Maine Turnpike's Rich History Captured In Vintage Photo

The Maine Turnpike Authority recently published a photo on Facebook of what the Maine Turnpike looked like in the past, but they don't know the place or the year of the photo. So they asked their Facebook followers where and then they think this photo was taken.

Maine Turnpike History

Maine Turnpike Authority / Google Maps

The Maine Turnpike opened in 1947 and was the first superhighway built after World War II. It was also the second modern toll highway in the US and was self-funded through tolls to pay off the financing.

Today, the Maine Turnpike has lengthened the highway from Kittery to widened the roads, added more lanes, installed automatic toll collection through EZ-Pass, and will begin installing traffic cameras to help increase safety.

Photo From the Past

On June 24, 2025, the Maine Turnpike Authority posted this photo on their Facebook page, not knowing exactly where or when it was taken, wondering if anyone might know the answer.

People in the comments had all kinds of theories:

Looking towards OOB from Scarborough? Late 50's by the look at the cars. - Jim Lynch

I would guess this was taken by n the Littlefield Road overpass in Wells, looking southbound. Or Flag Pond Road overpass in Saco looking North Bound.-Craig Giles

Looks like where the “big dip” was. Scarborough /
Saco - Kelly Weeks

So, for now, we're not sure where this picture was taken, but the late 1950s seems to check out as the date the photo was taken from the cars on the highway.

Do you have a better theory? Leave a comment on the Maine Turnpike Authority Facebook page.