The railroad also provided about two hundred jobs to


the community, especially given the presence of its repair shops.


The existence of the railroad also helped spur various


woods industries, facilitating the movement of lumber and other forest products to market. Gorham and its neighbor Berlin benefited immeasurably from the joint presence of forests and rails. Changes in the technology of making paper from wood would lead to remarkable growth and prosperity for the area.


There was an ebb and a flow in the economic health of the Androscoggin Valley, sometimes due to national conditions such as war or depression, sometimes due to regional or local events or circumstances. When the Mount Washington Cog Railway opened on the western slope of the mountain in 1869, traffic on the Carriage Road, on the eastern slope, declined sharply. Over the ensuing years there was a ripple effect, eventually eroding some opportunities for Gorham. A fire in downtown Gorham in 1879 was devastating, and nearly destroyed the critical railroad buildings. Economic conditions led the Grand Trunk to economize in their operations; they would close their Gorham repair shops in 1902.


In a town that had seen its ups and downs, one might think that a young man would strive for economic security in a steady occupation. In Gorham, if railroad work did not suffice, perhaps work in the woods, or in a papermill in Gorham or Berlin would. But such options did not suit Guy Shorey.


Shorey was born in Gorham in 1881. His grandfather,


Urban Shorey Jr., was hardworking and accomplished, having served as a railroad repairman, run a store, and served as town tax collector and selectman, and as a state legislator. His son Charles, Guy Shorey’s father, worked for the railroad as a toolmaker, was an insurance agent, and served as a justice of the peace. With such a background, one might think that Guy Shorey would work for the railroad and serve his community in other capacities, and thus prove an industrious citizen and worthy heir to his lineage. Shorey would work diligently, would serve his community, and would be a proud carrier of the Shorey name, but would do so in a way that would also allow expression of his creative nature.


Percy Peaks over Upper Ammonoosuc River Guy Shorey photograph, 8.5" x 18.5"


7


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28