Time Capsule
Gardiner is located in central Maine and has a population of 6,198 (2000 U.S. Census). It has long been an economic center for the state, and its location on the Kennebec River provided many commerce opportunities, from wharves and mills to tanneries, lumber yards, paper mills, and ice production.
As mill production waned and businesses closed, Gardiner changed from a factory community to a bedroom community. Gardiner is within reasonable commuting distance of major employment centers (Augusta, Bath, Portland), yet far enough away that it is a service center for the surrounding area. Over 30,000 vehicles pass through downtown Gardiner on any given day.
In 2001 Gardiner was named as a Main Street Maine community, and the results have been impressive. Opening in the fall of 2003, A1 To Go – Community Café & Deli has become a popular community-gathering place and source of pride. ModaBella, a women’s clothing store that opened in 2004, sells gowns and casual wear to women from all over Maine. ArtDogs six artist studios, residential apartment and new fine art press have added to the creative economy downtown. They have established Artwalk Gardiner and the recent Art Talks, bringing art and community together. Elemental Angle, a frame shop, opened as a result of the new artist community. Other new creative businesses like Studio MN and Shoestring Creative Group have opened in upper floor spaces as have several financial firms. Property owners have been investing in quality residential units thus attracting new people who want to live downtown. The City recently added a 500’ boardwalk and a kayak & canoe launch on the newly expanded Kennebec River waterfront. The Kennebec River Rail Trail now connects Gardiner to Augusta and the City has plans for additional trail connections within Gardiner. By early summer, downtown will see new businesses opening: The Mad Dog – Fine Wine, Spirits & Ale House, Mill Stream Restaurant, and R & B Dance Company. The Historic District boasts 47 buildings, including the Gardiner Public Library, Johnson Hall Opera House and the A1 Diner. The Library just completed a restoration of its stained glass window and removed a dropped ceiling to highlight the vaulted ceiling. Plans for Johnson Hall include a 400 seat theater with conference space capabilities. A1 Diner continues to garner national press in everything from the Food Network to USAir’s inflight magazine for best eating spots in Maine. But the most telling success is the pride Gardiner residents feel for their “hidden gem” of a downtown.
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Gardiner Maine-A History
During the 1750’s, Dr. Silvester Gardiner, a
leading surgeon of Boston, acquired the rights to develop the land at
the confluence of the Kennebec River and Cobbosseeconte Stream. Dr.
Gardiner exploited the 130’ drop during the last mile of Cobbossee
Stream by erecting two saw mills, a fulling mill, a potash factory and
a grist mill. The gristmill was the only place within a 50-mile radius
where the pioneers could grind their corn. Therefore, Gardinerstown, as
it was known, soon became an economic center for the development of
numerous wharves.
From the early 1800’s until the Civil War, ship building and trading
was the basis of the community’s economy. By 1849, when Gardiner became
a city, there were 10 large wharves along the City’s waterfront serving
the shipping industry. Water-borne commerce included vast quantities of
lumber, as well as goods produced by many mills, tanneries and a large
pottery mill located on the Cobbossee Stream.
Beginning in the 1860’s, numerous paper mills were located in Gardiner.
The ice industry flourished between the 1880’s and 1920’s. Several shoe
and leather companies, in conjunction with the paper mills, ensured a
firm economic base until well after the Second World War.
Beginning in the 1960’s, many of the mills that formed the economic
foundation of the community began a slow process of decline and
eventually closure. The downtown became more of a service center with
some niche retail.
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