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Monday, June 27, 2005
Midden comes out of its shell
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||||||||||||||
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DAMARISCOTTA — Above the surface of the upper Damariscotta River rises an embankment that glistens in the summer sun, as though the riverbank were painted white. But upon closer observation, it becomes clear this giant canvas of white is not the work of a graffiti artist, but of a people who lived and fished on the Damariscotta River hundreds of years ago. The Glidden Midden is the largest ancient mound of oyster shells in Maine and the biggest midden north of Georgia. The shell heap was created by American Indians who shucked oyster shells before tossing them aside - as recently as 1,000 years ago. Historically, a shell heap also can contain items such as bones, ceramic pots and stone tools. Although archaeologists, historians and locals have known about the midden for decades, it has gone largely unnoticed by the thousands of motorists who streak by it on nearby Route 1 as they head to their vacations, homes or workplaces. Even though it's 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 30 feet deep. But now, thanks to the efforts of a group of volunteers dedicated to protecting the river, the Glidden Midden and its sister midden, the Whaleback Midden State Historic Site, are becoming known to visitors from around the state and the world. "We'd like to see (Whaleback) become a more valuable town and state resource," said Pete Noyes, who manages the historic site for the Damariscotta River Association. Officials from the association, which serves as the local steward, say that last year visitors from 47 Maine towns, 31 states and seven foreign countries, including Japan and Indonesia, left comments in the park's visitor journal. This is the first full season of operation for Whaleback, the culmination of a three-year state and local effort to build trails, install interpretive signs, create a parking lot and erect a trailhead sign off Business Route 1 in Damariscotta. Working with the Maine Department of Conservation, which owns Whaleback, the association created a historic site on the Damariscotta side of the river to protect the Glidden Midden on the opposite bank in Newcastle. Association officials say the goal is to encourage visits to Whaleback, thereby lessening the foot traffic impact on the Glidden Midden. The benefits of visiting Whaleback, which is easily accessible, include a panoramic view of the Glidden Midden across the river. Rose and Richard Kellogg of Peterborough, N. H., have vacationed in the midcoast for years but were getting their first view of the site last week. A large, eye-catching sign at the park entrance made it easy to find. "We've tried to find the midden before but we couldn't," Rose Kellogg said. Ruth Anne Bryant has lived in a home next to Whaleback's trailhead for more than 60 years. When she was a young girl, she would charge 25 cents to take passers-by on tours of the midden. Now, she is delighted with the improvements made by the association and state. "It is used from early in the morning to sunset . . . all year long," Bryant said. "And the people who are using the park are very respectful." Respect for the middens and their history was not always the case. Although the middens are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, at one time they were subject to degradation and commerce. Whaleback was once larger than the Glidden Midden, but in 1886 the property's owners allowed the Massachusetts-based Damariscotta Shell and Fertilizer Company to mine the midden for use as chicken feed. "Within three months they took out more than 200 tons of shells," said Noyes, the association's park manager. "They virtually wiped out the midden." In 1891, a fire destroyed the mining factory and the activity ceased. Steven Hufnagel, director of lands and stewardship for the association, said a private landowner donated a 4 1/2-acre parcel to the state in 1968. The second parcel at Whaleback, totaling 6.3 acres, was purchased in 1998. Park development efforts began in 2002, but the project was not fully completed until late last year when an overgrown apple orchard on the land was cleared and pruned. The association was also able to obtain a conservation easement on the Glidden Midden property, which is owned by George and Josephine Hart. "A lot of the labor, the eyes and ears at Whaleback, is done by local people," Hufnagel noted. Stephen Curtis, regional manager for the state Bureau of Public Lands, says the partnership has worked well. "It's really good because the state doesn't have the staff or the time to take care of Whaleback. The (association) is very good at protecting the site and they are very interested in its history," Curtis said. "If we could have more partnerships like this one, it would be great." Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
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