Perry
The
town of Perry is located on Passamaquoddy Bay, about 18 miles
south of Calais. The 45th parallel of north latitude runs
through the town, making it the halfway point between the
equator and the north pole. An engraved stone, at a rest stop
north of the intersection of U.S. 1 and Rte 190, marks the
45th parallel.
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45th Parallel Marker
by Pat McCabe
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Over
30 miles of seacoast, rugged headlands, beaches, rocks, and
many creeks give Perry an enviable variety of attractive recreation
sites.
The
first white settler was Captain John Frost, who settled at
Pleasant Point, Perry, in 1763. Captain Frost came from Wells,
Maine, to trade with the Indians. He later sold 180 acres
of the land he pre-empted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
for an Indian Reservation.
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Perry photo by Alana
Preston
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The
first town meeting was held in 1812 when a handful of sturdy
pioneers met to devise ways and means to defend their property
from smugglers and others for whom there was no law. Perry
was the principal place to the west of the frontier line,
and offered a depot for storing smuggled goods from Grand
Manan, affording an excellent opportunity for carrying on
illicit trade across the British river.
The
town was incorporated on February 12, 1818, and named for
Commander Oliver Hazard Perry of Lake Erie fame.
In
the 1800's Perry was a thriving industrial community. At Little
River were stores kept by Leland & Bugbee, Charles S.
Davis, and Ernest Kelly. A store at North Perry was run by
George Hobbs. Willard and James Hartford were carriage builders
and brick manufactures.
About
1856, a mining company from Boston was drilling a shaft near
Boyden's Lake hoping to strike coal. Finally, after going
down about 500 feet, the drills caught and were left there.
In
the 1800s, there were saw and lumber mills located on nearly
every brook or stream. There were four shipyards and a grist
mill. J.M. & A.W. Leighton had a carding and cloth dressing
mill, and J. Gibson had a shingle and stave mill.
Today,
the community of Perry offers a pleasant place to live and
visit. Spend some time cooking at the Blueberry
Point Chefs, and
stop and relax at COBSCOOK
BAY COTTAGES or the KENDALL
FARM COTTAGES and soak up the area's natural beauty.
Talk to FINE
ARTIST Housepainting and Restoration about
keeping your home or cottage looking its best. They
also make furniture and cabinetry.