East Boothbay is a renowned ship building center. From the early days of wooden ships to the present day sailing and steel boats, the craftsmanship of these boat builders is evident in all aspects of life here including the houses.
Linekin Bay B&B, built in 1878, was originally known as the Holbrook House. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the Holbrook House had an adjoining store called the Holbrook Store. The Holbrook Store was run by two bothers, Eliphalet and Ezekiel Holbrook. For 75 years the store served as the main source of supplies for residents of Linekin Neck.
Like many New England families of this era, the Holbrooks had their own family cemetery in which they laid their loved ones to rest. The weathered gravesites of Eliphalet & Ezekiel have been lying just several feet apart for over 100 years in the nearby Holbrook Cemetery.
During the renovation process of the bed & breakfast in 1998 and 1999, we learned a great deal about the history and construction of the house. Several clapboards and a threshold identifying builders of the era were discovered. These artifacts are on display at the Boothbay Region Historical Society. The doorbell at the Linekin Bay Bed & Breakfast Inn is over 100 years old and is still in service and works fine!
In the January 1997 two part article titled “Out of Our Past” about life on Linekin Neck in 1866, Barbara Rumsey of the Boothbay Region Historical Society offers this summation about the Holbrook Store’s role during the mid 1800’s:
"The Holbrook business filled many roles. It served as a grocery store, a hardware store, a dry goods store, a stable, a bank, a renter of heavy equipment (oxen), a shoe repair shop, and a boat storage facility. You begin to see how such a typical small community supplied everything for itself with one stop shopping. The Holbrook store was the mall."
Barbara Rumsey utilized the information contained in a donated 216 page E. & E. Holbrook Store account book from 1866 and her extensive historical knowledge to write the article.
Some entries read as follows:
- G.W. Whitehouse - 3/4 lbs. lard (20¢)
- Nathaniel Bennett - 2 lbs. lard (54¢)
- George E. Vanhorn - 1 gallon molasses (60¢), 1/4 grasp matches (55¢) and 1/2 lb. tea (56¢)
- George Martin - Cash for boots (Credited $2.20)
