The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-08-10
Richmond, Maine.
Something about Pleasant Town ON the
Kennebec aud its Vicinity.

To the Editor of the Press:
The town of Richmond is seventeen miles
south of Augusta, and through it passes the
Maine Central Railroad. Many travellers by
rail who have never visited this village have
been most fayorably impressed by the view of
the houses that NAV be seen from the cars,
and have formed an idea of the attractiveness
OF the town which a closer inspection would
not have dispelled. Richmond is town of re-
tired sea captains, and one meets them every
where; many of them have farms in the sub
urbs, are interested in the ice business, which
affords them occupation for part of their
time; in the afternoon they resort to Dinsow's
bookstore for their daily Boston papers, and
read them there in convocation or retire to
their gardens, where seated under shade trees
they smoke long .stemmed pipes in greatcomfort
and tranquility. The houses in Richmond are
generally built in that Grecian fashion of arch
itecture, in which the front rests on heavy pill
lars, and they are surrounded by ample grounds
tastefully adorned with shrubbery and flowers,
among which rise pagoda-like summer houses
while hammocks swing from its shade trees.
A half mile above Richmond the Kennebec
river separates into two channels at the head Of
Swan Island. At this point, on the westerly
bank. Fort Richmond, government trading
post, which has history in connection with
the Indians, stood from 1919 to 1854. From
this fort, Richmond was named, although it
was not incorporated as town until 1928. In
former times Richmond has been famous for
its ship building, but has of late years fallen off
greatly in that respect, so that now there is
seldom more than one vessel on the stocks at
any time, and often none at all. A large shoe
factory, and the steam saw mill of Foster,
Spaulding & Co., constitute the principal man
ufacturing establishments of the place. Much
capital is invested in shipping and in the ice
business.
On Swan Island, opposite Richmond, is the
happy town of Perkins, which contains nine
teen voters, levies no taxes, and has money in
the treasury The main river separates Rich
mond from Dresden, anciently Pownalborough,
farming town, in which live people of the old
English stock whose ancestors settled the town.
In the old colonial days Pownalborough was
place of consequence, and 1.-The wharves yet re.
main though much fallen to decay, on which
were unloaded boxes Of lemons, tierces of SUI
gar and puncheons of rum from the West India
traders for whose cargoes this was a favorite
distributing point 1t was no unusual thing for
several vessels to be at the same time discharg-
ing their cargoes at the wharves; now no vessel
stops there except to load at one of the ice
houses which abound here as elsewhere along
the Kennebec Thus, by curious reversion of
circumstances, this town, which in old times
was SO much indebted to the West Indies for
the materials which compose the exherating
punch, now makes return in the form of its
ice which imparts GOODNESS TO the beverages of
the Southern people. In Pownalborough still
stands in good preservation the court house,
built over hundred years ago, and by it once
stood the gallows on which was hanged the
first criminal executed by process of law in
Maine. The house of the judge who sat in
this court is situated near the fork of the river
and is fronted by some stately elms of great
antiquity. 1t is still inhabited, and the style
of its architecture, and the beautiful paneling
of its interior show the magnifcence which in
that day appertained to the judge.
The camp meeting grounds of the Kennebec
Valley district are located in Richmond, two
miles above the village. Here on next Thurs
day commences the annual camp meeting,
which will continue week. An admission fee
of ten cents, which is to be charged causes
considerable talk among those who hold the
opinion that salvation should be free. Of this
meeting shall send you full reports.
Richmond, Aug, 8, 1875.