Bowdoinham

settled originally as early as 1623, but Indian raids precluded a permanent presence. Reportedly named for Dr. Peter Bowdoin, an early proprietor, it occupies the western shore of Merrymeeting Bay. The Cathance River runs through it and into the Bay. A fast growing community, Bowdoinham has attracted commuters and retirees to its still rural open spaces. See photos.

Lewiston Historic Register

Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston (2001)

National Register of Historic Places – Listings – Lewiston Photos by James Henderson, and edited text are from nominations to the National Register of Historic Places researched by Maine. Historic Preservation Commission. Full text and National Register photos are at https://npgallery.nps.gov/nrhp Androscoggin Mill Block [269-271 Park Street] Due primarily to demands for an increasing labor…

Cemeteries

As in many states with early European settlements, Maine has a wide variety of cemeteries. They differ in size, design, ownership, religious association, documentation, and physical condition. The Encyclopedia does not intend to document all cemeteries, but to note the variety and context of these sites in Maine. (Enter cemeteries in the Search box upper…

Harpswell, North

Otter Brook Preserve Trails in North Harpswell (2018)

In Harpswell, this is the northern most village on Harpswell Neck, the others being West and South Harpswell. It centers on the intersection of Route 123 from Brunswick and the Mountain Road, which links North Harpswell to the islands via the Ewing Narrows Bridge. Near the intersection: the Merriconeag Grange, the Vegetable Corner grocery, a…

Mayfield Township

Incorporated as a town in 1892, it deorganized in 1937. This township is just north of Brighton Plantation, with Mayfield Corner being the intersection of Routes 16 and 151 and the site of a village in the 19th century. It has private frontage on Otter Pond, Mayfield Pond and Kingsbury Pond. According to a report…

Harpswell Center

Widgeon Cove Trail in Harpswell Center (2014)

During Harpswell’s early settlement and before a bridge connected it to the rest of the town, Harpswell Neck was the site of several small villages.  Harpswell Center hosted a church, the 1759 meetinghouse (later the town office), a 200-year plus old cemetery, and a 1793 cattle pound. The cemetery is  the site of “The Witch…

Shakers

Shakers Cemetery Monument (2003)

by Leonard Brooks, Director, Shaker Museum and Shaker Library September 2, 2012 The story of the Shakers begins in the Manchester area of England in the 1740s. One of the early leaders of the Shaker church was Ann Lees or Mother Ann as she became called. Mother Ann was the Shaker leader who brought the…

Benedicta Township

Plunkett Pond, locally known as Perry Pond, in Benedicta (2015)

Benedicta is located in southern Aroostook County. It was established as a plantation on February 1, 1873 with a population of about 400. Just over one-hundred years later, in 1987, it surrendered its plantation status and became an unorganized township administered by the State.     By 1970 it had reached a historic low of…

Wayne

has been characterized as “composed primarily of residences, small farms, seasonal and vacation homes, and limited retail and commercial development.” See photos. The main village lies between Pocasset Lake and Androscoggin Lake on Maine Route 133. Other substantial ponds add to the town’s recreational attractions.

Waltham

Maine Route 179 parallels the east side of Graham Lake. The frontage on this nine-mile lake, which also touches Ellsworth, Mariaville, and Fletchers Landing, has encouraged some developers to consider creating subdivisions near its shores. Route 200, also known as Cave Hill Road, connects the community to Eastbrook.

Troy

Classic Barn in Troy (2006)

Maine Route 220 joins U.S. Route 202/Maine Route 9 at Green’s Corner near the shore of Unity Pond. Carleton Pond, Bog, and Stream are accessible from Route 220 in the north end of town. The 1840 Troy Union Meeting House is a classic example of a type of meeting house or church in Maine in the four decades prior to the Civil War.

Togus

National Home for Disabled Soldiers (Eastern Branch) c. 1880

                                                                    The National Home for Disabled Soldiers (Eastern Branch) Togus c. 1880 The Togus Veterans Administration Medical and Regional Office Center, as…

Sweden

Webber Pond on the Webber Pond Road in Sweden (2014)

Year Population 1970 110 1980 163 1990 222 2000 324 2010 391 Geographic Data N. Latitude 44:07:24 W. Longitude 70:48:59 Maine House District 71 Maine Senate District 18 Congress District 2 Area sq. mi. (total) 29.7 Area sq. mi. (land) 28.8 Population/sq.mi. (land) 13.6 County: Oxford Total=land+water; Land=land only [SWEE-dehn] is a town in Oxford…

Starks

The New Vineyard Mountains from Route 43 (2003)

A farming town, Starks once boasted a canning factory to which farmers would bring corn, squash, pumpkins, and other produce each fall. See photos. The “corn shop,” as it was known, closed in 1964. The now abandoned Grange Hall was the site of many community dances and socials at least through the 1950’s. The winding Sandy River, the site of several ferry crossings, constitutes the town’s eastern boundary. A small chapel is located near an old cemetery on the River Road.

Southern Maine Community College

Sign for SMCC (2012)

located in South Portland, is one of several community colleges across the state.  It was formerly know as Southern Maine Technical College, but has expanded its offerings to include additional academic courses. The college has been in existence since the mid-twentieth century and had a student body of over 7,000 in 2012.  Its Mid-coast Campus…

Rumford

Deacon Hutchins House (1979)

Year Population 1970 9,363 1980 8,240 1990 7,078 2000 6,472 2010 5,841 Geographic Data N. Latitude 44:31:19 W. Longitude 70:35:50 Maine House District 115 Maine Senate District 18 Congress District 2 Area sq. mi. (total) 69.9 Area sq. mi. (land) 68.6 Population/sq.mi. (land) 85.2 County: Oxford   Total=land+water; Land=land only [RUM-frd] a town in Oxford…

Prentiss, Penobscot County

Entering Prentiss Township on Combined Routes 169/170 north of Springfield Village (2020)

This sparsely populated area is remote from even moderately sized towns. Maine Routes 169, 170, and 171 cut through the woods and bogs that characterize the area. Prentiss Village is at the junction of routes 169 and 171 in the south-central area of the township. The township’s population has been relatively stable in recent decades at around 200.