Damariscotta Shell Midden Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Damariscotta Shell Midden Historic District
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View of the Glidden Shell Midden
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| Nearest city | Damariscotta, Maine |
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| Area | 309 acres (125 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001238 |
| Added to NRHP | October 8, 1998 |
The Damariscotta Shell Midden Historic District is a special area along the Damariscotta River in Lincoln County, Maine. It protects many large piles of ancient shells called shell middens. These shell piles were left behind by Native Americans who lived here long ago.
This district includes eleven shell middens. Two of the most famous are the Whaleback Shell Midden and the Glidden Midden. The Glidden Midden is the biggest shell midden in the northeastern United States. This area has the most shell midden sites that are protected for conservation in the eastern United States. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. This means it is officially recognized as an important historical place.
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What Are Shell Middens?
Shell middens are like ancient trash piles. They are made mostly of oyster shells, but also contain tools, animal bones, and pottery. These piles show us where ancient people lived and what they ate. They are very important for understanding history.
Exploring the Damariscotta River's History
The Damariscotta River is a tidal river, meaning its water level changes with the ocean tides. It flows south through central Lincoln County, Maine. The towns of Newcastle, Nobleboro, and Damariscotta are along its upper parts.
European settlers first arrived here around 1640. For a long time, the river banks were mostly undeveloped. In the 1800s, much of the land was cleared for farming. Today, many areas above the towns of Damariscotta and Edgecomb have grown back into forests.
Famous Shell Mounds: Whaleback and Glidden
Many of the shell middens along this river are now protected by the state or by conservation groups. Two of these are very well-known. The Whaleback Shell Midden was once the largest shell midden on the East Coast. However, in the late 1800s, it was dug up by companies to make lime. Lime is a material used in building and farming.
Scientists called archaeologists watched this digging. They collected samples, artifacts, and drew pictures of the midden's layers. This helped them learn about the past. The Whaleback Midden was studied again by the state in 1996.
Across the river from Whaleback is the Glidden Midden. This midden is now the largest one. It was saved from being dug up because its owner did not allow companies to remove the shells.
What We Learn from the Middens
One important site is called Maine Survey Site 26.15. It has shell deposits that are more than 3 feet (1 meter) deep. Archaeologists have found many interesting things here. They discovered stone tools, pieces of bone, pottery, and rocks that were cracked by fire. These finds show us how people lived and what they did long ago. Most of this midden is made of oyster shells. This tells us that people gathered oysters, especially in the winter and spring.
Protecting These Ancient Sites
The other eight middens in the district are also very old. They date back to a time called Maine's Middle Ceramic Period, when people made pottery. Some of these middens are slowly being worn away by the river. Others have been damaged by farming over the years.
The historic district also includes one non-midden site, Maine Survey 26.47. This site has an ancient burial mound where human remains and stone tools were found. All these important sites are owned by the state or by the Damariscotta River Association. They work to protect these historical treasures for future generations.
