Exploring Rockland
Rockland has been a challenging Maine place to feature. The reason for the complication is a good one. This city has an incredibly rich history. It also is a popular location. As a result, much has already been written.
This Maine Features journey to visit, photograph, and write about every town in our state is focused on local history, natural beauty, and everyday people. It is not intended to be a book-length comprehensive overview. If it was, the end result would be a library with nearly 500 volumes. Life is not quite long enough for that level of accomplishment.
In addition, this site is intended for Maine readers rather than tourists, though hopefully the latter can pick up something of benefit, as well.
So what to explore in Rockland? In this feature, you’ll find a half dozen tidbits that I found interesting (technically, the 6th doesn’t actually qualify as a little tidbit). Unless you’re a Mainer with an extensive knowledge of this place, maybe you’ll discover something new, too. If you did, I’d love to hear it.
Let’s begin by looking at one of Rockland’s most well-known scenes.
The rocky walk to the Rockland Lighthouse
1. Rockland Breakwater and Lighthouse
The view above is one of the most iconic locations in Rockland—the nearly mile-long breakwater. The process of building it back in the late 19th century was quite the feat. If you had been born the year the project began, you would have reached your 21st birthday before it and the lighthouse at the end were finished in 1902. Why such a delay? The scope of the project wasn’t the primary issue, but rather the funding from Congress. The appropriations came in parts and pieces, and sometimes not at all.
Reading the old newspaper entries detailing the saga is like watching a drama at the speed of cold molasses. Below is a small sample of snippets from Rockland’s Courier Gazette:
“Work on the breakwater, which has been going on regularly all the fall, closed last week. Work was commenced October 10th. Nine sloops have been employed to bring the granite, fifty men being the number of employees at work…
“The stone has been brought from twelve different quarries along the coast, the largest portion being from Vinalhaven…
“For the benefit of our harbor and in obedience to the imperative demands of navigation a petition should be presented urging upon congress the need of a large appropriation this winter to hasten the completion of the work. The breakwater should be finished next season if possible.”
~December 19, 1882“It seems from all we can learn that Rockland’s breakwater is omitted from the appropriations reported in congress. We give elsewhere the money appropriated for Maine improvements, and Rockland Harbor is conspicuous by its absence. Our breakwater as it now stands is a danger to navigation, being covered with water at high tide. This is a matter that could very fittingly come into the province of our Board of Trade…”
~July 3, 1888“Some 14,000 tons of granite have been added to our breakwater since April 10. The breakwater is being builded up to mean high water.”
~July 9, 1889“The $175,000 recommended by the congressional committee, if rightly spent, would come very NEAR COMPLETING THE WORK, according to the original plan, which we trust will be the one adopted. Rockland needs that breakwater and needs it bad before other southwest gales raise more havoc with our shipping; and congress should not be allowed to whittle one picayune from the amount recommended.”
~August 13, 1889“Supt. Tarr of the Rockland Breakwater reports 17,531 tons of granite laid on the 1893 contract, an extension of about 100 feet.”
~June 13, 1893
The good news is that the breakwater WAS finished and remains standing for Mainers and visitors to enjoy more than 120 years later.
2. Rockland County Courthouse
Rockland is the Knox County seat. Did you know?…Knox is Maine’s 16th county. We only have sixteen which means it was the last to be created. So you can count it as the last or newest or youngest Maine county, and you’ll be correct no matter your choice of terms. It was formed in 1860.
3. Rockland’s Original Train Station at Union and Pleasant
In the 1800s, there were numerous options for transportation to and from Rockland, including the train which would take its passengers to Portland. The station building (to the left) has been well preserved and is currently home to the Trackside Station, a sports bar.
4. The Only Maine Cemetery With…
After extensive research, I believe this is the only Maine cemetery with two Civil War generals buried in it. If I am mistaken, please send me a message with the research details so I can make a correction.
Rockland’s contribution to the Civil War effort was tremendous. FOUR of the war’s generals came from this city. Two are buried in Achorn Cemetery.
General Hiram Berry was killed in action at Chancellorsville at the age of 39. After being shot, his first reaction was to cry out, “My wife and child!” He passed away a few minutes later. The details of his body’s arrival in Rockland, along with the period of mourning and burial, is very moving. Vice President Hannibal Hamlin was present for this heartbreaking Rockland occasion. The statute of General Berry was recently cleaned; it nearly appears new.
The second buried at Achorn is General Davis Tillson. His story is remarkable. He joined the Civil War despite the fact that his foot had been amputated years earlier. His service was exemplary and resulted in early promotion to major general. General Tillson survived the war and returned to Rockland where he purchased Hurricane Island and organized a granite company on it. He also built Tillson’s Wharf.
5. Rockland Public Library
This library is a treasure. The President of the board of Trustees tasked with creating this place passed away before the vision was realized. Two of his children donated the land for the site. The building opened in 1904.
As a side note: walking through the green door (pictured above) which serves as the lower-level entrance to the historical society made me wonder if Narnia was to be found on other side. It wasn’t, but the members of the society were friendly and a pleasure to meet.
6. “Facts About Rockland” from 1888
The following 800+ word description of Rockland is from the June 19, 1888 issue of the Courier Gazette. It provides a detailed and fascinating snapshot of the community at that time. The design of the writing—from shorter to longer sentences—is the way it appeared in the paper.
Has a tannery.
Has four banks.
Has eight churches.
Has an iron bridge.
Has a steam dye-house.
Has a large public hall.
Has three boat builders.
Has two machine shops.
Has a bonnet bleachery.
Has three cigar factories.
Has several ice companies.
Is located on Penobscot Bay.
Has several wholesale houses.
It has a population rising 8,000.
Has two well-equipped laundries.
Has a wide-awake Board of Trade.
Has seven well-equipped livery stables.
Has two large bottling establishments.
Has two large carriage manufactories.
Has two large clothing manufactories.
Has five sail-lofts and one rigging loft.
Has an excellent public school system.
Has some of the finest scenery in the world.
Has many smaller manufacturing enterprises.
Has the beginning of a modern sewer system.
Has some of the finest business blocks in Maine.
Has five granite firms and one marble working firm.
Is the terminus of the Knox & Lincoln Railroad.
Has four building firms, that are prosperous and busy.
Has two large steam grist mills and grain elevators.
Has two tramways in operation at the limerock quarries.
Has the finest systems of water works in the United States.
Has a modern system of electric fire alarm, now being put in.
Is in the center of a great granite limerock and farming region.
Has several very fine musical organizations, vocal and instrumental.
Has a large block factory, and door, sash and blind manufactory.
Has a brass foundry with an unrivaled reputation for first-class work.
Has some of the most elegantly furnished society rooms in the state.
Has a young and healthy loan and building association with 600 shares.
Has a fine gas lighting plant, and a prospective electric light plant.
Has a standard gauge railroad, now building, directly around the city.
Has an extensive and well appointed Chicago dressed beef refrigerator.
Has a big produce and fruit establishment that supplies all eastern Maine.
Has two extensive candy manufactories, and three wholesale candy dealers.
Has a very thorough Commercial College, with a fine corps of instructors.
Has some of the handsomest private residences to be found in New England.
Has one of the largest and best equipped fish establishments in New England.
Has a bay that rivals the famous bay of Naples in beauty, shelter and depth of water.
Is entirely free from all epidemics and wonderfully free from sicknesses of all kinds.
Has the most extensive and picturesque summer home of any place in New England.
Has a granite government breakwater that adds to the safety of its broad bay as a haven.
Has the most advantages to offer new business industries of any place in the United States.
Has two large hotels, three large boardinghouses and innumerable smaller boarding places.
Has the least poverty and the most respectable people of any place of its size in New England.
Has a well conducted Y.M.C.A. with reading room, library, gymnasium, etc., all on a generous scale.
Has three hose companies, two steam fire engines, a hook and ladder company and a fine hydrant service.
Has a small fleet of bank fishermen, and a large fleet of shore fishermen, who make Rockland their headquarters.
Has one of the finest steamboat wharves in the United States, and many other fine granite wharves line the shore front.
Has a social club with handsomely furnished quarters including 125 of the city’s business and professional men.
Has some of the largest and finest dry goods, boot and shoe, grocery and furnishing establishments in New England.
Is the center of trade for dozens of flourishing towns, and the metropolis of a large extent of fertile, thriving country.
Has a fine court-house, custom-house and postoffice, the court-house of granite and brick, the custom-house and postoffice of granite.
Has three marine railways, one newly rebuilt and capable of receiving vessels of big tonnage at any time of tide, and three shipyards.
Has a large fleet of vessels of all sizes, big and little, sailing to all parts of the world, a fleet of 300 sail being employed in freighting lime to New York.
Does the largest lime manufacturing business of any place in the world, having a yearly output of from 1,200,000 to 1,400,000 casks, and employing from 1,000 to 1,500 men in its manufacture.
Has a direct line of steamers to New York, a daily line to Boston, a bi-weekly line to Portland, and is connected with other portions of Maine's sea-coast and islands by an almost innumerable fleet of steam craft.
Has a beautiful resort on its beautiful bay that is now being developed, and two other summer villages which are steadily growing, while another very extensive and beautiful summer resort will probably be opened by next year.
Has THE COURIER GAZETTE with the largest circulation of any paper in this section of Maine, the most distinctive local and home interest paper in New England, connected with it being the largest printing plant in Eastern Maine.
Is going to have a creamery, a shoe-factory, an iron foundry and many other desirable industries, at an early day.
If you made it this far, your interest in Rockland is not to be questioned! The good news is there is far more to learn about this gem of Maine. Many locals have written excellent books which dive more deeply into various aspects of the city’s history. Check with Rockland’s librarians or historical society for recommendations.
I’m off to the next features. You are most welcome to come along for this Maine adventure.