How It Started
In 1933, Foss Etheridge owned a small business in Newcastle known as Etheridge Oil. The company featured four above-ground storage tanks, each with a 15,000-gallon capacity, located across from the Damariscotta Mills Fire Station.
Contracts for bulk oil changed hands over the years, including Socony, Tydol, and Mobil
Following their discharge from service in World War II in 1944, Charlie Gale and Ken Colby went to work for Etheridge Oil. In April 1946, they purchased the business, renamed it Colby & Gale Inc., and set up shop at what is now known as Elm Street Plaza. At that time, the fleet consisted of just two trucks—Charlie drove one, and Ken drove the other.
In 1947, Colby & Gale expanded into fuel oil and propane, adding Chevy, Ford, and International trucks (up to 1,000 gal). That year, Neil Sprague joined the team, returning for a lifelong career in 1954 after serving in the Navy.
In 1957, Ken Colby sold his share of the business to Charlie Gale. Charlie continued to lead the company until his passing in December 1961. He died while walking home after his truck became stuck in a snowdrift on the night the Damariscotta Hardware store burned down. At the time, Fire Chief George Plante recalled it as a major fire that drew the attention of the entire town.
The Elm Street Plaza Era
Neil Sprague purchased the company from Charlie’s widow, Kathryn, and initiated a new era of expansion. This included a building project behind the Day Block Building. The first storefront was occupied by a State Liquor Store, with others added gradually to form the Elm Street Plaza. New tenants included Leighton’s Barber Shop, Western Auto, and Wheeler’s. In 1966, a laundromat was added, operated by Ken Colby; it was eventually purchased by Colby & Gale and remains under their operation today.
Elm Street Plaza, Damariscotta.
In 1969, Ken York built a diner behind the plaza on a former landfill for Robert Fairfield. In 1982, that diner became Backstreet Landing, which continues to serve the community today. Further expansion of the plaza occurred in 1974 with the addition of a second floor containing ten apartments.
The old Colby & Gale office at Elm Street Plaza
Transition to Biscay Road (1979–1991)
In 1979, Neil retired and sold the business to Jimmy Phillips and Barry Knott. As the company outgrew its space at Elm Street Plaza, they purchased twenty acres on Biscay Road. In August 1988, the company began the massive undertaking of moving its fuel tanks to the new property.
This move was a major local event. A slow-moving convoy began at 5:00 AM in the Mills, traveling down Main Street to Biscay Road. Workers used sticks to raise utility lines so the massive 11×23-foot tanks would not snag. Those same tanks remain in use today at the Biscay Road facility.
By February 1991, Phillips relocated the outdoor power equipment business (formerly on Route One) to a site adjacent to Colby & Gale on Biscay Road. Two months later, Jimmy Phillips retired, selling his half of the company to Danny Hallowell. In 1993, Barry Knott sold his share to his son-in-law, Robert Clifford.
Oil tanks being removed from old bulk plant site on Mills road in Damariscotta.
It was a slow procession of tanks moving down the road
Oil tanks being set at Biscay Road office.
Tanks in their final place!
From three employees in 1933 to over 100 today, Colby & Gale has remained a cornerstone of the community. In 2019, Robert Clifford passed the business to his daughter and son-in-law, Olivia and Matt Poole. As they take the reins, they continue the company’s mission: investing in infrastructure, supporting their employees, and finding new ways to give back to the community that has supported them for over 90 years.
The success of Colby & Gale’s 90-year journey is attributed to our unwavering commitment to building strong customer relationships and meeting our community’s evolving needs.
As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to the principles that have guided us since 1933: reliable service, community support, and personal attention to every customer.