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Incorporated in 1773, Waldoboro and the Medomak River claim a history steeped in both a nautical and a commercial heritage.
Originally named Waldoborough, after General Samuel Waldo, the town was part of the plantation known as Broad Bay.
After a 1730 settlement was destroyed by Indians, Waldo made several trips to Europe in an aggressive effort to recruit immigrants. In 1740, Waldo succeeded in persuading forty families to settle on either side of the river in Broad Bay. Lured by many promises, most unfulfilled, the immigrants acquired possession of narrow lots of one hundred acres, stretching two miles back from the river.
Not understanding the potential for success in commercial fishing, the settlers lived in poor circumstances until more European immigrants arrived to form the nucleus of a vibrant maritime economy.
Waldoboro was a major New England shipbuilding and shipping center from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. Over 600 sailing vessels were built within a half mile of the village center. The common type of vessel built in Waldoboro was the schooner or coaster. From 1820 to 1840, twelve schooners, eleven of them built in town, regularly made the voyage between Waldoboro and Boston carrying bulk cargo such as wood and animals, and passengers.
In essence, these ships were the tractor trailers of the time, sailing up and down the coast several times a year. Other types of vessels built in Waldoboro were brigs, barks, ships, brigantines and sloops. Many of the largest were sold to prominent trading firms that used them in international commerce with Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The Palmer Fleet were the last and largest vessels ever built in Waldoboro. These massive five-masted schooners drew wide press
coverage and crowds at their launchings. In 1904, George Welt launched the last schooner, the 2885-ton Harwood Palmer, an event that heralded the end of the “Great Days” in Waldoboro’s shipbuilding history.
Today, Waldoboro is the largest town in Lincoln County with a very successful fishing industry. In fact, the Medomak River provides some of the best clam flats along the coast of Maine.
A growing community, Waldoboro’s future is bright, reflecting a heritage of hard work and commitment to excellence that is evident in the work of its artists and artisans today.—Holly-Marie Haining
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