Charlotte Pound facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charlotte Pound
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Charlotte Rd., 0.25 mi E of jct. with ME 214, Charlotte, Maine |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1872 |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001442 |
| Added to NRHP | December 21, 2005 |
The Charlotte Pound is a special old building in Charlotte, Maine. It was built in 1872. This unique structure is made of logs and sits on a strong stone base. It's the only wooden animal pound known to exist in the entire state of Maine! Because it's so rare and important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
What is an Animal Pound?
Have you ever wondered what an "animal pound" is? Long ago, before cars and big fences, farm animals like cows, horses, and sheep sometimes wandered away. An animal pound was a safe place where these lost animals could be kept. It was like a temporary home until their owners could find them and take them back. Towns would often have a "pound keeper" whose job was to look after the animals.
Building the Charlotte Pound
The Charlotte Pound is located on the north side of Charlotte Road. It's shaped like an octagon, which means it has eight sides. Each side is about 18 feet (5.5 meters) long. The building rests on a foundation made of small, rounded stones, like a cobblestone path.
The walls are built from stacked cedar logs. The ends of the logs stick out about 1 foot (0.3 meters) at each corner. The logs are joined together using a special technique called "half-round notches." This helps them fit snugly. Metal rods also go through each joint to make the structure even stronger.
Most of the sides are seven logs high. But the side facing south-southeast is a bit taller, with eight logs. This taller side is where the entrance is. Six logs in the middle of this side are attached to strong vertical posts. A wooden gate fits into this opening. The logs above and below the gate run continuously, making the entrance very sturdy.
A Special Piece of History
The town of Charlotte was officially created in 1825. But even before that, in 1822, people in the area were already paying to keep a pound on a local farmer's land. In 1826, the town decided to build a proper wooden pound. The Charlotte Pound we see today was authorized in 1872. It's not in the same spot as the earlier pounds.
The job of "pound keeper" was important in Charlotte for many years. It continued until the 1920s. After that, the building was no longer used and started to fall apart. But in 1988, people became interested in saving this historic structure. It went through a big restoration project. About 40% of its logs were replaced to make it strong again.
The Charlotte Pound is truly unique. It's the only wooden animal pound known to exist in Maine. Other old pounds in the state are all made of stone. This makes the Charlotte Pound a very special reminder of how communities cared for their animals long ago.
