Hallowell, Maine
Kennebec county. Hallowell is delightfully situated on both sides of Kennebec river, between Augusta and Gardiner, two miles below the former and four miles above the latter. The principal village is on the W. side of the river. The streets run parallel with the river, and the ground ascends 200 feet from the lower street, or business part of the village. On this street are 60 commodious stores constructed principally of brick. Most of the dwelling houses are on the back or elevated streets: they are built, as are the churches, with great taste, and being surrounded by beautiful groves, make a fine appearance. The varied views of the river, the neighboring towns, and of a fertile country of hills and vales, presented from the high grounds on each side of the village, form an exhibition of scenery of uncommon excellence. Hallowell is about 3 miles in width, and extends back on each side of the river 5 miles. It was incorporated in 1771, and included all the territory of Augusta and part of Gardiner. From this place the brave but traitorous Arnold marched on an expedition against Canada, in 1776.
There is one water mill in the town; two saw mills, an iron foundry and machine shop, worked by steam. Steam boats ply from this place to Portland and Boston during the season of navigation. There is considerable tonnage at this place: a number of vessels are engaged in the freighting business, and others run as packets to various places.
The principal exports are lumber, granite, and all the common productions of a fertile northern climate. The granite quarries at Hallowell have been worked for fifteen years with great success. The granite is of a light color and easily wrought: in some years $100,000 worth of it has been transported. Vessels drawing 9 feet of water can come to the wharves in the centre of the village.
As Hallowell and Augusta are so closely united in all their various interests and pursuits, a repetition of what we have said of the favorable position of Augusta, and of its future prospects, is unnecessary. With common success in our national affairs, and with a continuation of that spirit of enterprize every day manifested on the banks of the Kennebec, it requires no Mormon spectacles to foresee that within a very few years there will be a continuous village from the Kennebec dam to the mouth of the Cobbessecontee. Population, 1820, 2,919; 1830, 3,964. The present population is about 5,090.
Hallowell was, for many years, the residence of Benjamin Vaughan, LL.D. a gentleman highly distinguished for his learning, public benefactions and private virtues.
