History of Westbrook
Early Years
The date of the first European Settlers in the area known as Westbrook is unknown. The first deed was recorded in 1657, between Squitterygusset and Francis Small, a fisherman (5, 1948 City of Westbrook Municipal Report). The first house was built in Westbrook in 1699. Before the city received its name, there were two villages along the river and they were called Saccarappa and Ammoncongin.
The first permanent settler to locate in the area was Joseph Conant who is reported to have built a house, saw and grist mill at Saccarappa Falls in about 1739. The primary settlement was located on the Presumpscot River, which means "many rough places river".
Originally known as Saccarappa after Saccarappa Falls on the Presumpscot River, Westbrook was originally part of neighboring Falmouth. Westbrook became a town in 1814 and was named for Colonel Thomas Westbrook who came to Maine in 1727. Westbrook became a city in 1891.
Saccarappa Falls and Congin Falls provided water power for early mills within the city. In 1829, a sawmill was built which made the mill town famous for its lumber. Other industries followed, manufacturing grain bags, machinery, harnesses, boots, shoes and moccasins, tin ware, leather board, bricks, wooden boxes, box shook, meal and flour. The Portland Manufacturing Company built a cotton textile mill at Saccarappa Falls for making "sheetings, stripes and ducks." A paper mill was built at Cumberland Mills, once a Native American planting ground known as Ammoncongin. By 1859, it produced 1,000 tons of paper annually. In 1867, the factory's name would change to the S.D. Warren Paper Mill and would then change to Sappi in 1994.
The Oxford & Cumberland Canal opened in 1832, connecting Portland to Harrison by way of Westbrook and Sebago Lake. It was the primary commercial shipping route for goods until 1871, when it was rendered obsolete by the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad. Remnants of the canal can still be seen throughout the city including Beaver Pond and in the woods between Westbrook High School and Canal Elementary School.
City Seal
The City Seal was adopted by Mayor Leander Valentine and the City Council on June 8th, 1891. It was designed by Benjamin F. Harris. Benjamin received a note of personal thanks from both the Mayor and President of the City Council.
The seal of the city contains a ship as a symbol of the ship on which Colonel Westbrook sailed from New Hampshire to Maine. The seal shows the dates when Westbrook became a town and when it became a city. It also shows an armored boot which is said to have been copied from the Westbrook family crest in England.
