Kennebec Turnout

Sheppard’s Point, the small peninsula located where Vaughan Stream enters the Kennebec River, was first settled by Briggs Hallowell, who built a house there to look after the business interests of his father, Benjamin Hallowell. Commercial activity flourished on the Point. A brewery and distillery established by John Sheppard was said to produce enough malt liquor to supply all of New England. By 1793 Charles and Benjamin Vaughan built a flour mill. In later years an iron works, machine shop, lumber yard and sandpaper mill were located there making the south end of town the industrial center of early Hallowell. In the late 19th Century the Knickerbocker Ice Company operated a large ice house on the point and shipped Kennebec River ice to customers around the world.

Sheppard’s Point
La pointe de Sheppard’s Point, située là où le ruisseau de Vaughan se jette dans la Kennebec, fut d’abord colonisée par Briggs Hallowell qui y construisit une maison afin d’y gérer les affaires de son père, Benjamin Hallowell. Une grande activité commerciale s’y développa. On disait qu’une brasserie et distillerie établies par John Sheppard produisaient assez de bière pour approvisionner toute la Nouvelle Angleterre. En 1793 Charles et Benjamin Vaughan y construisirent un moulin à farine. Plus tard, une forge, un atelier d’usinage, une scierie et un moulin à papier de verre s’y installèrent, faisant du sud de la ville le centre industriel de Hallowell à ses débuts. A la fin du 19ème siècle, l’entreprise Knickerbocker Ice Company gérait une grande maison à glace sur la pointe et expédiait de la glace par la Kennebec à des clients du monde entier.

Photograph(s)/illustration(s):
S19-01S – Sandpaper mill crew”
Ouvriers de l’usine à papier de verre
Credit – Hubbard Free Library Collection – Photographer unknown

S19-02C “Sheppard’s Point looking north.”
Sheppard’s Point face au nord.
Credit – Hubbard Free Library Collection – Photographer unknown

Sponsor Copy
The Hallowell Museum in the Streets is a project of Row House Inc. and the Hallowell Area Board of Trade, made possible by Patron Grants from Gardiner Savings Bank of Maine, Mattson Development, LLC and The Wolfington Auto Group.
The project was underwritten by Eric & Pamela Perry & the Perry Family

A Museum Tour Guide is available at the Hallowell City Hall, Hubbard Free Library and at many city merchants. The Guide and links to more information about Hallowell are available online at www. hallowell.org