History of Calais, Maine, USA

Calais, Maine
Washington county. At the head of navigation on the Schoodic, or St. Croix river, nearly opposite to St. Andrews, N.B. The Upper village or Mill Town, is about two miles from tide water. At the Lower village, below the falls, is a bridge to the British side. Calais lies about 28 miles above Eastport, about 35 N. by E. from Machias, and 204 E.N.E. from Augusta. This is a great mart for lumber of all kinds. About 40 saw mills and other machinery are in operation by the great fall of the river. The tide rises here about 20 feet, and large vessels ascend to the lower village. A rail-road is in operation between the two villages; it is to extend to Baring. Incorporated, 1809. Population, 1830, 1,686; 1837, 3,027.

Calais, a post-township of Washington county, Maine, at the head of navigation on the St. Croix river, nearly opposite St. Andrews in New Brunswick, 30 miles N. by W. from Eastport, nnd 264 miles N. E. from Portland. The fulls in the river afford extensive water-power. To the lower falls the tide in the St. Croix rises 20 feet. The town ship contains an upper and a lower village, about 2 miles apart. Large vessels ascend to the latter place. Calais contains a bank. The Calais and Baring railroad was built expressly for the transportation of lumber from Middletown and Baring to Calais. The quantity brought down for the year ending May 1, 1853, was 32,318,715 feet of long lumber, 44,357,1OO laths, 516,550 pickets, and 296,500 shingles. Population, 4749.

...The storm took a very wide range, At Calais, Me., the roads were blocked up with snow-drifts, and the Western mail coach was compelled to return after starting on Saturday...

Calais, Thursday, April 8. Ten buildings in this place were destroyed by fire afternoon. Loss partially insured.

CALAIS, a township of Washington co., in the state of Maine, on the St. Croix or Shoodie river, nearly opposite St. Andrews, N. Brunswick, with which it is connected by a bridge, and 200 m. ENE of Augusta. It has an upper and lower village, 2 m. apart, and connected by a railroad. The falls in the river afford excellent water-power, and the tide, which rises 20 ft. in height, admits of its navigation to the lower falls, by vessels of the largest dimensions. Pop. in 1840, 2,934.

CALAIS, Me., March 12. - This morning a fire broke out in the furniture store of Gillis & Gallagher. The stock and fixtures were entirely consumed. The loss is $5,000: insurance $2,000. The books and papers were saved. The building is owned by S. P. Poole, who loses $1.400. He has no insurance. The flames extended to two adjoining buildings, which were damaged to the amount of $2,000; insurance, $1,000.

CALAIS, Me., Aug. 27. - A fire broke out this afternoon in the rear of Mr. Samuel Ridout's livery stable, which was destroyed, together with stores occupied by Blake & Taylor, Wm. Todd, Jr., M. Silveston, A. E. Neill, James Perkins, Miss Hill, Boardman Bros., S. S. King & Sons, W. P. Harrison, Wadsworth & Kelley, Nickerson & Ridout, Harton Brothers, Geo. W. Eye, Daniel Hill, C. W. Eye, C. Waite & Co., and Bailey's photograph rooms, Calais Advertiser office, Wadsworth & Kelley's grist-mill, Benjamin Hutchins' sail-loft, Hitchcock & Cone's livery stable, Peabody, McDonald & Co's machine-shop, Hamilton Foundry, St. Croix Hall, with the City rooms and Post-office below, many dwellings and tenement-houses, large quantity of lumber, and much wharf property. Also, thirteen vessels lying at the wharves, Nickerson & Ridout's, and Wm. Huid's and Robertson's ship-yards, and three vessels on the stocks, the Marine Railway and Dry Dock, the Congregational Vestry and Masonic Hall. Much property...

Calais is situated at the eastern extremity of Washington County at the head of the tide on the St. Croix River. It is bounded by Baring on the west, Robbinston on the south, and on the east and north by St. Andrews and St. Stephens, in New Brunswick. The St. Croix River forms the dividing line between Calais and the two latter places. The area of the town is 19,392 acres. The sheets of water are West Magurrewock Lake in the south-west, and East Magurrewock, stretching from the centre of the town southward, and about these, Beaver, Vose, and Round Lakes. Granite and slate are the prevailing rocks. The territory was formerly covered with dense forests of pine timber. When Napoleon excluded the British from the Baltic, they resorted to Calais for the supplies of timber necessary to their shipyard. From that day to the present the place has been noted for its lumber business. Within city limits are eight valuable water-powers, of which five are improved. These improvements consisted, in...