This month we are featuring #32 Federal Road, Parsonsfield in Kezar Falls Village, another business building with a long KF history that is not currently occupied. It most recently was occupied by Chalmers Insurance Company which has since moved to Cornish.

In the late 1800’s the building was the residence of Harry and Elsie Givens who rented a part of the building to mill workers. Later Mr. and Mrs. Gray lived in the back section. In 1961 the building was converted to “Ye Olde Wool Shoppe”, a new enterprise run by the Garner family after they sold the woolen mill. It was headquarters for the Kezar Sales Corp. that included the shop, real estate and the hydro-electric station. The main building was enlarged and two buildings were taken down on either side of the building to provide parking for the business. A road to the former mill office remains to the left of this building.

The “Ye Olde Wool Shoppe” building was purchased by Phil Lovejoy in 1971 and the Pike Lovejoy & Pike Insurance office was located on the side to the right. Over the years several small businesses have occupied the left half of the building; the last being the late Elmer Runyon’s law office until 2010. After that it was occupied entirely by the insurance company under the new name, Chalmers Insurance Company.

The current owner is listed as 32 Ossipee Trail, LLC. It is still an attractive building in the center of Kezar Falls so hopefully it will not remain empty much longer.

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NOTICE

The first 2025 Meeting of the Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society will be held on May 17 at History House, at 92 Main St., Porter. The meeting starts at 2:00 pm. There will be election of officers and a discussion of 2025 activities. Our program will be “WHAT’S IT?” — So bring an object or picture to stump the audience. Members please try to attend as a quorum is needed. Hope to see you there.