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…

Westfield

Westfield village lies between U.S. Routes 1 and 1A, on the Prestile Stream, just north of Mars Hill in Aroostook County’s potato country. See photos. Aside from its palette and box factory, Westfield is primarily an agricultural area, except for the marshland in the western portion of the town.

Sebec

Several small ponds dot the landscape, including the 28-acre Garland Pond. Located between Dover-Foxcroft to the west and Milo to the east, the town is connected to both by Maine combined Route 6 and 16, and by the Piscataquis River.

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…

Blaine

Blaine Village on U.S. Route 1 (2016)

named for Maine politician James G. Blaine, it is a “half-township” town, forming a rectangle only half the size of the typical 6-mile by 6-mile square township. In the heart of potato country, between Bridgewater and Mars Hill on Route 1, the town’s eastern boundary is shared with Canada.

Freedom

Farm with pond, barns, and silos on Route 137 in Freedom (2001)

in Waldo County, settled in 1794 by Revolutionary War soldier Stephen Smith, was incorporated in 1813.The three acre Freedom Park, near the center of town, occupies the original grounds of Freedom Academy. Sandy Pond, also known as Freedom Pond, has a boat launch for easy access. Freedom village is at its northeast tip.

Dyer Brook

Southern Aroostook Community School (2014) @

Dyer Brook, incorporated in 1891, so named for the stream that flows through it and into the Mattawamkeag River, is in the heart of potato country. See photos. This sparsely populated rural town has no paved roads, other than U.S. Route 2. An extensive bog occupies the middle of the township.

Concord

Lily Pond in Concord on the Kennebec River Road (2014)

is now an unorganized township in Somerset County after having been a town for over 100 years. Incorporated on January 25, 1821 from Plantation Number One, R1, BKP., WKR., it surrendered its organized status on July 6, 1935, and thus became deorganized. The Great Depression of the 1930’s forced many marginal towns, unable to raise…

Caswell

in Aroostook County, organized in 1879, includes a major portion of the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge. It also hosts a tract of Maine’s Public Reserved Land just north of Mud Lake. Closing of Loring Air Force Base has sharply reduced its population.

Castle Hill

Irrigation Equipment in a Potato Field in Castle Hill (2014)

in Aroostook County, incorporated in 1903. The 1,341 foot high Haystack Mountain is the only exception to the relatively flat, potato growing area. Castle Hill is on Maine Route 227, ten miles west of Presque Isle. It shares a town manager with Mapleton and Chapman.

Burlington

Panoramic view of Saponac Pond, fields and mountains in Burlington Village (2014)

in Penobscot County, incorporated in 1832. The township was first settled in 1824, probably by Tristam Hurd who donated the name “Hurd Ridge” to the area. Saponac Lake, in the south, is from the Indian word for “the big opening.” Lumbering and agriculture have been the main occupations, with little manufacturing.

Bridgewater

Potato Field in Bridgewater near U.S. Route 1 (2016)

In this Aroostook County town, farming has been the major economic force since the nineteenth century. It is home to Wood Prairie Farm, an organic seed and food products source with catalog and online listings. Located on U.S. Route 1, just south of Mars Hill, it is bounded on the east by Canada and hosts a U.S. Customs station. See photos.

Agriculture

As Maine communities began to lose some of their frontier aspects in the early 19th century and assumed a more settled appearance, civic improvements were initiated. Among these was the regulation of livestock which, in contrast to earlier times, were becoming numerous. Swine, although useful for consuming garbage, in themselves provided a health hazard. No…