ROCKLAND — Tabled from its March 11 meeting, the Rockland City Council will decide what is to happen to two Civil War Howitzers currently residing in the city’s impound lot behind City Hall.

Though owned by the city, the Rockland Historical Society is seeking to help direct their restoration in order to preserve funds for future projects. The city currently has $19,000 available for restoration projects.

The Rockland City Council meets April 1 at 6:30 p.m. to set its agenda for the April 8 meeting. Agenda items for that meeting include discussion about the cannons, as well as various ordinance proposals and amendments, such as zoning changes and reviewing the first reading of an ordinance governing municipal use of pesticides and herbicides.

The April 8 agenda items and supporting documents are available here. 

The howitzers were originally placed on the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) property. They occupied the site on Union Street and later moved to Limerock Street where the Shore Village Museum would also operate. The money was part of sale of the former GAR/Shore Museum house that occupied that site.

History: The cannons (of which there were three) were donated to the GAR in 1897 by the Civil War veterans. The GAR collection of Civil War artifacts was given to the city in 1977 along with the house, which the city sold in 2005. Of the amount the city garnered from the sale, $19,500 went into a fund for preservation projects for the Civil War collection.

A similar amount from the sale went to the Lighthouse Museum and another to move the flagpole from the property to its current location at Park and Main streets. Two concrete pads were also installed at that location for the cannons to rest on.

A third cannon was placed at North Maine and Maine streets. The two remaining cannons have sat in the city’s impound lot since the sale remaining in limbo.

Ann Morris, curator for the Rockland Historical Society, addressed the Rockland City Council at its March 11 meeting, urging councilors to reconsider the bid received from a professional restorer of $18,500 and to allow the community to restore the howitzers using local resources.

“I called the Gettysburg National Park,” said Morris.  She asked what the federal government doe to restore cannons. "This whole community is full of boys who love their toys, but best of all they love their cannons,” she said.

If and when the howitzers are restored they are to be placed at Park and Main with the flagpole. There are already two concrete bases there for their placement.

“I need to question using all the available funds for the cannons,” said Morris. “Other than to save the funds for other restoration projects in the museum, I think there are a number of corporations here in Rockland that would love to get involved in this project. I spoke to O’Hara’s and Rockport Steel, who both expressed an interest.”

She said the Rockland Historical Society, which resides in the Rockland Public Library, has restoration projects that could use some of the available funds.

“We have a quilt from the mother of Brigadier General Davis Tillson that was made from Union and Confederate flags and uniforms,” said Morris. “When I was inspecting it I noticed a moth hole in it. The quilt is valuable and though it might not need repair, I could use some expert advice on it.”

Tillson was originally from Rockland. In 1870, after his retirement from the military, he established a granite quarry on Hurricane Island in Penobscot Bay. Granite from Tillson's quarry is one of the major components of the Washington Monument. Tillson died in April 1895, in Rockland.

Morris said there is also a set of books from J.P. Cilley, who was the Adjutant General for the Bugle, a Civil War journal. She explained that the leather binding on the books was broken and falling apart.

“The books could be expensive to repair,” said Larry Goldman, treasurer of the historical society. I do think the city manager has done a fantastic job to get these cannons done in time for the celebration and with the company he chose to do the restoration.” 

No one disagrees that the society’s collection of Civil War artifacts is one of the finest in the state. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg.

Rockland City Manager James Smith said that once the cannons are restored they will be placed in Chapman Park.

“The council wanted to explore all the options and that was just one,” said Smith. “Ann has communicated that it might be possible to do it a different way. I’m sure the council will look and see what local proposals are. I think the issue speaks for itself.”

Chris Wolf can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.