USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. I > Part 6
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* MS. Letters of E. Coolidge, Esq .- Hon. Obed Wilson,-Wm. Butter- field,-O. Baker.
t MS. Letter of Hon. Nathan Cutler, of Farmington.
#MS. Letter of A. Morse, Esq. and a plan. "At Scouhegan falls is Scouhegan Island : the waters on the west side form some of the best mill sites in the State.
ยก MS. Letter of G. Bixby, Esq.
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THE WATERS AND COAST
[INTRODUC.
Teconnet falls.
Sebasti- cook.
The next, to the southward, are Teconnet falls, 15 miles be- low the Scouhegan and opposite the village of Waterville, where the water in a short distance descends about twenty feet. Below Teconnet, the Sebasticook, rising near some branches of the Penobscot and running southwesterly, empties its waters into the Kennebec on the eastern side. It is a large mill stream and in many places rapid. On the point of land above the confluence Fort Tecon- of the two rivers, and below the falls, was the old Teconnet fort net, or Hali- fax. of the Indians and afterwards fort Halifax of the English, built in 1754, during many years a most noted place. The fort itself is in Winslow, and the block-house was lately standing.
Fort West- ern.
Fort Western is also on the east side of the Kennebec, a little below and near the bridge, in Augusta, about 16 miles south of fort Halifax, built by the Plymouth company in 1754, still ex- hibiting all the prominent appearances of its location .* To this place the tide flows and rises two feet,f and small vessels of 100 tons ascend ; being 45 or 50 miles from Seguin Lighthouse.
Cobbesse- contee.
The next considerable tributary of the Kennebec is Cobbesse- contee river, an inviting stream for mills and machinery. It issues from Winthrop pond, north of west from its mouth, and running in the form of a semi-ellipsis, receiving in its course the waters of Cobbessecontee pond and almost encircling the town of Gardiner, empties into the Kennebec, on the western side, seven miles from fort Western. It is crossed near its mouth by a dam of split stone, and is ornamented by a number of mills and among them an excellent flour mill. The name of the river is of Indian etymon and signifies " Sturgeon river."}
Swan Island.
Five miles lower we meet with Swan Island, in the river where it divides Bowdoinham on the west, from Dresden on the east shore. The Island is four miles in length and 200 rods in mean width, anciently the dwelling-place of an Indian Sagamore, who lived here about the time the country was first settled, and who joined in most of the conveyances, made by the Indians in those times, of lands on the Kennebec. The Island itself is a part of the town of Dresden and its soil is good; the river is
* MS. Letter of Hon. Daniel Cony. Lat. of Augusta, 43deg. 14min. : the bridge cost $26,000.
t The Tide rises at Hallowell 6 feet.
# MS. Letter of R. H. Gardiner, Esq.
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SECT. II.] OF MAINE.
navigable on both sides of it, though the channel mostly used is on the eastern side. Between this Island and the mouth of the Cobbessecontee, five miles below the latter, in Pittston, is a small Island and stream, by the name of Nehumkeag, or Negumkike,* Nahum- [or eel-bed,] a noted place mentioned in the Plymouth patent. keag.
Old Pownalborough, which included Dresden, Wiscasset, and Alna, as they are now bounded, was the ancient plantation of Frankfort. On the margin of the river in Dresden, the Ply- mouth company, in 1754, constructed and erected a fortress, which they called Frankfort, or fort Frankfort, afterwards Fort Frank- fort, or Shir- named fort Shirley, laid out a parade 200 feet square and built ley. two block-houses. It was 16 miles from fort Western and 33 from fort Halifax.
Richmond fort a very ancient establishment, was on the west- Richmond ern side of the Kennebec, one mile and an half below fort Frank- fort. fort, and nearly opposite the upper end of Swan Island.
The Chops are so called because they open and receive the Chops. waters of the Kennebec and Androscoggin, after they merrily meet and form the great Merry-Meeting bay. From their throat, f or the narrows, to the sea, the waters of the two rivers in junc- tion are called Sagadahockt to its mouth, having Bath and Sagada- Phipsburg on the west, and Woolwich and Georgetown on hock. the east. About a league below the Chops, abreast of Bath village, it is divided by Arrowsick Island at first, and seconded by Parker's Island, a little lower on the east, and part of its wa- ters passes down Long reach, to a short turn which then takes Long reach. the name of Fiddler's reach, and washes the shores of Phipsburg Fiddler's reach.
and Arrowsick Island ; the other part runs between Woolwich and the northeast end of Arrowsick and of Parker's Island, through Cross river, or the Gut, to Sheepscot river, two leagues ; Cross river.
* Opposite to the Island is Nahumkeag stream, in Pittston, which is too small for mills except in wet seasons. There were attempts to fix the pa- tent on the east side of the river at this place : but it was extended to the north line of Woolwich.
+ At the Throat is King's Island, of 180 acres, a mile above the ferry, which ferry is two miles above Bath. At the ferry the river is 1-2 mile and 4 rods wide. Above King's Island is the Chops.
# Anciently " Sunkatunkarunk."-mouth of Rivers. - Hon. D. Sewall .- Or rather " Sunkaradunk."-Kennebec Claims, 14.
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THE WATERS AND COAST
[INTRODUC.
Back river or southeast, through the eastern passage called Back river, which separates those two Islands.
Winne- gance creek. Winnegance creek, is a cove making down south, two miles from the turn where Long reach and Fiddler's reach meet, and ends within 20 rods, across land, of the easterly branch of Stevens' river before mentioned. As to widths, the main river at the mouth between Phipsburg and Parker's Island, is more than half a mile ; Back river, 8 or 10 rods, and Cross river from 6 in some places to 100 rods in others. A bridge connects Par- Two Bridg- ker's Island and Arrowsick Island ; and there is another over es. Winnegance creek, to avoid going round its head in passing from Phipsburg to Bath.
On the north side of the aforenamed passage, called Cross river, which runs down southeasterly, having Arrowsick and Parker's Islands southerly, and Woolwich and Jeremisquam Isl- Monseag bay. and* northerly, is Monseag bay. From about midway of Cross river it stretches up northerly, between Woolwich and Jeremi- squam Island, two leagues in length, and is sometimes called Mon- seag or " Monsweag" river. In Woolwich on the northerly shore of this bay or river, in a pleasant situation, was the birthplace of Gov. Phips. Governor Phips, now a well cultivated farm.
Nequasset.
Nequasset stream is very short ; the water is salt to the head of the tide, and it is wholly in the town of Woolwich. It issues from a pond of 400 acres in that town, and turns several mills at the falls where it meets the tide. Here is one of the best ale- wive-fisheries in the State. Anciently Woolwich was called the Nequasset-settlement.t
Phipsburg.
Phipsburg is a peninsula, divided northerly from Bath by Win- negance creek and a narrow isthmus between it and the east branch or cove of Stevens' river, and includes Cape Small-point at its southwestern extremity. A mile above the southeast corner or projection of this peninsula, on what is called Hill's point, is the plat of ground where the Sagadahock colony passed the winter, 1608-9. The United States' fort is near the same spot, though a little further east. The fort built by those ancient colonists was called fort St. George, but gradually acquired the name of Popham's fort. The remains of it and of several houses or
United States' fort
Popham's fort.
* New Westport.
+ MS. Letter of E. Delano, Esq.
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OF MAINE.
SECT. II.]
habitations built there, and afterwards revived and increased in number to 10 or 12 by the new Plymouth settlers, are yet seen.
Island.
The colony, at first, landed on Stage Island, situate on the Stage east side of the channel, south of Parker's Island, and separate from it by a narrow shallow strait. On this little Island of 8 or 10 acres, they erected a fortification and dug a well, which was walled and parted by a partition still apparent. But because they could not get good water, they removed across the river* and settled on the peninsula, westward.
Arrowsickt Island is mostly excellent land. It is five miles Arrowsick. long, its mean breadth is one mile, and it contains 4000 acres : It has 200 acres of marsh ; some ledges, and some yet in woods, and is separated from Phipsburg by the main channel, more than half a mile wide. The first settlement of this Island was very early. Hammond's fort was on the northeast part next to Cross Hammond's river, opposite Monseag bay : the other settlement was about a fort. mile above the south end of the Island and extended quite across it, having back of it, on the eastern shore, the new tier of lots, anciently called Newtown, which has sometimes given this name Newtown. to the whole Island. The remains, or appearances of 50 dwel- lings, which were destroyed by the savages in the first Indian wars, can now be discovered.
Parker's Island, originally Eraskohegan, lies southeasterly of Parker's Arrowsick, separated from it by Back river. It is nine miles Island. long, and on an average one mile and an half in width, contain- ing about 10,000 acres, one half of which is yet covered with native woods. It has 500 acres of marsh; but two thirds of its territory are mostly ledges and swamps. It is said that John Parker commenced the settlement of this Island in 1629, spent the winter following on its south side, where are the appearances of some ancient habitations. Amid Indian hostilities, this Island was for a time abandoned, but never forsaken. It was actually purchased of a Sagamore, by Parker about 1643. Near midway of this Island is Georgetown meeting-house.
The Sagadahock plantations, or settlements, must be called Sagadahock the " Ancient Dominions" of Maine. As they revived and ex- plantations.
* The River here is said to be about a mile wide.
t " Arroseag." In Sullivan, 145.
# Said to be " in the old county of Cornwall."-Ble. of Claims.
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THE WATERS AND COAST
[INTRODUC.
Old George- town.
tended between North-Yarmouth on the west, and Sheepscot on the east, they included the peninsula [or Phipsburg and Bath,] Arrowsick, Eraskohegan, and Nequasset, and constituted Old Georgetown. After the re-embarkation of the first colony, A. D. 1609, this section was visited by Captain Smith, and Capt. Hunt, in 1614, and by almost all others who came into the contiguous waters ; it was also the early resort of colonists from New-Ply- mouth .*
The Sagadahock river is sometimes frozen over below the Chops. The tide rises at Bath 10 feet, at Augusta 2 feet, and at Topsham 4 feet, where the flood-tide is an hour later than in Maquoit bay. The run of salmon and shad, both in Androscog- gin and Kennebec, is almost at an end.
Sheepscot river.
Sheepscot river, which has a communication with the Sagada- hock, by means of Monseag bay, is neither long nor is it, above the tide waters, very large. It rises in Palermo, and after running through Whitefield and Alna, where it is only a mill stream, it descends the falls which are five miles above Wiscasset point. On the Sheepscot, at and above these falls, are the old "Sheepscot farms" which lie each side of the river in Alna and New-Castle.
Sheepscot farms.
Wiscasset.
The falls are at the head of the tide and of navigation, though they are not great.f The waters of Wiscasset bay have the upper end of Jeremisquam Island and Cowsegan Narrows to Mon- seag bay on the south ; Wiscasset point and village on the northwest, and Decker's Narrows in view ; Folley Island, in the northwest corner of Edgecomb, on the southeast ; and the waters of the river, on the northeast, which will safely float vessels of 100 tons to Sheepscot Narrows, about four miles, into the town of New-
* Hon. Mark L. Hill .- MS. Letter, of Benj. Riggs, Esq .- In king Phil- lip's war, A. D. 1676 " the inhabitants lost 1000 head of cattle."-Hub. Ind. wars, 281.
+ A little above Wiscasset, on the New-Castle side, is a salt Marsh of 1000 acres, on a mill stream. The land between Bath ferry and Wiscasset, 8 miles, is hilly :- Also the land, from the Sheepscot falls and bridge, 6 miles above Wiscasset, to the outlet of Damariscotta pond, by which the river divides New-Castle from Nobleborough, is hilly rough land. The pond is 27 miles in circumference, the water at the outlet is sufficient to carry a mill. The toll bridge which unites the two villages of New-Castle and Nobleborough, is about 2 or 3 miles below the outlet. The river is navigable to the foot of the mill, below the outlet .- The fort is 12 miles below the village .- These places are often mentioned in ancient History.
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SECT. II.] OF MAINE.
Castle, towards the river Damariscotta. The distance from Wis- casset point to the United States' fortification on Folley Island is half a mile; and to the head of Jeremisquam Island, three quar- ters of a mile ; and directly across the river to the east shore, where Edgecomb and New-Castle corner on the bank, it is one mile. Here is an excellent harbour, very seldom frozen, with a good depth of water, smooth bottom and a tide ordinarily of twelve feet ; it is 20 miles N. N. E. of Seguin. Wiscasset-point is 1 and 2-3 leagues N. W. of Cross river .*
Jeremisquam Island, situated between Monseag bay and the Jeremi- main channel of the Sheepscot, is eleven miles in length, and, on an squam. average, one mile wide, and contains 15,460 acres, forming a third part of the town of Edgecomb, to which it has belonged. East of Jeremisquam is Barter's Island, three miles and a half Barter's Island. long and half a mile in width. The main channel, which has fifteen fathoms of water, is between these two Islands, though small vessels may pass up Back river, which is the passage on the east side of Barter's Island. From the head of Back river, the water in the " Oven's mouth," stretches east in a narrow strait, Oven's between Boothbay and Edgecomb, more than half way across mouth. from Sheepscot to Damariscotta river, and then turns south.
On the southwest side of Boothbay, which bounds on the east shore of the Sheepscot, is the Island of Cape Newagen, 4 and Cape Ne- 1-2 miles long, generally one mile wide and separated from Booth- wagen. bay, to which it belongs, by a narrow passage for small vessels, called Townsend Gut. Ebenecook harbour is on the west side Townsend. and midway of cape Newagen Island, where was an old settle- ment ; and Cape harbour at its south end, is near two great rocks called the Cuckolds. Cuckelds ..
The distance across land through Boothbay or Edgecomb, between the Sheepscot and Damariscotta rivers, is generally a little less than four miles ; and in New-Castle the waters of those rivers approach still nearer each other. The southeast section of Boothbay is Linekin's Neck, between which and Cape Newagen Linekin's. is Townsend harbour, two miles and a half wide; and in the neck. middle of the latter is Squirrel Island of 90 acres, which is Squirrek
* John Mason lived at Wiscasset-point ; the Davies, north about half a mile, and Walter Philips, Recorder under the government of the Duke of York, lived on the New-Castle side.
Ebenecook.
56
THE WATERS AND COAST
LINTRODUC.
inhabited by three families and is a noted place for its abundance of white sand.
Light.
At Townsend, that is, in Boothbay harbour are several little Burnt Island Islands ; one is Burnt Island near the east shore of Cape Ne- wagen, on which is the Lighthouse.
Damaris- colta river.
The falls.
Oyster banks.
Damariscotta river issues from Damariscotta fresh ponds which are in Jefferson and Nobleborough, and which are three or four leagues in length from north to south. At the upper or fresh water falls, where the water descends 50 feet in as many rods, it is crossed by a free stone-bridge ; and two miles below, at the lower or salt water falls, New-Castle and Nobleborough are connected by a toll and drawbridge over the river. The Oyster banks, on both sides of the river at the upper falls, deserve to be noticed. On the banks and margin of the west side, these shells lie in heaps from 12 to 15 feet high, covering an area of several rods ; and although the heaps on the eastern side are not so high, they extend back twenty rods from the river, and render the land wholly useless. When burned they make lime as white and good as that of limestone, and as easily slacked. It is also said, the skeletons and bones of human beings are found among them ;* yet no tradition about them has come to the present gen- eration.
The Damariscotta river is navigable for ships of any burthen about four leagues from the sea to the lower falls ; and is on an average half a mile in width. At its mouth, it has Linekin neck Rutherford's on the west, and Rutherford's Island, one mile in length, and Thumpcaps. Thumpcap Ledges on the east-bounding the west side of Pe- Island. maquid bay. From Inner Heron Island, lying at the mouth of the river, up to the United States battery on Narrow's Island in the western side of the channel, the distance is 4 miles.
Heron Nar- rows.
Southwesterly of Damariscotta river, easterly of Townsend Light and southerly of Linekin neck or point, are the noted Damariscove Islands, t though they are of small sizes. They Fisherman's are in number five or six, viz. 1. Fishermen's Island of 70 acres, with the Hippocras, one mile south of Linekin's neck, is rocky, poor and forbidding, the residence of one family. 2.
Damaris- cove Islands.
Island. Hippocras.
* MS. Letter of E. Rollins, Esq. MS. Letter of M. Davis, Esq.
t " A place of great advantage for stages for Fishermen in former times." They lie to the west by north from Monhegan .- Hub. Nar. 280.
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SECT. 11.] OF MAINE.
Wood Island, or Damariscove proper, a mile farther south, is Wood two miles in length, from N. E. to S. W. and half a mile wide Island. in some places. It is the largest and best of the whole, and is also inhabited by one family. It belonged to the old Pemaquid pa- tent. 3. White Island, eastward of Fisherman's Island, is a White mere rock, and has the appearance of two little Islands : It is Island. called the north Damariscove Island. 4. Heron Island, and 5. Heron. Pumpkin rock, are east of Wood Island, the one a mile, and the Pumpkin' rock.
other half a mile distant, being a barren rock, 20 feet above the level of the sea :- Bantham Ledges are southwest of this cluster Bantham of Islands .* Ledges.
John's river is an arm of the sea, stretching up a couple of John's river. miles from the northwest part of Pemaquid bay, into the land be- tween Damariscotta and Pemaquid rivers. East of it is Pema- Pemaquid quid river, t small, and only fourteen miles from its source to river. its mouth. It issues from Pemaquid pond, in Nobleborough. It is an inviting, convenient stream, till we descend within two miles of its mouth, at the head of the tide and of navigation. Here are ripplings, to avoid which, a canal was cut twenty rods A camak in length, about ten feet wide and variously deep from 6 to 10 feet, calculated to receive a smooth sheet of water over a very level bed ; though no water runs there at the present time. Nor is there any tradition when or by whom this ingenious work was performed. Pemaquid bay affords one of the most pleasant har- bours in the State.
Fort William Henry, f previously Fort George, was on the east Fort bank of Pemaquid river near its mouth, where it takes a turn Henry, to the west and is forty rods wide, and the tides from 14 to 16 feet. The fort was on a point of land which projects into the river and completely commands its entrance. Its ruins are the melancholy remains of great labour, and expense ; and during the Revolution, the hand of destruction did much to prevent its
* They are nearest Wood Island, and dangerous ; there have been many wrecks on them.
t Anciently Pemaquideag or Pemaquida; Long Point .- Indian.
# Col. Dunbar called it Fort Frederic. Perhaps he caused the canal to be made .- See Post. Hist. A. D. 1731 .- Below the Fort was a handsome- ly paved street, extending towards it, northeastwardly from the water 60 rods. It is still te be seen ; and like the canal, it is the work of unknown hands.
VOL. I. 5
William
58
THE WATERS AND COAST
[INTRODUC.
becoming a fortress of the enemy. Some of its walls however are now 3 feet high.
Pemaquid point.
New har- bour.
From the fort, directly south, to Pemaquid point, is three miles and a quarter, having on the west side of Pemaquid bay, which is generally a mile and a half wide, Rutherford's Island and Thump- cap ledges .* New harbour is a league above Pemaquid point on the eastern shore, towards Muscongus and nearly east of the old fort, across land ; its ledges have 5 feet of water at the lowest ebb.
Muscongus Island, and others.
Pemaquid river is generally about four miles from Damariscotta river, over land, and nearly as far from the waters of the Mus- congus river, in many places, though only about two miles from the west margin of Broad bay. The southerly Island in this bay towards the western shore is Muscongus Island, of more than 900 acres, inhabited by 8 or 10 families, and beautified with sev- eral fine farms. It has upon it a convenient schoolhouse. There are ten families on Long Island, and also families on other Islands ; several of which afford pleasant residences for their inhabitants, and exhibit considerable wealth. These Islands be- long to the town of Bristol.
Muscongus river.
Muscongus river rises in Montville and in Union, and is an ex- cellent mill stream, which is advantageously used for that purpose. Its course is south, through Waldoborough, till it mixes with the tide at the head of navigation, seven miles from the sea. Vessels of 200 tons may come up to the bridge. After descending 3 miles from Waldoborough village, which is at the head of the tide, it takes a short turn to the west, where it is only 100 feet wide, and receives the waters of a cove from the northwest called Broad cove. Broad cove ; and soon afterwards spreads and passes down each side of the above named Islands, being about two miles across from the southwest point of Friendship to Bristol. The German settlements about Broad cove on the west shore in Bristol, are somewhat ancient. Upper Narrows Island and Hog Island have 2 or 3 families ; Poland's one family ; Pond, Haddock, Hungry, Otter, Jones', and Garden Islands, Egg, and Shark rocks all adorn this bay. Broad cove affords a fine harbour for vessels of any size ;f and has been a place which has long attracted much notice.
12 Islands.
* A plan by Hon. D. Rose.
t MS. Letter of M. R. Ludwig, Esq .- Gorham Parks, Esq.
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SECT. II.] OF MAINE.
Broad bay is between Pemaquid point and St. George's Islands, Broad bay. three leagues over ; and is the receptacle of Muscongus river. Besides the Islands mentioned in the river, the bay embosoms Islands. others ; one of which is half a mile long and is peopled by many families ; another contains 85 acres, both of which belong to Friendship ;- a third is Gray's Island belonging to Cushing ; and these two towns are partly separated by the small river Meduncook. river.
Medancook
The river St. George* rises in Montville, near the head of St. George Muscongus river, and after running south twenty-five miles, and river. affording a variety of mill-privileges, meets the tide in Warren, about twenty miles from its mouth, as it runs. Large vessels as- cend to the narrows in the upper elbow, where it turns and runs a short distance east and then south; and small vessels may ascend four miles higher, near to the head of the tide : its usual width below the narrows is about half a mile. The old fort on the east side of this river, which was long a place of refuge and defence, was about sixteen miles above its mouth :- Gen. Knox's house is near its ruins. It was built by the Waldo proprietors about 1720.+
St. George's Islands, so often mentioned by early navigators, St. George's are a large cluster, situated about the mouth of St. George's river Islands. eastwardly ; and on the east margin of Broad bay, being about twenty in number ; twelve or fourteen of which deserve to be described or mentioned.
1. Franklin Island is eastward of the mouth of George's river, Franklin a league from the main land. In 1806 it was ceded to the United Island. States and a Lighthouse. was built there the same year, at an ex- pense of $3,370, and the keeper is the only resident upon it.} 2. Herring-gut Island, or Cobb's Island, lies towards the eastern Cobb's or shore of George's river, in its very mouth. It contains about 300 Island. Herring acres, is owned by Mr. Bradford, and is occupied only by him and his family. He has on it a dwellinghouse and barn and some fields of cultivation. 3. Seavey's Island( is the northernmost of Seavey's
* Anciently, " Segochet." Smith called it Norwich.
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