Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-14
AN OLD PLAN
a" Interesting Relic Of EARLY Day.
in Augusta.
inc Features Of the '.viIias. Of Auous,a, !;
the rhiriics.

the rhiriics.
ce"rge l.. Hamlen Of the Aurus,-
postofhce has a valuable relic IN ~,
shape OF plan OF the Village of Az
guSt2. Maine. showing the Sannoho,,
Dam. published in 1898 from tho nj. -,
OF u. f. Perham. civil engineer. Thi.
map was the property OF his fatbo.
the late Lewis Hamlin. Esq, ana Is 4,
valuable as ii is rare. II was nrinta,
ny photographic process by II. Moore i,
/ Boston. and in addition to the Mo,
bears view Of the State House fron
the northeast. and also the Insap.
hospital from the northwest. as It then
YVES. which is practically the main
building with the two wings as it now
appears On the lower part of the MAJ
is given picture of the cross saction
of the Cam. showing il to he con
Structcd of hemlock logs. from ono n
three feet in diameter. locked torathar
and the interstices filed with stone
ana gravel. There is also section
showing the dam as then built com
mcncins at the bank on the cast side
and directed TO the west.
| A casual glance at the man shove
many uprising and amusing points
which are interesting. At that timo
the present canal on the west side of
the river was marked out in proposal
to follow around the depression of land
ana empty INTO Bond's brook, about
where the present sash and blind fac.
'orE Is located From the point about
where State street now crosses he
| brook. lii straight line to about where
| water street crosses Bond brook. were
| laid the sites of five factories. with q
"ace-way running on the south side Of
| them and crossing that brook. There is
also proposed canal which many
nave seen replanned i'm modern times.
running from the lock on the East
side to about where Mr.. Gannet-'s
publishing house now stands.
At that time there was no Gas House
hill, State street terminating in laurel
street and swinging down 10 Water
street. Just back of Piper's tavern
tFarmers' HoteD ran short street
called Spring lane. At the corner of the
street to the north was n hall. and this
street was then called Ellis street. II
was what is now Bond street. bur
swung off to the ives: and connected
with Pleasant street, which is laid on
70 point about where the brick wards
are. 1t also connected with East street.
which ran directly west from the brick
yards To North street. 4 little south of
East street was Valley street. running
also between Pleasant and North
streets. The brick house which stands
at the corner of Bond and State streets
is marked as the heirs of Dr. Ellis. A
street marked Present Mill Road"
runs about where Mill street is at the
present time. but there is no Mt Yer
non avenue. The whole of what is now
the Cushnoc Heights region was un-
occupied except four houses showing
on the plan, two of which are marked
j. & II. Bridge
1t will be interesting that even at
that time the present ground occupied
as Stapleton had been laid out, and
Gage street extended on the plan di-
reCtly to Federal Capitol street. The
name of this locality is known on this
plan as Spring Gardens. The entire
section south of Green street. west of
State, was unoccupied except the house
of Mr.. NorcrosS en- the corner of Sc
wall street. The few houses south Of
Green street as far as Western avenue
We're faced on State street: but the
section alluded to was laid out and be-
tween Green street and Western
avenue appear on the plan two cross
streets. Franklin and Orange. The
crossing at State and Grove streets is
called Hotel Square, and Monument
park at that time bore the name Of
The Mall" From Swan street to State
there was only one house. occupied by
the Widow Gage. Crescent street
wan not laid out. and the
east side Of the land which
shows the course Of the brook.
and just west of Swan street. shows
pictures of trees. and is called Cages
grove. With the exception Of a small
strip on Swan street and house oc-
cuped by +. Swan. the entire tract Of
country to the south and southeast is
unoccupied: but there are quite q
number of houses in the triangle form
ed by Water. Swan and Gage streets.
There We're at that time quite a num-
Der Of houses between the Augusta
House and the State House on both
sides Of the street.
Each lot Is marked with the name OF
the owner. and the map abOunds with
the names of the older families and
the then influential people of the viii
lage. In a general way the plan closely
adheres to the present laying out of
our streets. and generally speaking.
there has not been much change In
| the names.
1t is very interesting document
and probably one Of the very few. If
| not the only one in existence. and
would prove of intense interest to local
historians. or to those who were ia
miliar with the city and Its inhabitants
AT about that time.