A matter of historical record: The Cumberland & Oxford Canal – an epilogue

Gerry Smith of Harrison (center in white hat) and crew
sail the maiden voyage of the MARYC on Long Lake in
August 2005. Built by Smith and others in conjunction
with the town's 2005 bicentennial, the vessel measures
6 x 32 feet, roughly a half-sized replica of a Cumberland
& Oxford Canal boat. COURTESY PHOTO 

By Walter Lunt

In the recently concluded multi-part series on the Cumberland & Oxford Canal, this column examined the need, construction and operation of the 20-mile, hand-dug waterway, extending from the basin of Sebago Lake to the Portland waterfront, and its impact on the citizens’ lives and the economy of the region. So, what is left to report? In the spirit of the late broadcast newsman, Paul Harvey, here is “the rest of the story.”

Fast forward from 1872, when the last cargo boat traversed the canal, to 2005 when Harrison resident Gerry Smith, a civil engineer during his working life, was working up a project for his retirement years. At the time, Smith was president of the Harrison Historical Society, and had an enduring fascination with the C. & O. Canal, which had its terminus in Harrison, located at the northern tip of Long Lake.

Years earlier, utilizing old photographs of decaying canal boat remains along the Long Lake shore, Smith had built a wooden table model of a canal boat. Now, in 2005 - Harrison’s bicentennial year - Smith entertained the idea of building a life-sized model.

Considering the availability of manpower, a limited time frame and the expense, construction of a full-scale vessel was dismissed in favor of a half-scale model. The original canal boats were built to accommodate the limitations of the dug canal and its lock systems, 60 feet long and 10 feet in width, so Smith’s replica would measure 30 X 5.

However, since the ultimate goal was to set sail on Long Lake, it was determined that a vessel only five feet in width would be “tippy,” and therefore dangerous to maneuver. The compromise was to extend the width to 6 feet.

The intent was to have a canal boat once again unfurl its sails and ply the waters of Long Lake after a 133- year absence. And, perhaps, pass through Songo Locks, one of 27 lock systems between Long Lake and Portland Harbor that lifted and lowered the cargo boats during the old “canal days” between 1830 to 1872.

At the Red Mill in Casco, Smith spotted a fresh shipment of spruce decking, “…the best I had ever seen.” After securing three truckloads, construction began in Smith’s garage in April, 2005.

First, the keel, made from the lamination of five 2 X 8s. Ribbing was attached at right angles, followed by the spruce decking. Toward the stern, a cabin was built – used in the early days by the crew for sleeping, meal preparation or to escape weather. Lastly, two masts with sails were constructed, designed to fold down for passage under the numerous bridges.

In a 2005 news article, Smith reflected, “I had a lot of help, lots of advice and a lot of people worried (about) this boat.” He said upwards of 40 people helped out with the project from basic construction, painting, sawing lumber to moving and hauling.

From conception to its maiden voyage, the project took 9 months to complete. On August 5, 2005, the HHS MARYC, with its historically accurate proportions of a Cumberland & Oxford Canal boat set sail on a six-mile cruise on Long Lake. According to Gerry Smith, “She sailed like a charm – as stable as the Queen Mary.”

In June of 2009, at the request of the Windham Historical Society, Smith brought his canal boat replica on a trailer to Windham to participate in the Windham Summerfest parade. The boat was displayed for several hours at the high school fairground and attracted many spectators who had a myriad of questions for Smith.

Today, the canal boat replica is on display at the Harrison Historical Society red barn museum on Haskell Hill Road in Harrison. It tells… the rest of the story. <