. In 1786, it was incorporated, and named in honor of the Reverend Turner. Fun fact, Turner was originally known as “Sylvester-Canada” and was granted to veterans of the 1690 invasion of Canada. 

Economically, the town grew as a farming community which mainly produced corn and apples, using early and crucial milling industries built by Samuel Blake in 1775 along the Nezinscot River. In 1882, Edwin Leavitt Bradford founded the Turner Centre Creamery, which was the largest milk business in Maine until 1929, and the first in New England to produce commercial ice cream as of 1917. The North Turner Chair Factory, later known as Washburn Chair Co. was a significant employer in the late 19th century, and the first in Maine to produce willow chairs. Overall, Turner is known for being located rurally and holding history.

The Leavitt Institute Building, now known as the Turner Public Library or Turner Museum, was gifted by James Madison Leavitt for secondary education to the town of Turner. James was born in Turner on September 2nd, 1826 to Branch and Lucy (Pratt) Leavitt, belonging to one of the original settling families, and became a wealthy New Yorker who manufactured umbrellas and parasols. $10,000 dollars was donated by him in order to build a preparatory school. The school itself opened in 1897 on January 20th, with the first class only hosting roughly 8 students, and graduating in 1896. On August 20th, 1851, James married Clarinda “Clara” Streeter Bates at Laurens Hill, Georgia. James and Clara had a daughter in Brooklyn New York named Mary N. Leavitt who was born in Kings County, and in 1875, James retired. Sadly, James Madison Leavitt died from Brights Disease (a form of kidney disease)  in New York, February 19, 1903.

More on Leavitt, the last class in the original building graduated in 1966. Shortly after, Leavitt High was given its name, and the Area part of the name was added when the school became consolidated under SAD 52. The building was relocated do to demand for expansive purposes, not far from the old institute.

So, I hope you learned something new today, and you took the time to learn a little bit about the land you live on. Next time you pass by the Library, or drive through town, just remember all of the effort it took to get here.