USA > Maine > A gazetteer of the United States, comprising a series of gazetteers of the several states and territories. Maine > Part 12
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There are in the city 16 houses of pub- lic worship, many of which are very ele- gant. There are also in the city a bean- tiful court house, a spacious city hall, and a granite exchange of great cost and elegance. An atheneum was founded here in 1826, embracing a large reading room and library ; the library at this time contains between 4600 and 5000 volumes of well-selected books.
The public press is as flourishing in Portland as in other parts of the United States, embracing all the subjects of pol-
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itics, literature, agriculture, religion and y town, and its vicinity to the Kennebec morals.
Portland is 537 miles from Washington. It is pleasantly situated between Fore or Casco river, and Back cove. The lo- cation is calculated to exhibit the city very favorably on approaching it from the sea, as the buildings rise between two hills in the form of an amphitheatre. On the site of old fort Sumner is an observa- tory about 70 feet in height, commanding a delightful view of the city, the harbor, the islands in Casco bay ; and extending north-west to the elevated peaks of the White mountains.
The access to Portland by sca is easy, its harbor spacious and safe, and rarely obstructed by ice. It has a water com- munication with the country to a distance of nearly fifty miles, by the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, which was finished in 1830; and it is the nearest sea-board mar- ket for the rich and beautiful country on the upper waters of Connecticut river, through the Franconia and White moun- tain passes ; and with the White moun- tains over a level road to Lancaster, N.H.
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A railroad from Boston reaches this place, and railroads from Portland to the upper waters of the Connecticut and to Bangor are in contemplation.
There are numerous resources in the interior not yet brought into activity, which will give to this place continually increasing importance, and reward the ex- ertions of its intelligent and enterprising inhabitants.
Prospect.
This is a beautiful town, of good soil, on the west side of Penobscot river. It is bounded on the S. by Belfast bay, on the W. by Swanville, and on the N. by Frankfort. Prospect is very flourishing in its trade, ship building and agricultu- ral pursuits.
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Raymond.
Raymond is watered by Crooked river, and several ponds. This is a good farms- ing town, with two villages, and some trade. The inhabitants are principally devoted to agricultural pursuits. It lies 22 miles N. N. W. from Portland. It is bounded on the W. by Naples, and con- tains some of the sources of Sebago lake on its S.
Readfield.
This is an excellent township of land, and finely watered by ponds and small streams. The people are generally in- dustrious farmers, who find the cultiva- tion of the earth the best source of med- pendence. Readfield is a very pleasant ; the commerce and the fishery.
gives it many advantages. It is bounded N. by Mt. Vernon and Belgrade, E. by Augusta, S. by Winthrop, and W. by Fayette.
Saco.
Saco is situated on the east side of the river of that name. It lies in N. lat. 43º 31', W. lon. 70° 26'. It is 14 miles S. W. from Portland, and 29 N. E. from York.
Saco is a port of entry, a place of some ship building, and commands a flourish- ing trade.
Saco enjoys the rare privilege of pos- sessing a great hydraulic power united with navigable accommodations. The Saco river terminates its fantastic course at this place by leaping, within a short distance, 42 feet, and mingling with the ocean. This water-power is very valua- ble, and cannot fail of becoming the site of large manufacturing operations.
From the mouth of the river a fine beach extends to the east about 5 miles, called Old Orchard beach. This name arose from a growth of apple-trees for- merly near the beach, planted at a very early period ; some of them remained as late as 1770. Another beach of less ex- tent, but not inferior in other respects, is found at the Pool, connecting Fletcher's Neck with the main, and formning the south shore of that peninsula. Its dis- tance from the Falls is about 9 miles.
The small streams by which different parts of Saco are watered, generally de- rive their origin from an immense bog, commonly called the Heath, and flow in- to the river and sea. On one of these, Foxwell's brook, there is a fine water- fall, with a descent of about 60 feet, sur- rounded by scenery of a wild and stri- king character.
The lumber trade has long been the principal branch of business on Saco ri- ver. In early times, the mills were sup- phed with logs from the forests in the vicinity of the Falls : in the former part of the last century, they were procured at the distance of a few miles above the mills. In the winter of 1772, it is said, a few persons for the first time ascended the river as far as Fryeburg, in quest of timber, and finding an abundance, turned the attention of millinen to that region for their future supplies. After the war, the number of mills was increased. Be- fore the year 1800, 17 saws were in ope- ration abont the Falls. There were oth- ers on the small streams in different parts of Saco and Biddeford. The quantity jof boards sawed per day (24 hours) has been estimated at 50,000 feet.
There is considerable navigation owned at Saco, employed in foreign and domes-
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There are in Saco large cotton mills, a rolling mill, a nail factory, and nume- rous saw mills ; but a great portion of the water-power remains unimproved.
The village of Saco contains many handsome buildings, and the scenery around it is romantic and beautiful.
Saco and Biddeford were formerly uni- ted. The former was first settled in 1631, the latter in 1630.
We make a few extracts from Mr. Fol- som's valuable history of those towns, as they contain some interesting informa- tion in relation to the first settlement of this part of New England.
" The unfortunate termination of Sir Walter Raleigh's attempts to colonize Virginia during the reign of queen Eliza- beth, had effectually checked the spirit of enterprise in England in relation to the settlement of America. The discoveries of Gosnold and Pring, and the shortness of their voyages, now caused the subject to be revived, and to excite more general interest than had before existed. On the petition of a number of gentlemen, a charter was granted by king James in the year 1606, dividing the country into two districts, called North and South Virginia, and authorizing the establishment of se- parate colonies in each district by two distinct companies. A right of property in the land, 50 miles on each side of their first plantations, and extending 100 miles into the interior, was granted by this pa- tent. The first or southern colony was allowed to settle any part of the country within the degrees of 34 and 41 north latitude ; the second, consisting chiefly of persons resident at Plymouth and oth- er towns in the west of England, and thence denominated the Plymouth Com- pany, were allowed to choose a place of settlement between 38 and 45 degrees north latitude. As a considerable por- tion of the territory thus allotted was common to the two districts, a provision was added, that the colony last planted should not approach within one hundred miles of that already established.
" The next year, colonies were sent out by the two companies. One was fixed at Jamestown, of which Gosnold ' was the prime mover,' and Capt. Smith an active member; the other was established at Sagadahock, or the mouth of the Kenne- bec, led by Captains George Popham, brother to the chief justice, and Raleigh Gilbert. This colony consisted of 108 men ;- whether accompanied by their families, we are not informed. They ar- rived on the coast near the island of Monhegan, a few leagues east of the Ken- nebec, in the month of August, and soon after entered the month of that river, where, on the eastern side, on an island || from them much information respecting
now forming a part of Georgetown, they commenced preparations for a permanent settlement without delay. Monhegan was agreed upon as a place of rendezvous for the ships before leaving England, and although we are not directly told that the destination of the colony was determined before their arrival, there is no doubt of the fact. The great patron of the enter- prise, chief justice Popham, obtained an accurate survey of the coast the year be- fore, and doubtless selected the mouth of that ' fair and navigable river,' as the Kennebec is styled by Smith, as a favor- able location for the seat of the colony.
" The lateness of the season scarcely allowed the colonists time to erect a fort and the necessary places of shelter before the approach of winter, which proved excessively rigorous. More than half their number returned with the ships to England in December, in consequence of the severity of the cold and the scanti- ness of their supplies. Soon after, those who had remained had the misfortune to lose the greater part of their buildings and stores by fire. Capt. Popham died in the course of the winter, and an arri- val in the spring brought news of the death of the chief justice. Raleigh Gil- bert, who succeeded Popham as president of the colony, was under the necessity of returning to England on account of the decease of his brother, of which in- telligence was received by another arrival, and the colonists, discouraged by so many adverse circumstances, resolved to aban- don the country and return with him. Thus in less than one year from the time the settlement was conunenced, the north- ern colony was broken up; the country was denounced as uninhabitable, and no further attempts were made for many years to promote its settlement by the company to whom it was assigned by the patent of king James.
" Sir Ferdinando Gorges, a censpicuous meniber of the Plymouth Company, alone remained undiscouraged. The attention of this gentleman appears to have been first turned to this part of America in the year 1605, when Capt. Weymouth arrived in the harbor of Plymouth where he re- sided, on his return from a voyage for the discovery of the north-west passage. Falling short of his course, Weymouth had accidentally discovered the river Pe- nobscot, from whence he carried to Eng- land five of the natives, ' three of whom,' says Gorges, 'I seized upon ; they were all of one nation, but of several parts and several families. This accident must be acknowledged the means under God of putting on foot and giving life to all our plantations.' He retained these Indians in his family three years, and obtained
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their native shores : they were after- wards sent back. Gorges henceforth took a deep interest in schemes for the settlement of North Virginia, and was rather chagrined than discouraged by the return of the Sagadahock colonists, and the unfavorable reports which they spread concerning the country. 'Hle had too much experience in the world,' he said, 'to be frighted with such blast, as knowing many great kingdoms and large territories more northerly seated and by niany degrees colder, were plenti- fully inhabited, and divers of them stored with no better commodities than these afforded, if like industry, art and labor be used.' Unable, however, to persuade the company to undertake the planting of a second colony, Gorges engaged in private enterprises to this coast, which began to be much resorted to by English ships for purposes of trade with the na- tives, and of fishing. In the year 1616, he sent hither a party commanded by Richard Vines, for the express object of exploring the country with a view to form a settlement. He contracted with them to remain during the winter, with the hope of removing the prejudice ex- cited by the Sagadaliock colonists against the character of the climate.
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" They arrived during the prevalence of a destructive disease among the na- tives, which spread throughout New Eng- land, commencing its ravages in the west. This pestilence is noticed by all the wri- ters on the early history of New England, with some difference of opinion as to the precise year of its occurrence. A late and highly respectable writer supposes it to have prevailed in different places at different times, but a few years previous to the arrival of the Plymouth pilgrims. It was regarded by those pious colonists as a special interposition of divine provi- dence in their favor, so great was the ha- voc it made among the tribes in that quarter. 'Thus,' says old Morton, ' God inade way for his people by removing the heathen and planting them in the land.'
" Mr. Vines and his companions pene- trated into the interior, visiting the In- dians in their villages and wigwams, who received them with great kindness and hospitality. Besides the ravages of sick- ness, they were at this time thrown into confusion by the death of the Bashaba or chief sachein, whom the Tarratines, liv- ing east of the Penobscot, had attacked by surprise and destroyed with his family the preceding year. Great dissensions had immediately followed among the dif- ferent tribes, who were engaged in a do- structive war with each other when the pestilence made its appearance. In the midst of these evils, the Englishmen passed with safety among them, and
slept in their cabins without suffering from the contagion. They were in par- ticular welcomed by the savages whom they had seen in the family of Gorges at Plymouth, and now met in their native homes. Having visited different parts of the coast, this little party prepared to establish themselves for the winter. The spot which they selected for their abode, we have reason to suppose, was at the mouth of Saco river, on the western side, near the capacious and sheltered basin, now called the Pool, but in early times known as Winter Harbor.
" Vines performed several voyages to our coast in the service of Gorges, and it is probable made Winter Harbor his prin- cipal resort. While he was occupied in exploring the country and trading with the natives, his men were engaged in fishing. How long he pursued this course, we are not informed, nor do we find him mentioned again until several years after his early residence at Winter Harbor.
" The employments of the colonists were chiefly agriculture, fishing, and trade with the natives. Most of theni combined these pursuits, and were styled husbandmen or planters.
"The husbandinen took up tracts of 100 acres, of which they received leases on nominal or small rents, from Mr. Vines. Some of these are now on record. An estate that had been in the possession of Thomas Cole, including 'a mansion or dwelling-house,' was leased by Mr. Vines to John West for the term of 1000 years, for the annual rent of two shillings and one capon, a previous consideration having been paid by West. The Icase, which is partly in the Latin language, was executed 1638. Another deed from Vines requires the lessee to yield and pay an acknowledgment and rent-charge of' 5s., two days' work, and one fat goose yearly. In this manner were all the planters ren- dered tenants to the proprietor, none of them holding their estates in fee simple."
Fishing was the most common occupa- tion, as it was both easy and profitable to barter the products of this business for corn from Virginia, and other stores from England. The trade with the planters of Massachusetts soon became considera- ble. In 1636, Mr. Vines had a consign- ment of bread and beef from that quarter. Jocelyn remarks that " Winter Harbor is a noted placc for fislicrs." He describes the mode of pursuing this busmess in the following manner : " The fishermen take yearly on the coast many hundred quin- | tals of cod, hake, haddock, pollock, &c. [and dry them at their stages, making three voyages in a year. They make merchantable and refuse fish, which they I sell to Massachusetts merchants ; the first
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for 32 reals ($4) per quintal ; the refuse for 9 and 10 shillings, ($2, and 2.25.) The merchant sends the first to Lisbon, Bilboa, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Toulon, and other cities of France ; to Canaries, pipe-staves and clapboards ; the refuse fish to the West Indies for the negroes. To every shallop belong four fishermen, a master or steersman, a midshipman, and a shore man, who takes care of the fish, and dries it upon hurdles pitched upon stakes breast high, and tends their cookery. They often get in one voyage 8 or 9 barrels a share per man. The merchant buys of the planters beef, pork, peas, wheat, Indian corn, and sells it to the fishermen.
" The expense of each planter to pro- vision himself was quite small, if we may judge from an estimate furnished by Mr. Jocelyn for the information of proposed emigrants. A similar estimate had been previously made by Capt. Smith with re- ference to Virginia. 'Victuals to last one man a year ; 8 bushels of' meal, £2 : two bushels of peas, 6 shillings : two bushels of oatmeal, 9 shillings ; one gal- lon of aqua vitæ, (brandy,) 2s. 6d .; one gallon of oil, 33. 6d .; two gallons of vin- egar, 2 s .; " total, £3 3s., equal to $14.
" A considerable traffic was carried on with the natives by many of the planters, some of them visiting remote parts of the coast, or travelling into the interior for this purpose. English and French goods were bartered for valuable furs, particu- larly beaver."
St. Albans
Is bounded N. by Ripley, E. by Corin- na, S. by Palmyra, and W. by Hartland and Harmony. This is a valuable township of land, and its agricultural products are large and increasing. It contains a large and beautiful pond ; the outlet of which forms a good mill stream, a branch of Se- basticook river. There are two pleasant villages in the town, and its increase of inhabitants in 10 years is a sure indica- tion of its healthful and prosperous state.
St. George.
This township is nearly surrounded by water. It is bounded northerly by a neck of land adjoining Thomaston, E. by the western waters of Penobscot bay, S. by the Atlantic, and W. by the waters of Muscongus bay and St. George river. This town possesses, in an eminent de- gree, every navigable facility. It is a place of considerable ship building, and the people are engaged in the lumber trade, coasting and fishing. There is a number of islands on the coast of this town : a cluster of islands called St.
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George's, is the most considerable. They lie off the town S. by W. about 5 miles.
St. George ricer is a valuable stream, both on account of its hydraulic power and navigable accommodations. It re- ceives its most distant waters from ponds in Montville, Searsmont and Belmont in the county of Waldo, and, in a southerly course, passes to Union, where it receives the waters of several ponds, and meets the tide at Warren. The length of this river is about 40 miles : it is navigable to Warren, 15 miles from the sea.
Sanford.
Sanford is watered by Mousum river; it has a good water-power, and an estab- lishinent for the manufacture and print- ing of cotton goods. It is 35 miles W. S. W. from Portland, and is bounded S. W. by Alfred.
Scarborough
Lies between Saco and Portland. A part of this large town, called Black Point, lying upon the sea, was granted by the council of Plymouth to Thomas Cammock, in 1631; this was soon after settled, and became of considerable im- portance on the coast in the fisheries and trade. The land is held under that an- cient grant at the present day. Another settlement was early made by a family of Algers, from England, near the centre of the town, and called Duastan corner, which name it still bears. This was wholly destroyed in the Indian war of 1675. It was, however, revived by a de- scendant in the female line, through whom that race is still perpetuated.
Scarborough is principally an agricul- tural town, for which purpose it furnishes some rich soil, and has a large quantity of salt marsh. Ship building, however, con- tinues to be pursued here, although not to the extent it forinerly was. Nousuck river passes through the whole length of the town. Its present name was given to it in 1658, when it submitted to the go- vernment of Massachusetts ; previously the eastern side of the river and Marsh was called Black Point, and the western Blue Point, names which are still in fa- miliar use.
This town has the honor of being the birth-place of the distinguished statesman RUFUS KING, and his half brother, Wit .- LIAM KING, the first governor of Maine.
Sebec.
Sebec is a township of good soil, and is well watered by Sebec pond and its out- let, Sebec river, which empties into the
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Piscataquis, on the north side, in the town ! of Milo. Its distance from Portland is 141 miles N. E. It is bounded N. by Wil- liamsburg and Barnard, E. by Milo, S. by Atkinson, and W. by Foxcroft.
Sebec pond lies in the towns of Sebec, Foxcroft and Bowerbank : it is about 10 miles long, and about a mile average breadth. Its outlet is a good mill stream of about 10 miles in length. This pond is within a few miles of the centre of the state. The country around these waters is fertile and heavily timbered, and the scenery picturesque and beautiful.
Sedgwick.
Sedgwick lies on the west side of Blue- hill bay, has good harbors, and enjoys great privileges for navigation. A num- ber of vessels is owned here, employed in the coasting trade and fishery, and ship building is an important branch of business. The soil of the town is not so productive as that niore distant from the sea ; still it is abundantly able to supply its own people with bread stuff's and all the varieties of fruits and vegetables com- mon to a New England climate.
This town was named in honor of THEODORE SEDGWICK, an eminent states- man and jurist, a senator to Congress, and for many years a judge of the su- preme court of Massachusetts. He died at Boston in 1813, aged 66, highly valued by his friends and country.
Sidney.
This is a very pleasantly situated town on the west side of Kennebec river, and watered by a large and beautiful pond lying in this town and Belgrade. It is bounded N. by Waterville, and S. by Au- gusta.
Skowhegan.
This town was formerly called Mil- burn : it took the Indian name of the place in 1836. It is situated on the north side of Kennebec river, at Skowhegan Falls. The river runs here in an eastern direction. The local situation of Show- hegan, its admirable water-power, and the fertility of the adjacent country, uni- ted with the enterprise of its inhabitants, have rendered the place, but recently a wilderness, one of the best cultivated townships in the state, the site of a great number of mills, and a mart of an exten- sive trade. There is much delightful scenery about Skowhegan : the village is neatly built, and its beauty is much enhanced by the whiteness of the houses : contrasted with the blue and green of the river and its banks. Between Skowhegan ; a day. From March 15th to June 15th, and Bloomfield is a small island in the | 1=38, 5019 sail were seen to pass in the
river. Across this island are noble bridges uniting the towns. Skowhegan is bound- ed on the N. by Cornville, E. by Canaan, S. (on the river) by Bloomfield, and W. by Norridgewock.
South Berwick
Is situated on the N. E. side of Salmon Falls river, opposite to Somersworth, N.H. and 10 miles W. N. W. from York. The limits of the town have recently been in- creased by the addition of a portion of the territory of York. The Great Falls on the river at this place afford an hydrau- lic power of great magnitude and value. Manufacturing operations commenced here many years ago, and have been gradually increasing ; but in 1837, the "Great Works Manufacturing Company" was incorporated. This company has a large capital, and has made arrange- ments for manufacturing on an extensive seale. When it is considered that this place is located on navigable waters, only about a dozen miles from the excellent harbor of Portsmouth by water, and a railroad passing through it, these opera- tions promise a favorable result, both to individual enterprise and the public.
The village of South Berwick is plea- santly situated ; it is a place of conside- rable trade, and in the vicinity of some of the most delightful scenery in our country.
Standish.
Standish is bounded on the N. and N. E. by Sebago lake, and S. W. by Saco river. It lies 16 miles N. W. from Port- land. This is a good farming town, with two pleasant villages. It has Buxton on its sonth, and Gorham on its N. E.
Thomaston.
This is a very flourishing maritime town, sitnated between the western en- trance of Penobscot bay and St. George river, and comprises the celebrated penin- sula of Oil's Head. This noted place on our rastern waters is a point of land at- tached to the town of Thomaston, run- ning out three or four miles into Penob- scut bay, opposite to the island town of Vinalhaven. Owl's Head forins the west- ern entrance into the month of Penob- scot river, and has a light house to guide the wary mariner on his way. A break- water is about being erected, which will render the harbor at this place one of the most commodious, as it is one of the most important, on the coast. An almost countless number of vessels pass this place annually. Frequently 500 pass in
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