Proprietor's Wharf


In 1771, Col. Thomas Cutts, Daniel Cleaves, Jonathan Tucker, and other prominent citizens of Saco invested $1200 to build Proprietor's Wharf on the Saco side of the river.



This wharf allowed the readily available supply of lumber from sawmills, and nails from Cutts' factory, to help establish shipbuilding as an early staple of Saco's industry.


Image courtesy of the McArthur Library, Biddeford, ME.
Explore more historical photos of the mills, boats, and life along the Saco River.Explore more historical photos of the mills, boats, and life along the Saco River.


As the textile mills built up, Proprietor's Wharf was an important shipping and receiving dock for imports and exports — filling the shops of Saco's Main Street.