Knox Lincoln Farmers and K & L Feed Mill, Inc.: Agricultural Industry in Rockland, Maine

The history of Knox Lincoln Farmers and K & L Feed Mill, Inc. represents an important but lesser-known chapter in the economic development of Rockland, Maine. While Rockland’s industrial identity has traditionally been associated with maritime commerce, lime production, manufacturing, and the waterfront, agricultural businesses also played an important role in supporting the surrounding communities of Knox and Lincoln Counties. The development of the Atlantic Street feed mill illustrates the continued importance of regional agricultural services during the second half of the twentieth century.

During this period, farming in Midcoast Maine depended increasingly on commercial suppliers capable of providing prepared feeds, grain products, and other agricultural materials. Local feed mills served as essential links between farmers and larger agricultural markets by receiving bulk commodities, storing ingredients, processing feed, and distributing products to farms throughout the region.

Knox Lincoln Farmers was associated with this agricultural supply network. The organization’s name reflected the geographic area it served: the farming communities of Knox and Lincoln Counties. Businesses of this type supported local agricultural producers by providing access to products necessary for livestock and poultry operations. Their importance extended beyond the sale of materials, as agricultural suppliers often developed long-term relationships with farmers and became sources of practical knowledge regarding feed selection and animal nutrition.

The Rockland facility associated with Knox Lincoln Farmers and K & L Feed Mill, Inc. was located at the corner of Atlantic Street and Mechanic Street. The property developed into a specialized agricultural processing site during the 1960s. A concrete mill building was constructed in 1965, followed by a concrete silo in 1966. Additional structures, including a boiler room, metal soybean silo, and office building, were added between 1966 and 1972. These improvements indicate a facility designed for the storage, handling, and processing of agricultural materials.¹

The physical layout of the facility suggests that the operation handled bulk agricultural commodities used in the production of animal feed. The presence of a soybean silo is particularly significant because soybean meal was a common protein ingredient in livestock and poultry rations during the twentieth century. Feed mills combined grain products, protein sources, minerals, and nutritional supplements to produce balanced feeds suitable for different types of farm animals.

The operation served the agricultural communities surrounding Rockland. Dairy farmers, poultry producers, and livestock operators depended on reliable sources of prepared feed, especially as farming became more specialized after World War II. Regional feed mills allowed farmers to obtain professionally prepared products while reducing the need for individual farms to process their own feed supplies.

The location of the mill also reflected Rockland’s role as a regional service center. Although the city was best known for industries connected with the sea and waterfront commerce, it also supported the economic activities of the surrounding countryside. Agricultural businesses such as Knox Lincoln Farmers connected rural producers with the commercial infrastructure of the city.

The relationship between Knox Lincoln Farmers and K & L Feed Mill, Inc. remains an important area for future research. Existing documentation identifies both names in connection with the Atlantic Street property, but available records do not establish the precise organizational relationship between the two. The available evidence does demonstrate that together they represented an agricultural operation focused on feed production, storage, and distribution.²

The Atlantic Street facility operated until approximately 1983. Its closure reflected broader changes affecting regional agricultural businesses, including changes in farming practices, consolidation within agriculture, and shifts in industrial land use. Like many small regional suppliers, the operation represented a specific period when locally based businesses played an important role in supporting area farms.

The history of Knox Lincoln Farmers and K & L Feed Mill, Inc. adds another dimension to the story of Rockland’s economic development. The company demonstrates that Rockland’s economy was not shaped solely by maritime and manufacturing industries but also by businesses that supported the agricultural communities surrounding the city. The feed mill served as an important connection between rural producers and regional commerce, illustrating the continuing relationship between Rockland and the broader Midcoast Maine economy.

Notes

1. Campbell Environmental Group, Inc., Phase I Environmental Site Assessment: Passamaquoddy-Dragon Property, 64 Atlantic Street, Rockland, Maine, prepared for the Passamaquoddy Tribal Government, April 30, 2012.

2. Campbell Environmental Group, Inc., Phase I Environmental Site Assessment: Passamaquoddy-Dragon Property, 64 Atlantic Street, Rockland, Maine, prepared for the Passamaquoddy Tribal Government, April 30, 2012.

Bibliography

Campbell Environmental Group, Inc. Phase I Environmental Site Assessment: Passamaquoddy-Dragon Property, 64 Atlantic Street, Rockland, Maine. Prepared for the Passamaquoddy Tribal Government. April 30, 2012.

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Agricultural publications and historical resources relating to Maine farming and agricultural development.

Rockland Historical Society. Local historical collections relating to Rockland industries, businesses, and commercial development.

Rockland Courier-Gazette. Historical newspaper archives, Rockland, Maine.