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

602    GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

and her ships were found on every sea. But the embargo of 1807 on
shipping was laid at an unfortunate time, and dealt a destructive blow
tolier business and prosperity; and the Avar of 1812 completed the
mischief, so that the town has never to this day retrieved its fallen for-
tunes. Should the railroad projected to connect Wiscasset with
Quebec by way of Point Levi be built, the commodious harbor and
land-locked waters of the Sheepscot must become an entrepot between
England and the Canadas, by a shorter route than would be afforded
by any other port.

Judges Bailey, Orchard Cook, Hons. J. D. McCrate and Abiel Wood,
of this toAvn, have been representatives in Congress ; and Hon. Samuel

E. Smith, another citizen, was for three years governor of Maine.
Judge Lee, a citizen of the Revolutionary period, and Rev. Dr.
Packard, a Avorthy Congregational minister of the same day, are the
subjects of pleasing reminiscence.

Wiscasset has, since the Revolution, been the seat of a custom house
for the river and contiguous portions of the sea. The number of vessels
noAV OAvned in the district is 161, having a tonnage of 9,894 tons.
The products of fisheries in this district in 1879 Avas $366,445. The
Knox and Lincoln railroad passes through the town, having a station
at the A'illage, 10 miles from Bath. As Pownalborough and Wiscasset,
this has been the shire toAvn of the county since 1794.

The Episcopalians, Congregationalists and Methodists each have a
church in the village. Wiscasset has seven public schoolhouses; and
these, Avith other school property, are valued at $4,250. The village
has a system of graded schools. The valuation of estates in 1870
was $689,554. In 1880 it was $319,773. The population in 1870 Avas
1,977. In 1880 it Avas 1,832.

Woodford’s Corner,—a village and post-office in Deer
ing, Cumberland County.

Woodland, in Aroostook County, is a new town situated in
the third range from the border, and just north of the Aroostook River.
It is bounded on the north by Noav Sweden, east by Caribou, south by
Washburn and Avest by Perham Plantation. The water-courses are
Caribou Stream, its West Branch, and the East Branch of Salmon Brook.
The surface is rolling but Avithout hills, the highest being ahout 50 feet
and having the name of Bear Mountain. Maple, birch, beech, spruce,
fir and cedar abound in the woods. The largest sheet of Avater is
Nelson Lake, having an area of about tAvo acres. Limestone rock un-
derlies the Avliole toAvn, as well as the country about; hut it is not often
found sufficiently pure to make good lime. The soil is veiy fertile.
The yield of Avheat is usually about 40 bushels to the acre, and of
potatoes about 400 bushels. Proportionate quantities of all crops are
raised. Agriculture is the almost exclusive occupation of the people.
The few frame houses in the toAvn are in good repair, but the log-
houses have a decayed look. There is one shingle-mill capable of man-
ufacturing about 20,000 shingles per day. A stave-mill here has a
capacity of 2,000 staves per day. The nearest raihvay station is in
Caribou, six miles from the centre of Woodland.

This town was incorporated March 5, 1880. It sent about a dozen