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The Pejepscot Paper Mill, located on Great Island on the Androscoggin River in Topsham, Maine, is one of the oldest surviving paper mill buildings in the state and a notable example of 19th‑century industrial architecture. The mill was constructed in 1868 as the Topsham Paper Company, at a site long valued for its waterpower at Brunswick Falls. Its robust brick and granite structure—three stories tall with a gambrel roof and central tower—reflects the Italianate industrial style of the period.¹

Early Ownership and Expansion

The Topsham Paper Company began operations with backing from local entrepreneurs and initially operated paper manufacturing machinery sourced from established suppliers. By 1874, financial difficulties led to its sale at auction to W. H. & A. W. Parsons, and in 1875 the enterprise was reorganized as the Bowdoin Paper Manufacturing Company. Under Bowdoin, the mill’s machinery inventory included a Fourdrinier machine, several roll engines, rotary equipment, and tub bleachers typical of pulp and paper production technology of the era.¹

In 1887, the facility was acquired and reorganized as the Pejepscot Paper Company. The new owners doubled the equipment, adding another Fourdrinier machine and expanding finishing and bleaching capacity. At this stage, the mill produced multiple tons of paper daily, supported by an on‑site machine shop for maintenance and fabrication of parts.¹

Industrial Operations and Machinery

The core of Pejepscot’s manufacturing process centered on converting wood pulp into paper, a relatively new industry in Maine when the mill was built. The mill’s production equipment included Fourdrinier machines, which formed continuous sheets of paper from pulp slurry, supplemented by roll engines to press water from the sheet, rotary screens and bleachers to clean and whiten the pulp, and finishing equipment to dry, calender (smooth), and cut the paper to size.⁴ This system reflects the integrated forming, pressing, and finishing stages typical of 19th‑century industrial papermaking.

Operations relied on a combination of hydropower from the Androscoggin River and steam engines, which together powered the mill’s extensive machinery. This dual power system ensured continuous production, even during low river flows or seasonal water shortages.¹

Workforce and Working Conditions

At its height, the Pejepscot mill employed dozens of workers, including men, women, and local immigrants. Paper mill work was physically demanding and noisy, with long hours in conditions made dusty by pulp fibers and chemical residues. Employees included machine tenders, pulp grinders, press operators, finishers, and general laborers, handling both raw wood and finished paper. Wages were modest, and employment was often tied to the cycles of production demand.¹

20th Century and Later Uses

The Pejepscot Paper Company continued operations into the mid‑20th century, adapting its product lines and machinery as markets changed. By the 1970s and 1980s, broader shifts in the paper industry—such as consolidation, automation, and competition from larger mills—led to declines in local production. The Pejepscot mill ceased regular manufacturing operations by 1985, with only a small finishing facility remaining in use by a handful of employees before closure.¹

From 1985 to 1986, the Hearst Company briefly used the building for paper storage, but it was largely vacant until 1998, when the Fore River Company of Portland, Maine, purchased and rehabilitated the historic structure. Restoration work preserved much of the original mill flooring, ceiling beams, and industrial character, and the building was repurposed for mixed commercial use, including the Sea Dog Brewing Company with a patio overlooking the Androscoggin.¹

Historic Significance

On September 17, 1974, the Pejepscot Paper Company mill building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its importance in Maine’s industrial history and as a distinguished example of Italianate industrial architecture. The designation acknowledges its role as one of the earliest and longest-operating wood pulp paper mills in the state, contributing to the region’s economic and technological development during the 19th and 20th centuries.¹

Footnotes

1. National Register of Historic Places nomination form for the Pejepscot Paper Company mill, Sagadahoc County, Maine, 1974.

2. Candace Kanes, Powering Pejepscot Paper Co., Maine Historical Society content on hydro‑ and steam‑power systems used at the mill.

3. Topsham municipal history and immigration context related to labor in the Topsham and Brunswick mills.

4. “Fourdrinier Machine,” Encyclopædia Britannica, accessed January 31, 2026

Bibliography

• National Register of Historic Places. Pejepscot Paper Company, Sagadahoc County, Maine. Nomination Form, 1974.

• Kanes, Candace. Powering Pejepscot Paper Co. Maine Historical Society.

• Topsham Historical Society. Topsham History: Industry and Immigration.

• Encyclopædia Britannica. “Fourdrinier Machine.” Accessed January 31, 2026.