Rockport Lime Kilns and Railroad Tracks

The Visit: On January 26th I visited the Lime Kilns in Rockport, Maine. The site is now mainly used as a town boat launch and unfortunately the kilns have accumulated a bit of trash, but overall the area is well kept.
Historical Significance: By the early 1800's there were nearly 60 lime kilns along the midcoast of Maine and Rockport became the leading lime producer for the world. By the 1900's railroads were transporting 100,000 tons of limerock yearly from Rockport, making it an economic success. Soon into the 1900's though lime necessity declined as new materials came into the market. The kilns and railroads were abandoned and deteriorated to what is there today. For almost 100 years Rockport helped boost Maine's economy until, like many industries in Maine, it could no longer compete with new materials and industries.

Resources: Maine Coast Lime Industry: http://www.mainecoastguide.com/sidebars/lime.html,