Captain James A. Creighton retired from the sea and returned to Thomaston to build ships in a shipyard to the east of the foot of Knox Street. He later purchased the store and lime kilns from Captain Edward Robinson. These kilns stood at the foot of Knox Street.

The lime industry was one of Thomaston's first industries, the first lime quarry being opened on the former prison site in 1734. Dragon Cement continues to blast in local quarries on Route One, east of Thomaston Village, and is the only cement-producing plan in New England.