History of Westbrook, Maine
From
A Gazetteer of the
State of Maine
By Geo. J. Varney
Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill,
Boston 1886
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Westbrook is situated in the southern part of Cumberland
county, Deering on the south-east separates it from Portland, Falmouth bounds it on the north-east, Windharn and
Gorham on the north-west, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth on the south. Its territory is longest from north-east
to south-west, and its width is about one half its length. The area is near 15,000 acres. The surface is beautifully
diversified by swells of land rather than hills. The soil is generally loamy or clayey and is usually well cultivated.
The excellent markets near give it great advantages for farming and gardening; and the farm buildings give evidence
of thrift. The Presurnpscot river passes through the midst of the town, and, turning, forms nearly half the boundary
on the south-east. The other streams are Stroudwater River, which crosses the south-western part of the town, and
Duck Pond Brook in the north-east. Saccarappa is the only considerable village. It was long celebrated for its
lumber business, begun in 1829 by Benj. Ingersol and others. The other localities bearing special names are Cumberland
Mills, near Saccarappa, Pride's Corner in the north-eastern, and Duck Pond in the northern part of the town. At
the latter is a water-power occupied by the Portland Wooden-ware Company; at Cumberland mills is the extensive
paper factory of S. D. Warren and Co. The larger factories in Saccarappa are the Westbrook Manufacturing Company,
producing cotton duck and shirtings; the Westbrook Foundry Company; the Haskell Silk Company, producing sewing-machine
twist, train and fringe silks, and the Presumpscot Mills Dye House. Other manufactures are colored, dressed and
plain cotton warps, grain bags, machinery and water wheels, carriages and harnesses, boots, shoes and moccasins,
tinware, leather-board, bricks, wooden boxes, box shook and dimension stuff, meal and flour. The Portland and Rochester
railroad passes through Saccarappa, and the Portland and Ogdensburg passes between that place and Cumberland Mills
adjacent. The latter place was formerly an Indian planting ground, called by the tribes Ammon-Congin, known later
as "Munjoy's Mile Square," which he purchased of two sagamores. The paper factories now operated here
give employment to about 800 persons. |
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