Animal Pound

In the late 1700’s, the town of Kittery decided town animal pounds were necessary due to the number of animals becoming “loose” and wandering due to no stone walls nor fences to keep them enclosed in their own areas.  Many townsmen were complaining of animals in their pastures, garden, etc., destroying property.

The word “pound” was derived from a long ago Saxon word, “pyndan”, which signified to shut up, or confine; and in former days, it was by the voice of authority, the open gate to receive and hold fast any stray beast of whichever name or disposition and irrespective of its owner.

One such “Pound” was built in the 2nd Parish, now Eliot, on Goodwin Road, also known as route #101.  It’s location is about ⅛ of a mile west of the old East Eliot Methodist Church on the Moses A. Frost property (1843).

History tells us that a William Scammon was the keeper of the pound prior to 1843.  In the year of 1990, when Edward Vetter was the president of the Eliot Historical Society, he enlisted Lindy Leavitt, a local carpenter, to build and install a newly hard wood gate which was badly needed.  Mr. Leavitt did this work and built the gate from oak wood from a tree grown in Eliot.

More recently the property surrounding the pound was owned by a Mrs. Clara “Grant” Shapleigh who willed the property to a Joseph Frost, her nephew that lives in Massachusetts.  Joseph Frost sold the home and property surrounding the pound to Jeff MacKenzie (1998).

The pound walls are built of stone and two granite posts support the hard wood gate.  The measurements of the pound are about 12 feet wide by 16 feet long with about 3 feet high walls.