1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Rockland (Maine)

ROCKLAND, a city and the county-seat of Knox county, Maine, U.S.A., on Rockland Harbor, Penobscot Bay, 86 m. by rail E.N.E. of Portland. Pop. (1900) 8150; (1910) 8174. It is the eastern terminus of a branch of the Maine Central railway, and is served by an interurban electric line and by steamboat lines to Portland, Boston, Bangor, Bar Harbor and other coast ports. The harbour is protected by a breakwater nearly 5000 ft. long. The principal buildings are the United States Government Building and the County Court House. Granite and limestone are quarried in the vicinity. The granite (biotite, biotite-Muscovite and quartz-monzonite) is of fine quality, and has been used extensively in the United States for building and monumental purposes; and the burning of lime is by far the most important industry of the city. The shipbuilding industry is also important. The total value of the city's factory products in 1905 was $1,822,591 (46.5% more than in 1900). Lobsters and fish in considerable quantities are shipped from the city. Rockland was settled in 1769, but its growth began only with the establishment of the lime industry in 1795. It was a part of the township of Thomaston (pop. 2205 in 1910), from 1777 to 1848, when it was incorporated as a separate township under the name of East Thomaston. Two years later the present name was adopted, and in 1854 Rockland was chartered as a city.