“In Frankfort, M’Glarthry’s store-house
was pointed out as the recipient of a British cannon-ball when the
invaders landed there in September, 1814; 67 and about a mile above
the landing my attention was called to a thick Norway pine, the
only one in that region, which bears the name of "The Bacon Tree.”
It is a round, compact tree, its short trunk composed apparently
of a group of smaller ones, and the limbs so near the ground that
it is difficult to get under it. I had a good view of it through
a telescope, by which I was enabled to make the annexed sketch.*
Excerpt from "PICTORIAL FIELD-BOOK OF THE WAR OF 1812. BY BENSON J. LOSSING"
It derived its name from the circumstance
that when the British landed, a citizen of Frankfort, having a large
quantity of bacon, carried it to this tree, and hung the pieces
in the branches to conceal them from the foe. The measure was successful.
The British passed along the road a short distance from the tree
without observing its savory fruit, and the man saved his bacon.
In a cove off Oak Point, two or three miles above Frankfort, we
saw the ribs of the Warren, one of the Massachusetts vessels destroyed
by the British when they took Castine in 1779. 68” from Lossing’s
Field Book of the War of 1812, Chapter XXXVIII - The War on the
New En...Page37 of 58.
HISTORIC WINTERPORT by Theodora
Weston, Archivist NOVEMBER 1996
The Waldo County town of Winterport is situated on the west bank of the Penobscot River. Early settlement
dates from 1766 and the town called Frankfort, which included what
is now Winterport, was incorporated in 1799. In 1860 when Winterport
became a separate town its population was 2390. The census records
5how an increase to 2744 in 1970 followed by a gradual decline over
the next hundred years. In more recent times the town has witnessed
a rapid growth so that the 1996 figure is approximately 3500. The
history of every small town does not include incidents of national
importance. But twice Frankfort saw battles on her waterfront. First
in 1779 when an American Fleet failed to capture Castine the British
chased the ships up the Penobscot where, in order to escape capture,
they were burned and sunk by the crews. The Flagship Warren was
scuttled off Oak Point and is now the object of an intensive search
by naval archaeologists. Again in 1614 the townspeople watched the
British come up the river in an attempt to seize the Use Frigate
Adams at Hampden. The militia from this area was no match for the
seasoned British troops put ashore at the Cove. Tobias Oakman from
Frankfort was killed and several others were wounded in the fray.
Capt Morris of the Adams spiked his guns, blew up the ship and narrowly
escaped being taken prisoner.
The Penobscot River has always had
a great influence on the well-being of the town. Prior to the coming
of the railroad to Bangor in 1855, most freight and travelers came
to that city on vessels sailing up the river. In the winter months
before the days of ice breakers all goods and travelers had to be
off-loaded at Frankfort (Winterport) and transported to Bangor and
points north by wagons or sleds. Because the river was ice bound
beyond this point this was a true "winter port" making it an important
location. Many people earned their living in activities in support
of river transportation. Ships were built here. By 1960 140 sailing
vessels had been built in the area, but this industry came to an
end with the coming of the iron steam ship. There was passenger
service via the Boston boats of the Eastern Steamship Co. up until
1935. Today river traffic consists mostly of oil tankers. In addition
to the business and industry related to the river there were a varied
number of other enterprises including lumber mills, farms and orchards1
commercial fishing, granite quarrying, factories producing cheese,
carriages, barrels, shirts and vests plus other business activities
in support of a growing town. Clearly before the advent of the automobile
was more self sustaining than it is today.
The Maine lumber boom brought great prosperity to the entire region during the years 1840 - 1980. Then as the lumber business declined so did the economy and the populations In the latter decades of the nineteenth century many Maine people left the state to go west where farming looked to be easier and more profitable.
Old maps of this town show many farms existing in the rural area where now stand abandoned cellars and orchards as mute evidence of what was once thriving agricultural activity - The old records, photos and postcards in the Historical association museum reveal the tremendous changes chat have occurred here.
Where there were livery stables, carriages, harness and blacksmith shops there are now only an occasional hitching post and watering trough to remind us of the days when nearly everyone kept a horse. At the south end of town a new Exxon station, the Winterport
Mercantile, and the restored Treat Building have replaced the Rankin
store, the corn and Flour mill, the Lesan vest factory and the Frank
Haley business where he sold everything from stoves to caskets.
On Steamboat
Avenue there was a Vinegar factory along with cooper shops, fishermen’s
shacks and the wharf for the Boston boats, The Main Street and side
streets are not the dusty thoroughfares of those years; they are paved
to provide smooth riding in automobiles. Although many of the old 19th
century buildings still stand all have seen numerous changes in use
and purpose The Union Meeting House on the terraced slope above Main
Street is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture and although
its function as a church has changed since its construction in 1833,
it still adds dignity and grace to this river town. The clock in the
tower continues to chime the hours and the Revere Bell has been rung
on memorable occasions.
The Union Meeting House, Inc. is an organization
committed to the preservation of this historic landmark. Since 1984
the small vestry building beside the church has been the home of the
Winterport Historical Association. The Colonial Winterport Inn continues
in the tradition of the Commercial House, as it was known when it was
opened in 1634. Originally this inn was a stopping point on the stage
line from Belfast to Bangor and it served the travel mg public who came
here by boat. It was the scene of the celebration of incorporation when
Winterport became a town in March of 1860.
The years have brought fire,
changes in ownership, and varied uses., but once again it offers attractive
overnight accommodations and fine dining. here are many other home and
building that have survived the years; in fact the central area of the
town including Main Street and portions of several side streets are
considered of such architectural and historic significance that the
area has been named the Winterport Historic District by the U.S. Dept.
of Interior. In 1860 the town had 16 district schools1 each established by the neighborhood it served. A few of the old one-room school houses
still survive, having been adapted to new uses such as the American
Legion Hall , the Columbian Hall and the church at Ellingwood's Corner.
In time, state regulations made consolidation inevitable. The pupils
were transported to the village schools and as the population increased
new schools were required. The Leroy H, Smith School was built in 1953
and has had three additions1 The Samuel Wagner Middle School is the
newest building serving the students of grades five through eight. Hampden
Academy is the secondary school for S.A.D. #22 of which Winterport is
a part. In recent years the Calvary Apostolic Church has built a church
on the main road north of the village and the Baptists have erected
their church on the Coles Corner Road. These join the other local churches
namely, St. Gabriel Catholic Church and the United Methodist Church
in the village, and the United Methodist Church at Ellingwood's Corner. Union Hall was built in 1884 in the center of town. It was the site
of public meetings, dances, entertainments, school functions, basketball
games, and for a time it was a movie theater. The lower level at one
time housed the fire engine and a classroom when schools were crowded.
The building was torn down in 1970. Merrill Bank, now Fleet Bank,
opened a branch on this site in 1979. This is the first time there has
been a bank in town since the failure of the old Frank fort Bank about
1850.
A water system for the village was put in exactly 100 years ago.
The original standpipe lasted until 1988 when it was replaced by the
larger 800,000 gallon tank at the other end of town. The old pictures
dating about 1900 show the two hose houses one at each end of town.
These towers were essential for drying the hoses used by the fire department
at that time. Today a well trained crew with modern firefighting equipment
along with a volunteer ambulance staff operate out of a new station
dedicated to long time Fire Chief Creighton Parker. Before the day of
Rural Free Delivery, besides the post office in the village, there were
offices located in North Winterport, White's Corner, Ellingwood's Corner,
and West Winterport. Then for many years the post office was located
in the brick house on Main St., the former home of Archibald Jones.
Pictures show that this building served as a U.S. Custom House, too. The new post office on the southern end of Main Street was built in
1975.
In 1976 a firm known as the Winterport Docks began operating a
dock again on Steamboat Avenue to provide a facility for shipping potatoes
from Aroostook County. Later the installation of a dockside freezer
currently operated by Maine Terminal Inc. has made it possible to store
and ship frozen fish, chicken, and other commodities. With the construction
of a $2.2 million sewerage treatment plant, Winterport played its part
in the restoration of the water quality of the Penobscot. This has improved
the fishing and made the river attractive for pleasure boating. The
Winterport Marine and Boatyard at the foot of Commercial Street
has been established to store and service boats, thus providing another
link with the town's nautical past. Winterport Family Medicine with
its tour doctors and two physician's assistants along with a supporting
staff, provides this area with fine medical services.
Our earlier physicians
could never have dreamed of such a facility, and it is a wonderful convenience
for a town this size. The years have brought many changes to this community
and inevitably they will bring many more.
Whatever the future holds, Winterport will continue to be a charming river town on the banks of
the Penobscot. This account has been prepared by the Winterport Historical
Association. This organization invites all who are interested in local
history to attend its meetings held the first Monday of each month October
through May. |
