ABOUT CAMDEN

In 1768 the area now called Camden was surveyed and established as the Megunticook Plantation, an Indian name meaning "great sea swells." In 1769 the first settler, James Richards, arrived with his family, and the history of Camden begins. By 1790 the territory had a population of 331; it was incorporated in 1791 as Camden Town. The name was chosen to honor Charles Pratt, first Earl of Camden, who had served as both Lord Chief Justice and Lord High Chancellor, the two highest posts in the English Judiciary. Many of his judgments were sympathetic to the Colonies during the Revolutionary War, making him popular among the settlers.

Camden grew steadily, and by 1870 had a population of 4,512. In 1891, territory politics split Camden, which ceded three-quarters of its territory and half its population to the new town of Rockport. To worsen Camden's plight, a disastrous fire on November 10, 1892, destroyed nearly all of Main Street. More than forty buildings were lost including those housing 60 businesses, 10 societies, and 18 families, as well as the telephone and telegraph offices and the Methodist Church.

Camden merchants began to rebuild immediately, but under a new town ordinance forbidding the erection of permanent wooden buildings in the business center of town; this resulted in the now-famous brick business district. There are few buildings remaining that date back to the late 1700s -- and the Inn, which survived the fire, is one of the oldest commercial buildings in Camden.

Camden held its own as a shipbuilding town until the turn of the century, launching the largest four-master and, in 1900, the first six-masted schooner ever built, the George D. Wells. She was built to carry 5,000 tons of coal -- 302' 11" overall, 48' 6" in beam, with masts of 119' and 30" in diameter and top masts 58' in length. Her launching was attended by 15,000 spectators.

Camden offers one of the most sheltered deepwater harbors on the Maine coast, even with its 11-foot tides. The harbor today houses the most unique seaport museum in the United States: the "Windjammer Fleet."

In the early 1900s Camden's natural beauty, both the mountains and the sea, gained favor with the wealthy carriage trade. The great "Cottage Era" was then flourishing, and the gentry from Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and other cities built majestic summer homes throughout the Camden area. These "cottagers" imported their sophisticated tastes and lifestyles, adding to the aesthetic and cultural welfare of the entire town. Contributions by cottagers include the Public Library, Bok Amphitheater, Village Green, Public Landing, Yacht Club, and the Goose River Golf Course.

Pulitzer Prize-winning poetess Edna St. Vincent Millay grew up in Camden and is perhaps our best-known contributor to the world's artistic and intellectual community. A plaque commemorating her most famous work, "Renascence," is located on the peak of Mt. Battie, near the stone viewing tower.

Today Camden continues as a resort area for travelers from across the country and abroad. Many descendants of the original cottagers still maintain large estates, and the year-round population continues to grow. Young families escaping the hectic pace of city life and those in their retirement years are attracted to this beautiful midcoast town.

Camden Area Chamber of Commerce - Discover for yourself Camden, Rockport, and Lincolnville and see why our wedding location is called the Jewel of the Maine Coast.
207.236.4404 | P.O. Box 919 | Camden, Maine 04843 | email