Westbrook Maine History & Facts

Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland. The population was 20,400 at the 2020 census, making it the fastest-growing city in Maine between 2010 and 2020. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

Originally known as Saccarappa after Saccarappa Falls on the Presumpscot River, it was a part of Falmouth until February 14, 1814, when it was set off and incorporated as Stroudwater. It soon changed its name to Westbrook after Colonel Thomas Westbrook, a commander during Father Rale's War and King's mast agent who was an early settler and mill operator. In 1871, the town of Westbrook amicably split into two municipalities; the current Westbrook and Deering, which was then annexed by Portland in 1898. In 1891, Westbrook was incorporated as a city.

Saccarappa Falls and Congin Falls provided water power for early mills within the city. In 1829, a sawmill was built at the former which made the mill town noted for its lumber. Other industries followed, manufacturing grain bags, machinery and water wheels, carriage and harness, boots, shoes and moccasins, tinware, 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 an Indian 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.

The Cumberland and Oxford 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, along Stroudwater Street near the Maine Turnpike overpass, and in the woods between Westbrook High School and Oxford-Cumberland Canal Elementary School. In 1885, the city opened Woodlawn Cemetery, the largest cemetery and newest burial grounds in the municipality.

Westbrook is located at 43°41′7″N 70°21′26″W (43.685348, −70.357116).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.33 square miles (44.88 km2), of which, 17.12 square miles (44.34 km2) is land and 0.21 square miles (0.54 km2) is water.

Famous Peoples From Westbrook Maine

John Sheldon Cumberland

(May 10, 1947 – April 5, 2022) was an American professional baseball pitcher and coach. A left-hander, Cumberland appeared in 110 games over all or parts of six Major League Baseball seasons between 1968 and 1974 as a member of the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and California Angels. He batted right-handed and was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg).

Born in Westbrook, Maine, Cumberland played one season of college baseball at the University of Maine in Orono. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an undrafted free agent before the 1966 minor-league season, which he spent with the Eugene Emeralds of the Class A Short Season Northwest League prior to his selection by the Yankees in the November draft.

The Yankees advanced Cumberland all the way to Triple-A for his next three pro campaigns. He posted a 26–20 won–lost record in 76 games between 1967 and 1969 for the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League. He also made his MLB debut as a Yankee, appearing in three games during the 1968 and 1969 campaigns. The 1970 season began with him on the New York roster. He appeared in 15 games through July 19, eight as a starter, before being traded on July 20 to the Giants for fellow southpaw Mike McCormick.

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