MONMOUTH COMP PLAN COMMITTEE DRAFT #1.1 Last edited December 2ND, 2020 Prepared by KVCOG *temporary* TABLE OF CONTENTS. Included Chapters: 1. Historic Profile 2. Demographic Profile 3. Natural Resources 4. Forest and Agriculture 5. Recreation and Culture 6. Business and the Economy 7. Local Housing Profile 8. The Transportation System 9. Public Services Monmouth Comprehensive Draft 12.9.20 1 HISTORIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROFILE A Brief History of Monmouth The town of Monmouth surrounds Cochnewagon Lake and has significant frontage on Annabessacook Lake, Wilson Pond, Cobbosseecontee Lake, and Sand Pond. Monmouth is bordered on the north by Wayne and Winthrop, on the east by West Gardiner and Litchfield, on the south by Wales, and on the west by Leeds. Augusta, the state’s capital, is just over 15 miles to the northeast and the biggest community in the region. Early Settlement: The Plymouth Company held a patent for a portion of Kennebec Valley and operated a trading post at what is now Augusta. They traded with the Indians for furs. Due to competition from other colonies and declining profits, this patent was sold to the Kennebec Proprietors in 1661. The area remained wilderness until after the end of the French and Indian Wars. After Britain and France made peace in 1763, pioneers ventured up the coast and inland, escaping the crowded older settlements for the pristine wilderness. The first settlements grew along the Kennebec River, which provided the only convenient means of transportation. The first European settlers arrived from Brunswick in 1775 and continued in a small wave through the remainder of the decade. Upon their arrival, there was a significant tribe of Native Americans who would gradually disappear without conflict. Initially, Monmouth was named Freetown, under the assumption that the land on which it stood was free to every settler. After a land dispute with the land’s lawful owner, the settlement was renamed Bloomingboro. The first documented plantation meeting was called on August 24, 1781 with the posted notification: “By the desire of a number of inhabitants of Bloomingboro, the whole are hereby notified to meet at the house of Mr. Ichabod Baker’s on Friday the 24th day of August, 1781, at 12 of the clock, in order to act on the following articles: First, to chuse a moderator; 2dly, to chuse a Clark; 3dly, to see if the inhabitants will think proper to chuse one man to act as Capt. For the present year; 4thly, to see if the inhabitants will except of the proposals made to them by the Committee of the general court; 5thly, to act on any other thing, that shall be thought proper by said inhabitants.” Bloomingboro was incorporated on January 20, 1792 and given the name Monmouth in a tribute to early settler General Henry Dearborn’s accomplishments at the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey in 1778. Emergence of Monmouth: The first settlers of what would become Monmouth positioned themselves on the town’s southern fringe, near present-day Wales. The turn of the 19th Century saw a sizable population near what is now Monmouth Academy. By the mid-19th Century, the railroad came to town and what followed was a significant population shift to Monmouth Center. Shortly thereafter, the Town had three established villages: Monmouth Center, North Monmouth, and East Monmouth. Monmouth Monmouth Comprehensive Draft 12.9.20 2 Center was, and still is today, situated at the outlet of Cochnewagon Lake. East Monmouth developed at the outlet of Annabessacook Lake and North Monmouth built up around the outlet to Wilson Pond. The outlets of the Town’s lakes and ponds provided ample energy to power the establishment of mills, factories, and various shops. Lumber, grist, and woolen mills thrived. Brickyards, tanneries, boot and shoe shops, shovel factories, and more businesses would all call Monmouth home. Perhaps more notable than the availability of waterpower, was the prime agricultural land, found throughout much of the Town. The Town was devoid of agricultural wasteland, and as such, farming prospered. Agricultural societies and farmers’ clubs were established. The Cochnewagon Agricultural Society was formed in 1907 and has organized the annual Monmouth Fair for over 100 years. Highmoor Farm, once a national leader in horse- breeding, today acts as an educational asset for the State’s University Extension program. Agriculture blossomed in Monmouth throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries and remains a large part of Monmouth’s identity today. Does Monmouth have a good historical resource for the 20th century? Were there any major/defining events to take place that need/deserve mentioning? Prehistoric and Archeological Sites Monmouth had residents far before settlers with European roots migrated to the area from the settlements of the coast. Prehistoric archeological sites reveal information about these Native American inhabitants, who rarely left any records. The following four types of sites are significant in the state of Maine: • Campsites • Village locations • Rock quarries and workshops • Areas containing petroglyphs and rock carvings The Maine Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) has identified 22 known pre-historic campsites in the Monmouth area. The State Site Numbers are: 25.9-25.13, 25.20-25.23, 25.28- 25.33, 25.35-25.37, 25.42, 37.10, 36.63, and 37.14. MHPC does not disclose the exact location of pre-historic sites in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of damage. MHPC has stated that most, if not all, of the prehistoric sites are located: in close proximity to the shores of the Town’s major lakes, ponds, and streams, on islands in the lakes, or are under the waterline near lake shores. Further surveys, inventory studies, and analyses to determine the location of other pre-historic along lake shorelines have been identified as needs. Given the reach of the natives and the large nature of Maine, it is highly likely that other sites exist. Some of these potential sites are unknowingly protected due to the set-back requirements imposed by the Town’s Shoreland Zoning Ordinance. Due to the changing landscape of the waterbodies’ shoreline, more sites may be under water. It is recommended that the Town place into its ordinances a demand that any proposed development in close proximity to a probable archeological site be reviewed by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Historic Archeological Sites Monmouth Comprehensive Draft 12.9.20 3 Historic archeological sites statewide often include early houses foundations and cellar holes, foundations for various farm buildings, mills boat yards and wharves, and forts. Since transportation and then power generation were largely provided by the State’s many waterways, they are often the location for these historic sites. The Maine Historic Preservation Commission identifies three historical archaeological sites in the Town. Safford Pottery, of significance from 1822-1921, was the oldest such site. Silas H. Coburn Pottery and the Woodbury Family Burial Ground are also listed and were both established in the 1850’s. No professional survey of the Town has ever been conducted, however, and one should be carried out with a focus on the potential identification of resources attributable to Monmouth’s industrial, residential, and agricultural past, particularly those associated with the early settlers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Listed Historic Buildings and Structures Despite frequent fires and the ravages of time, Monmouth has several preserved links to its past history. Formal identification and protection for historic structures is embodied in listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register currently lists three properties in Monmouth: Cumston Hall: A public building of imposing architectural standard, Cumston Hall has been on the National Register listing for over 30 years. The hall was built and dedicated to the Town in 1900 by Dr. Charles Cumston. Designed by the well-studied artist Henry Cochrane, Cumston Hall took just one year to build and boasts the Cumston Public Library, a 250 seat opera hall, mural ceilings, and many stained glass windows. It has served as the town hall and is now the cultural center of Town. The Blossom House, built circa 1808 by Ansel Blossom on Main Street, is one of the oldest homes in Monmouth. A notable example of the Federal-style cape form of architecture, the Blossom House is the most intact building from this era in Monmouth. It is currently part of the Monmouth Museum complex. North Monmouth Library. Also designed by Henry Cochran, the library was built in 1927 and surveyed in 2017. Located at 132 Main Street, the North Monmouth Library is the Town’s latest building to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Buildings Eligible for Historic Register Listing Monmouth Museum Stencil Shop. The stencil shop at the Monmouth Museum, located at 745 Main Street, was surveyed in 2011 and ruled eligible for listing. This building, believed to have been built in 1849, is a great example of vernacular architecture. Dairy Barn and Silo. The dairy barn and its silo, located at 935 Route 135, was surveyed in 2013 and ruled eligible as a historic barn and agricultural structure. Believed to have been built around the turn of the 20th century, the barn (1890-1920) and its silo (1920-1940) are examples of vernacular architecture. Monmouth Comprehensive Draft 12.9.20 4 Monmouth Academy. Originally built in 1855, the building that now houses the Monmouth Middle School has undergone many additions. Surveyed in 2011, the building at 96 Academy Road is eligible for listing on the National Register. Of particular note is the classical revival entrance built in 1944. Local Historic Sites and Places Other structures in Town are known to exhibit historic qualities, but for a variety of reasons, are not listed on the National Register.