Historic Hallowell

The wharf that was on the Kennebec is like a dock where ships could come and go. The wharf was located on Water Street. Wharfs were used for launching boats off of a ramp. The boats that were launched from the wharf would occasionally transfer passengers from one place to the other or transfer goods like food or ice to other states. Often ships from other states, like Boston, would arrive with goods for Hallowell. The wharf played an important role in Hallowell's shipping and trade industry.

The Chelsea bridge collapsed in 1870. Then in 1874, the Ferry Service was established by the City of Hallowell and Kennebec County. People in Hallowell and Chelsea used the ferry to get to schools, jobs, and stores. People that didn’t live in Chelsea or Hallowell had to find their own means of transportation. It cost five cents to go across on the ferry and five cents to return. When the owner of the Chelsea Ferry establishment died, the company started to die down. Once trains came into use, there was less need for a ferry.