Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

HALLOWELLCannon restored, movingto original location

BY MECHELE COOPER Staff Writer

HALLOWELL -- Hallowell's historic cannon will sit in Albert Hague's basement a couple more weeks until a group of friends can complete its restoration with a new coat of paint.

Before they move it back to its original location on High Street next to the what is known as the Old Powder House, the group will landscape the site. The property is owned by the Daughters of the Revolution (DAR) and overlooks the Kennebec River. The Powder House was built in 1812 by a militia group.

"A bunch of us, including Jerry Mahoney and Harmon Harvey, are going to paint the cannon gray and black," Hague said. "Then we'll try to fix up the lot. We'll put down some crushed stone and pretty it up a bit."

Hague said the status of who owns the cannon is not clear, but Row House, Inc., a historical preservation organization, wanted to see it restored.

Parts of the cannon had been lying on the ground and some pieces taken to the Hallowell Public Works garage.

He said the cannon was purchased in 1839 by four businessmen from Hallowell and brought back to the city. In the early years, it was used on many occasions and ultimately ended up at the top of the hill on High Street, a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"Nobody wanted to fund the restoration costs, so Row House, Inc. stepped up to the plate and funded it, hoping to get some donations," said Hague, a member of Row House. "They got a price and voted to fund it. They're the organization that made this possible."

Row House paid $5,000 to restore the artifact known as the Beeman cannon.

He said Rob Saucier of Custom Carriage Works in South Gardiner did much of the work. Saucier rebuilt the carriage that holds the cannon and the wheels. A lot of the iron work was done by Wallace Brown of South Gardiner, Hague said.

"(Saucier) took the cannon in January and has been working on it for three months," Hague said. "We took delivery of it on Friday. Everything is brand new. The spokes on the wheels were done in Amish country in Pennsylvania. They did the spokes and the wooden frame that goes around the wheels. It all came in pieces then Rob put it together and built the carriage out of white oak and the wheels out of ash. He did a marvelous job."

Saucier said it is very important to keep alive the old ways and histories of Maine towns so they are not forgotten. "Because once it's lost, it's lost," he said.

Harmon Harvey, who will help with the paint job, said the cannon is part of the fabric of the community and has been missed.

He said the refurbished cannon will complement the restoration done to the Powder House a few years ago.

"I think everybody in the community is going to be very pleased to have it back," Harmon said. "It should last for many years. The restoration is probably as authentically done as anything we've done in the community in a great number of years."

Hague said the cannon came off an English ship named Boxer. It was forged in England and has King George's symbol on it. He said Boxer came upon an American ship called Enterprise as it neared the coast of Maine. There was a battle and Boxer lost.

He said the ship was towed into Portland Harbor, where the contents were sold and divided up among Enterprise's crew.

"The cannons were removed and this fellow by the name of Capt. John Beeman bore a share of the cost of securing the cannon known as the Beeman gun," he said.

Hague said the cannon was forged in the early 1800s.

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com