Shipyards of the Kennebunk's
History of Shipbuilding in the Kennebunks
The Kennebunks are one of the birth places of the shipbuilding industry in America. The Kennebunks are located in the Southern tip of Maine. The tall ships built there helped to shape the international trade industry and to connect the world.
This map illustrates an example of the trade routes of the 1800's. Everything from spices, tobacco, sugar, textiles lumber and many more items were traded along these routes. The ships that were built in the Kennebunk's would have been among the ships transporting these goods around the world.
There were many shipyards within the Kennebunk region of Maine. One of the prime locations was on the Kennebunk River in Kennebunkport, ME. This was such a desirable location for a few reasons. The river allowed the shipyards to ferry timbers from locations further upstream. The shipyards were located a good distance up the river so they were protected from oceans storms. There also was a lock system which they could close. This would flood the pond area and it would allow the shipyards to float the ships right off the forms they built them on.
At the height the shipbuilding industry on the Kennbunk River, there were 6 shipyards operating. There were hundreds of ships that were built in these shipyards. Its estimated at 400-600 large vessels. Unfortunately much of the history and the exact location of these shipyards have been lost. There are still remnants and photos of a few of the larger operations.
This is a photo at the Clark Shipyard. The ship Savanah is about to start getting planked. This photo shows the massive size of the boats that were built. This emphasizes the need to be in a location that lumber can easily be transported to. The size of the timbers used for this framing would be very difficult to move with out the aid of the river.
This is an example of some of the tools that would be used in shipbuilding. This would be a set of chalking tools. A chalker would bang a rolled length of wool or cotton covered in a tar like substance into each seam of the planking. This would seal the seam of the planking making it water tight. It was and incredible amount of work. The shipyards provided employment for a large amount of people. This in turn required a large growth in the region to support the industry. The shipyards of the pasts shaped the Kennebunks into what they are today.
The large shipyards of the Kennebunks are long gone but the legacy and the maritime life still lives on strong. There are still many small boats shops dotting the landscape. The ship building industry that supported the area has been replaced by the lobstering industry, keeping the spirit of the sea alive in the Kennebunks.