With Around Hallowell, author Bob Briggs has created a nostalgic look
at his home from the Civil War era to the 1940s.
Incorporated in 1771, Hallowell is one of Maine's oldest permanent
settlements. Incredibly, the 1807 American Encyclopedia predicted that
Hallowell would one day be one of the nation's largest cities. This book
focuses on the city in its heyday of prosperity, culture, and education,
and it gives the reader insight into the now-vanished industries of
shipping, granite, lumber, and ice that comprised the staple of
Hallowell's financial prosperity. Over the years, urban renewal has
claimed many of Water Street's most prominent landmarks. Manu of the 200
rare photographs included in this volume depicts these historic
buildings and street scenes as they once were. Covering the area along
the Kennebec River between Farmingdale and Augusta, these images speak
volumes about a time when life moved at a leisurely pace, enabling
residents to take time out for cultural and spiritual refinement.