Civil War Gun Powerder Mill

Instead of a bad picture of me, here's my dog at the mills.

     This site I went to next was the remains of the Gambo Powder Mills. Some of the class took a trip there on Saturday, but I was working Saturday so went the Friday morning before. It was a fairly nice fall day, but there was also a lot of leaves on the ground, which made me almost walk by a few stone structures,but they had signs at them. I had never even heard of these, so it was pretty cool to go and check out a significant Civil War related site a few towns over.

 

      However, I was expecting the mills to be in better condition. When I first heard there was a mill I wasn't expecting a restored building, but thought there would some building left. There are many older structures around Maine still standing. There wasn't much left but a few foundations and such. It was still interesting to look at, and it would have been interesting to take guided tour, as all I really learned about the site was what was on the signs. There wasn't anyone else there, and it looked like it wasn't really a busy place. 

 

  

Powder Mills Historical Significance

     The powder mills at Gambo Falls must have played a great significance in the Civil War. It produced a large portion of the gunpowder used by the Union troops.  This would have been been useful to everyone in the Union army, not just the soldiers from Maine. In addition, it would provided jobs to those who stayed back in Maine, and didn't go off to fight. This would have helped the local economy in a time when many of those who were able to work were not around. Due to its dangerous conditions, the mill payed especially high wages, .50 to .75 cents a day more than other jobs in the area. The total pay per day at the end of the war was about $2.50. However, after the war, the demand for the powder declined, and the mill eventually went out of business.