The Thorner Home at 74 Mason Street, Biddeford, Maine 04005

under construction


November 23, 1921: Biddeford Daily Journal: 74 Mason sold to Abraham Thorner

1926 Stanley Nelson and Bride visit Biddeford on Honeymoon
1926 Biddeford, ME: mystery cousin and bride visit with Annie and Mel Thorner. Anne Thorner Stack collection.


April 9, 1930 US Census: 74 & 76 Mason Street
I remember the upstairs neighbors well. In my lifetime it was Mrs. Paquin and her sister Miss Cote. Son John would very occasionally stop in when he visited his mother and aunt.


March 22, 1934:
Biddeford Daily Journal, p2, Young Circle League
Young Circle League of America was the youth group of the Yiddish-oriented Workmen's Circle


July 5, 1936: 74 Mason Street, Biddeford, Maine: L to R: Max Nelson, Abraham Thorner, Irving Thorner. Anne Thorner Stack collection.


April 24, 1937: Anne Thorner Diary: Meyer, Blooma, and Jerry Thorner visit. Fishing.

Thorners 1938
1938, 74 Mason Street, Biddeford, Maine. Becky Nelson Thorner • Blume Herchmann Thorner • Melvin Thorner
Abraham Thorner • Annie Thorner • Meyer Thorner. Anne Thorner Stack collection.


1938: 74 Mason Street, Biddeford, Maine: Back L to R: Irving Thorner, Minnie Cook, Becky Thorner, Anne Thorner, Sylvia Cook, Abe Thorner
Front: Maurice Cook, Burton Cook, George Cook. Anne Thorner Stack collection.


1938: Biddeford, Maine: L to R: Irving Thorner, Burton Cook, George Cook, Lou Kates, Maurice Cook. Anne Thorner Stack collection.


1938 Circa, 74 Mason Street, Biddeford, ME: Lou Kates, Mel Thorner and Anne Thorner. Anne Thorner Stack collection


March 1939: Biddeford, ME: captioned "Thorner Men" by my mother, who was, I suspect, the photographer.


March 1939: Biddeford, ME: Mel and Irving Thorner. Anne Thorner Stack collection.


August, 1940: Mason Street, Biddeford, Maine
Irving Thorner; Collection of Anne Thorner Stack


1942: Biddeford, ME: Mel Thorner (note moccasins), Anne Thorner, Molly Landes Cook


1942: Biddeford, ME: Anne Thorner


circa 1945, 74 Mason Street: L to R: Irving Thorner, Bess Kates, Sarah Nelson Schwartz Cook, Max Cook, Molly Schwartz. Anne Thorner Stack collection.
Did James Joyce really visit Mason Street?


August 1948: That's me!


1950: Ellen makes the scene.

1959 Biddeford Thorners Stacks
1959: Biddeford, Maine: from left: Anne & Ellen Stack, Mel Thorner, Bertha & Irving Thorner, Izzy Stack, Brooke & Arnold Thorner

1959 Biddeford Max Sarah Mel Irving
1959: 74 Mason Street, Biddeford, Maine: from left: Irving Thorner, Max and Sarah Nelson Cook, Mel Thorner. photo by Barbara Stack
Uncle Max and Aunt Sarah came over for tea after dinner. Sarah might have been remembering less happy times at that same table, and a less honored position.


April 6, 1936
: Anne Thorner Diary: Sarah & kids come to Biddeford for Passover.

1959 Biddeford kitchen Thorners Stacks Smiths
1959: Biddeford, Maine: from left: Bertha Thorner, Anne Stack, Dory Smith, Lou Smith, Irving Thorner, Izzy Stack.
Note Arnold's snare drum in back bedroom. Photo by Barbara Toby Stack.


September 29, 2010: Still looking good! Barbara Toby Stack photo.


September 29, 2010: Katherine tries out the ancestral step.


September 29, 2010: Katherine, Richard and Cousin B visit the old plantation. Photo by new owner who came out to see what the commotion was all about.


September 29, 2010: Another generation exults atop the big rock. That building used to be a Boy Scout lodge.

Newspaper Source: McArthur Public Library: The Biddeford Historic Newspaper Archive

Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center

A History of Jewish Life in Biddeford Saco by Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center
YouTube Video

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