Pownal Cattle Pound facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pownal Cattle Pound
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Hallowell Rd., Bradbury Mountain State Park, 0.7 mi. N of jct with Dyer Rd., Pownal, Maine |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1818 |
| Built by | Tyler, John |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000745 |
| Added to NRHP | July 28, 2004 |
The Pownal Cattle Pound is an old stone structure in Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal, Maine. It was built in 1818 to hold stray farm animals. This cattle pound is special because not many of these old structures are left today. In 2004, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site worth protecting.
What is a Cattle Pound?
A cattle pound was like a special pen or enclosure. Communities in New England used them a long time ago. If a farmer's cows, sheep, or other animals wandered off, they would be put in the pound. The owner could then come and get their animals back. It was a way to keep stray animals from causing trouble.
The Pownal Cattle Pound's Design
The Pownal Cattle Pound is a rectangular building made of stone. It's located inside Bradbury Mountain State Park. The stones were carefully stacked without using mortar, which is called "dry-laid fieldstone."
- The walls are about 4.5 to 5.5 feet (1.4 to 1.7 meters) tall now.
- They were probably 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall when first built.
- Some stones were used for local road projects in the 1950s.
- The walls were 4 feet (1.2 meters) thick at the bottom.
- They got thinner at the top, about 18 inches (0.46 meters) thick.
- The top of the walls likely had wooden beams.
There is an opening in one corner of the pound. This opening was once covered by a large granite stone. This stone now lies on the ground inside. An iron gate would have closed off the entrance.
History of the Pound
The town of Pownal was officially formed in 1808. In 1817, the town decided to build this cattle pound. They hired a man named John Tyler to build it for $50. He finished building it in 1818.
The land where the pound stands belonged to the Cotton family. They owned Bradbury Mountain and the land around it. Their house was nearby until it burned down in 1929. Thomas Cotton became the town's first poundkeeper. He was in charge of the pound and the animals kept there.
The Pownal Cattle Pound was used until 1891. By then, new inventions like barbed wire fences made it easier to keep animals on farms. Also, fewer people were farming. So, cattle pounds were no longer needed. In 2004, when it was listed as a historic place, only about 20 such pounds were left in Maine.
