Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

296    GAZETEEER OF MAINE.

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A jail of wood was erected in 1793, hut was burned in 1808. Another
built at that time remained in use until 1859. In the latter year was
completed a new jail of granite, iron and brick, at a cost of over $50,000.

It is considered to be the finest building in the city, and the finest and
most substantial building for its purpose in the State.

Kennebec, though one of the smallest counties in area, is one of the
best, and at present the very best agricultural county in the State. The
soil along the river on both sides is, to a great extent, of clay loam,
and easily cultivated and productive; and probably a larger crop of    «

hay is harvested in the river towns of this county than in any other
equal area in New England. The underlying rock is chiefly granite, and
quarries of fine quality are operated in Hallowell. The" ice business
is also an important industry ; and probably no section of equal ex-
tent in the world yields a larger supply, or a superior quality, of this
very useful article.

Kennebec County has several agricultural societies, all in a flour-
ishing condition. It has three hundred and forty-nine schoolhouses,
valued at $243,781,. Its real estate in 1870 was valued at $21,004,034.

In 1880 it was $23,292,164. The population at the same date was
53,203. In 1880 it was 52,061; of these 26,423 are male and 26,638
females. The natives number 49,565, and foreign born 3,496. There
are 123 colored inhabitants.

|;    Kennebec Purchase. See article on Kennebec

j¹! i    County.

j!!^:

I j 11    Kennebec River. See articles on Sagadahoc, Kennebec

h!¹    and Somerset counties, Sagadahoc River and Moosehead Lake.

Kennebunk, in York County, is a seaboard town and port
j 11    of entry, 24 miles south of Portland and 12 south-east of Alfred. The

jj    Boston" and Maine and Portland, Saco and Portsmouth railroads pass

1h    through the town. Previous to its incorporation, in 1820, it was em-
ir    braced in the town of Wells. It is bounded on the east by Kenne-

bunk Port, on the south by the ocean, on the west by Wells, and on the
i;| ;    north by the towns of Sanford, Alfred and Lyman. It contains 9,876

|i I    acres of land. Four small villages constitute the business centre of the

town, bearing respectively the names, Kennebunk Village, Depot and
||M    Landing, and Harbor Village. The harbor is small but safe, being

|j i    defended by strong granite piers. The beaches and sea-repelling cliffs

|| |    about Cape Arundel form noble combinations of scenery. The climate

I! |    is thought to be very salubrious. There are two inhabitants over

ninety-one years of age, and more than twenty between eighty and    ^

J; i    ninety.

, j j    The Kennebunk River, which forms the eastern boundary line, has

I! ;    several improved powers, and is navigable by means of a lock to Landing

j    Village. Branch River bounds the town on the west, while the Mousam

j !    River divides the territory longitudinally into two nearly equal sections.

j| I    The principal body of water is Alewives Pond, which is about three

iii ■    miles in circumference. The face of the country is quite level. The

||j i    soil in the southern part is a clay loam, and in the northern part

ir '    sandy.