Greetings!
 I m looking for some additional information regarding a site I am working  
on.  This project involves the Damariscotta Shell middens in Maine.  These  
are all prehistoric middens predominately composed of oyster shell.  One of  
the middens, known as the  Whaleback  measured over 300  along the  
(Damariscotta) River, 125  inland, and over 15  deep.  In 1886 a company, the  
 Damariscotta Shell and Fertilizer Co.  began mining the shell for hen feed,  
fertilizer, and road fill.  Three structures were built on site, a mill,  
dryer, and fertilizer house.  There is still a large mound of ground shell at  
the site, but the records I have found so far suggest the shells were shipped  
out in barrels to Boston where they were ground for hen feed.  (Perhaps the  
on-site grinding came a little later.)  The mining operation ended in 1891  
when the buildings burned and no attempt was made to revive the already  
faltering company.  A local man hired by the Harvard Peabody Museum kept a  
journal of activities and shipped all recovered artifacts down to the museum  
in Cambridge.
 My questions concern the industry of hen feed and lime production.  Is there  
more information available regarding the hen feed portion of the operation as  
conducted during the late 19th century?  I m familiar with lime kilns, but  
not with obtaining lime from shell middens.  Has anyone encountered this?   
Does anyone have any information on other attempts to mine shell middens for  
any purposes during this period?
 
Thank you all for your time and any information available.
 
Lee Cranmer
Maine Historic Preservation Commission
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