Working the Bay

Camden had a major business in forging anchors of all sizes for boats and large ships. With waterpower to operate the hammers and forge, and easy access to water to transport incoming iron and the finished anchors, it was a niche metal working business, but a vital one for supplying anchors for the Maine shipbuilders. Without anchors, no sailing vessel put to sea. The business was best known as the Alden Anchor Works; by 1900, it had become the Camden Anchor -- Rockland Machine Company, according to the Maine Register.

Castine had ropewalks in the early 1800s, one burning in 1828 and its replacement burning in 1830. J.W. Dresser had a ropewalk business in the second half of the nineteenth century, here shown on a winter or early spring day. By the 1870s, though, it was made up of a head house on Pleasant Street and a long, low dilapidated building with three machines making 80 dozen lines per day. Toward the end of the company's operation, it specialized in fishing lines, including long trawl lines. The Dresser Rope Walk was purchased in 1900 and became known as the Line and Twine Factory.

With the frames in place, the shipbuilder is laying out where the keelson will be placed, along the centerline of the ship, on top of the frames. Note the auger used to drill holes for treenails. These were generally made by having a auger bit welded to a iron crank shaped handle. Two men have are boring, while the others are posing for the camera.

A sardine plant exterior, spreading herring on flakes for drying in the sun or in an oven. Herring was sold canned, dried or smoked.

This image is from G. Brown Goode's The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States, 1884-1887, Section V, Plate 139.

The Brewer waterfront from the Bangor shore or from a boat in the Penobscot River. The large building to the right is an ice house. Next to it lies the Barbour shipyard with a steamboat, probably the Sedgwick under construction.