Cumberland and Oxford Canal - Portland, ME
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NorStar
N 43° 39.502 W 070° 18.672
19T E 394273 N 4834764
The Cumberland and Oxford Canal connected Harrison, ME, with Portland, ME, through natural and man made channels and was used to transport timber from the inland portions of the state to the harbor at Portland.
Waymark Code: WM7B7Q
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 09/29/2009
Views: 5
The Cumberland and Oxford Canal was a navigable waterway that transported timber from the interior portion of Maine to the harbor in Portland. It extended 50 miles from Harrison, Maine, at the northern tip of Long Lake to Portland.
The canal was built in 1830 at the cost of $220,800. There were 30 miles of natural waterways, 20 miles of dug channels, and 28 locks. The canal operated until 1872.
Portions of the canal remain, though much of it is either on private property or other hard to access areas. One of the links leads to a web site that documents the accessible areas. Obtain permission from any owners if you intent to go onto private property. The most accessible remnant is known as the Eel Weir Canal, on Route 35 at the intersection with Middle Jam Road. This stretch is very straight and is higher than the street next to it. There is a plaque installed by the Maine Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in a green plot of land at the corner of Congress Street and Waldo Street in Portland.
Street address:
Congress Street at Waldo Street (Engineering LM Plaque)
Portland, ME United States
04101
County / Borough / Parish: Cumberland
Year listed: 1830
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Periods of significance: 1825-1849
Historic function: Industry/Processing/Extraction, Transportation
Current function: Vacant/Not In Use
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Privately owned?: Not Listed
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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