Editing Stockton Springs, Maine (section)

==History==

Part of the [[Waldo Patent]], it was first settled about 1759, the year Governor [[Thomas Pownall]] completed [[Fort Pownall]] on Fort Point.<ref>[http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/history/fortpownall/pownall.htm Maine Department of Conservation &ndash; Fort Pownall]</ref> The defense was intended to guard the mouth of the [[Penobscot River]] [[estuary]] during the [[French and Indian War]]. Fort Pownall was burned in 1775 and 1779 by the [[British people|British]] themselves, to prevent it from falling into the hands of [[American Revolutionary War|Americans]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&dq=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA317 Austin J. Coolidge & John B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1859 (Stockton Springs)]</ref>

On February 29, 1794, the area was incorporated as part of [[Prospect, Maine|Prospect]], but then set off and incorporated as a town on March 13, 1857, named Stockton after a port in England.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&dq=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA278 Austin J. Coolidge & John B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1859 (Prospect)]</ref> In 1859, businesses included four [[sawmill]]s, three shingle mills, two [[lath]] mills, one [[carding]] machine, one cloth-dressing mill, one [[Tanning (leather)|tannery]], four [[shipyard]]s, six [[blacksmith]] shops, and several mechanic shops. By 1886, it also had a [[shoemaking|shoe]] factory, cheese factory, a [[door]], [[window sash|sash]] and [[window shutter|blind]] factory, [[cask]] and [[barrel]] makers, and a [[clothing]] factory.<ref>[http://history.rays-place.com/me/stockton-me.htm George J. Varney, ''History of Stockton, Maine;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1886]</ref> On February 5, 1889, the town's name was changed to Stockton Springs in anticipation of bottling local [[spring water]]. When [[sediment]] was discovered in the bottles, however, the plan was abandoned.

Cape Jellison developed into a bustling port. Between 1905 and 1907, three huge wooden [[pier]]s were built, the biggest {{convert|1,750|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} in length. The [[Bangor & Aroostook Railroad]] transported goods to and from the docks. An immense [[warehouse]] held potatoes from [[Aroostook County]] until [[schooner]]s could deliver them elsewhere. The wharves were destroyed in a fire on November 8, 1924,<ref>[http://www.bucksweb.com/capej.html History of Cape Jellison]</ref> ending the harbor's industrial era.

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Image:Dock, Cape Jellison, Stockton, ME.jpg|Cape Jellison {{circa|1908}}
Image:Long Pier, Cape Jellison, Stockton, ME.jpg|Long Pier {{circa|1908}}
Image:Potato House, Cape Jellison Pier, Stockton Harbor, ME.jpg|Potato warehouse in 1910
</gallery>