Site Record
Metadata
Site# |
182 |
Site Name |
Marine Railway (Ferry Village) |
Description |
Note: There have been several marine railways in South Portland, including at the Cumberland Shipbuilding yard and at Davidson's Boat Builders on High Street. This site location is specifically for the marine railway on Front Street. For a simplified view: vessel repairs on Front Street were generally at the marine railway and new ship construction was the intent of the Portland Shipbuilding Company that formed in 1891. Cape Elizabeth Wharf and Marine Railway (1850-1883): Originally founded in 1826 in Clay Cove, Portland, as the Portland Marine Railway. When the railroad expansion was planned and Commercial Street about to be constructed, the Marine Railway purchased 12 acres of waterfront and mud flats in Ferry Village, Cape Elizabeth [South Portland] from Nathan Dyer. In 1850, they moved and organized as the Cape Elizabeth Wharf and Marine Railway, with Joseph Perley as director; Nathan Dyer as yard superintendent; Charles T. Talbot as master workman, and William Cammett as general superintendent 1865-1 - company election: Directors - Joseph W. Dyer, Charles Staples, Nathan Dyer; president Joseph W. Dyer 1868-1 - election: Directors - Jonas H. Perley, Joseph W. Dyer, Nathan Dyer; clerk and treasurer Charles Baker Portland Merchants Marine Railway (1883-1891): 1883-84 - incorporators were Nathan R. Dyer, William Spear, Benjamin W. Pickett, John H. Russell, and O.B. Whitten. President was Captain Charles H. Chase and Nathan R. Dyer was superintendent 1885-86 - railway leased to George E. Hagan Co., of Bath 1886-87 - leased and operated by Nathan R. Dyer |
