A rumor heard often in Dexter throughout the years, although never confirmed, is that there is an Italian immigrant worker buried in the trestle at Lincoln Street. We do know that Italian laborers from Boston were brought here to build the railroad north. Even today some of the oldtimers from the #10 District remember hearing about "Little Italy", a parcel of land owned by Florence Turek's great grandfather, Dr. Orlando Mellon Robinson, and located just beyond Lizzie Newcomb's farm in the #10 District. The railroad was chartered in 1867 to come to Dexter from Newport. The towns of Corinna and Dexter used their credit to finance the project. Dexter raised $225,000 and Corinna $75,000. The first depot was on Railroad Avenue and Liberty Street. In 1889 the railroad was extended to Dover-Foxcroft and went through Silver's Mills. The coming of the railroad had a major economic impact on the town. The industries, especially the woolwn mills, were able to receive raw wool and transport finished products much more efficiently and cheaply. Passenger services allowed the people of Dexter to become more mobile. This opportunity to travel may be one reason that Dexter's population dropped from 1870 to 1880 by 312 to 2,563.

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