In the 1800s while the gold rush was attracting pioneers to the west, the “Salt Water Frontier” attracted a different pioneer. People migrated to Hancock County because land and fishing were plentiful. Three kinds of people chose to settle the salt water frontier: the mariner, the fisherman, and the woodsman. The river was central to all who chose to live here. In the 1800s residents spoke of “going down to the bridge” instead of going downtown. Most of these pioneers came from western towns. They found that the Union River opened up vast riches of virgin timber.
Ellsworth saw its greatest activity between 1820 and 1880. Ellsworth early became and remained the lumber capital of eastern Maine. It lay on both sides of the Union River, which was navigable for good sized schooners. At one time Ellsworth ranked as the second largest lumber shipping port in the world.
The peak year for lumber production was 1853, when over 35,000,000 feet of lumber as well as 250,000 box shooks were produced. It is no surprise that ship building rivaled the lumber industry during the same time period. In 1853 there were 159 vessels owned in the town. At times as many as 60 could be seen lying four abreast taking on cargo at the eighteen wharves that fringed the river banks.
In the maritime world a downeaster (a ship) conveyed a picture of excellence of a full rigged wooden ship or bark with her canvas spread in the wind, designed and built on the coast of Maine and more often than not, commanded by a Maine captain.