PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The oldest pier on the Portland waterfront is for sale.
Built in 1793, Union Wharf dates to the golden era of sail when it hosted clipper ships and other sailing vessels from around the world.
The family that owns the property said it’ll continue to be a working waterfront. The wharf’s 4.3 acres on Commercial Street are primarily devoted to waterfront businesses, including fishermen, seafood and bait dealers and an oil spill response company.
“The wharf is and will continue to be an important part of the marine industry in Portland and the current owners, city and community want to keep it that way,” Chris Craig, from The Dunham Group, which is handling the sale, told the Portland Press Herald. The deadline for bids is March 31.
The Poole family became associated with the wharf in 1858, according to a brochure from their broker. The family cited estate planning and the need to provide for future generations for the sale.
“We’re at a point in time where we need to acknowledge that, in order to be fair to all, this is something we have to do,” said Charlie Poole, who keeps a quill-and-ink copy of the 1793 charter.
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