Bath, Maine, USA
1854 - Bath

Bath, a city and port of entry of Lincoln county, Maine, on the right bank of Kennebec river, 16 miles from its mouth. By rail road it is 34 miles N. E. from Portland, 80 miles S. from Augusta, 111 miles N. E. from Boston. The city extends about 1 1/ 2 mile along the bank of the river, and nearly one mile back. The surface is rather uneven, sloping gradually towards the east. The streets are regular and generally intersect each other at right angles. With the exception of one or two localities, the place is not very compactly built. Many of the buildings are at considerable distances from each other, and are surrounded with spacious yards, ornamented with shade-trees and shrubbery. In the business of ship-building, Bath is surpassed only by New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Forty-eight vessels, with an aggregate burden of 24.339 tons, were ad measured in the district during the year ending June 30th, 1852. Of these, 40 were ships, 6 brigs, and 3 schooners. This port also ranks the seventh in the United States in the importance of its shipping, which amounted, at the above-named date, to 84,695 tons registered, and 26,545 tons enrolled and licensed, making the total burden 111,241 tons. It enjoys superior advantages for navigation, as the river here is seldom frozen in winter. Bath contains several churches, 3 banks, and 4 newspaper offices. Steamboats ply regularly between this place, Portland, and Boston. A branch railroad connects it with the Portland and Augusta railroad. Settled in 1756, and incorporated 1780. Population in 1820, 3026; 1830,3773; 1840, 5141; 1850, 8020.


A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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