Emily Albert, Brittany Briggs, Dakotah Knox & Nicole Walters
Hallowell’s waterfront has a rich history. There were vibrant neighborhoods, wharfs and even a ferry to Chelsea!
In the early and middle 1800s. there were many shipbuilding spots on the shore of Kennebec River in Hallowell. Then in the 1900s, oil was brought to the waterfront in tanks. Later in the 1940s and 50s, the waterfront was used by people along Water Street and a lumber company. Shepard's Wharf was also on the waterfront and was the head of navigation for all large vessels. Mr. Page’s Ice House was also located on the waterfront for easy access to ice. When the railroad was built, the waterfront was used less. When the new Chelsea bridge was built, some big boats couldn't get through. So in time, the waterfront was used less and less. Now the waterfront is only used for recreational fun and pleasure.
In the late 1880’s, Joppa was a waterfront section of Hallowell, Maine. The people that lived in Joppa were lower class and middle class. The people that lived by the water were lower class. The captains of the ships were middle class, and they lived higher on the hill. Joppa ran from Temple St. to the Vaughan Stream.
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.