Bath, city (2020 pop. 8,766), seat of
Sagadahoc co., SW Maine, on the west bank of the Kennebec River near its
mouth on the Atlantic; settled c.1670, inc. as a city 1847. It is a port of
entry with a good harbor. Once a great shipbuilding center, it still has
active shipyards and marine manufactures, but summer tourism is becoming
increasingly important. Champlain and
others visited or passed near this site when exploring the Kennebec River,
and at nearby Popham Beach a short-lived colony was established (1607) by
George Popham.
Shipbuilding began early; many clipper ships were constructed in the 19th
cent., and the Bath Iron Works began producing steel warships and commercial
vessels in the 1880s. The city flourished, particularly during World Wars I
and II, when a large number of destroyers were built. There is a marine
museum and many old mansions in Bath.
See M. Sanders, The Yard (1999).
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