Maine Memory Network

Contributed by Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Libraries

Description

This image shows the canal workers, around 1845, on Oxford Street in Lewiston. A canal had been envisaged in Lewiston as early as 1809, though construction did not begin until 1845 under the auspices of the Lewiston Water Power Company.

The canal was financed mainly by investors from Massachusetts, seeking to emulate the success of cities like Lowell.

The canal, which was constructed mostly by Irish immigrants, increased Lewiston's industrial potential by diverting water away from the Androscoggin river and creating additional waterfalls.

The energy generated by the canal would ultimately be responsible for Lewiston's growth as a textile city, as it provided the energy needed to run the mills.

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About This Item

• Title: Canal Workers, Lewiston, ca. 1845
• Creation Date: circa 1845
• Subject Date: circa 1845
• Location: Lewiston, Androscoggin County, ME
• Media: Photographic print
• Dimensions: 12 cm x 17 cm
• Local Code: 2013.0.22
• Object Type: Image

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Cross Reference Searches

Standardized Subject Headings

• Immigrants--Irish--Maine--Lewiston
• Androscoggin River (N.H. and Me.)
• Oxford Street (Lewiston, Me.)
• Canal construction workers--Maine--Lewiston
• Canal construction--Maine--Lewiston

Other Keywords

• Canals
• Franklin Company
• Hydro power
• Water energy

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For more information about this item, contact:

Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Libraries
51 Westminster Street, Lewiston, ME 04240
(207) 753-6545
Website

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