Millstones in Maine’s Pre-civil War Industrial Transformation

Maine was regarded as a rural community whose cultural identity was molded by economic activities like logging, quarrying, and fishing. New construction, however, was starting to appear in towns like Saco, Lewiston, and Portland in the first half of the century. Maine underwent an industrial revolution, also known as the great transformation, during which time it went from making chairs, candlesticks, and spoons in backyard and home businesses to having the biggest textile industry in New England.

Maine's industrialization brought about a significant shift in the lives of farmers, artisans, women, and children, among other groups of people. When textile began turning out spun thread, women wove it into clothes mostly in their homes. Further, after the production of the finished cloth, homebound women, sewed it into readymade clothing. With these and other amazing products like box staves, wheels and wagons, shoes, boots and other products life began to transform. Women move out from their farms to seek employment in factories. Also, the with workforce demand in industries increased with children not spared. Maine advantage was its immense water power potency and its nearby port facilities.

By 1830s, Maine was the largest producing ship industry compared to other ship producing states. Maine dominated the wooden shipbuilding industry until the mid-1890s when steel ships took over and became dominant. Several factors facilitated the capacity and dominance of Maine in ship building. These factors include the presence of vast forests that produce timber, Maine 3,000 miles of tidal coastline that made it possible to build vessels and launch them into deep water and a large workforce of highly skilled persons required.

Blog 3: Maine economy changes following the construction of Canals and Railroads

Maine strategic position along the coast with deep harbor and endowed natural resource (forest) was the main propellant of its economy. With increased industrial produce, Maine was adamant to expand its economic scope by exporting much of finished goods and also importing raw material for its growing industry. Given the increased demands, it was necessary for Maine to develop railway transport, notably St. Lawrence River used to freeze preventing ship transportation.

John Poor of Andover developed rail transport completed in 1853 and named it the Grand Trunk. The line was to connect Portland to Canada. Now Marine had a fair ground on trade and commerce as both cumbersome and fragile goods would move using different cargo rail to other State. Goods arriving at Portland by rail could be carried all over the world thus fetching huge profits to marine economy. Also, movement of people and labor was made easier with rail transportation leading to migration of individuals seeking employment who later settled in Maine resulting to the population explosion.

More so, the canal system facilitated the transport of goods from inshore Maine to the coast. The most significance canals were the Cumberland and Oxford Canal connecting Sebago and Long Lake. Later in 1830 Portland was opened and becomes Maine’s thriving human-made waterway. Cargos transported along the canal include lumber, barrel hoops, box making shook, masts and firewood from the interior to Portland. Moreover, fruits such as apples, principal agricultural products of the area, were transported. With good political will from politicians and the people of Maine, it is evident that history books will always have a beautiful story of Maine.