Lexington

Michael Stream on the West Side of Long Falls Dam Road in Lexington (2013)

This township in Somerset County is on the Long Falls Dam Road leading to Flagstaff Lake in Dead River Township. There is virtually no village area. The small community and Highland Plantation to the north have joined forces to create a common fire department. Happy Horseshoe Campground, on the Dam Road, caters to camper-trailers, providing…

Cundys Harbor

A Summer Day at Holbrook

Cundys Harbor is a village within the town of Harpswell, in the area known as East Harpswell. It is located in the southeastern portion of this sprawling coastal town, on Sebascodegan Island. In 1985 the Maine Historic Preservation Commission described it thus: “Cundy’s Harbor is a small fishing village on a narrow peninsula of hilly…

Carrabassett Village

Rest Area off Route 27 in Carrabassett Valley near the Carrabassett River (2012)

Carrabasset village in the town of Carrabasset Valley is located along the river of the same name.  The village is east of Sugarloaf Mountain, about eight miles by road. It is served by Maine combined Routes 16/27 from Farmington (27) and Anson (16) and by a regional airport. Carrabasset Valley Academy is a private school,…

Stratton

Stratton is a village in the town of Eustis. It is the main village with a small commercial area and civic facilities, including the town office, fire department, library, and post office. The Oramendal Blanchard House, home to the local sawmill owner in the late 19th century, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Yarmouth

Yarmouth is a coastal town northeast of Portland on I-295 and U.S. Route 1. See photos. It is home to the Delorme Mapping Company and North Yarmouth Academy. Cousin’s Island is home to a large, oil fueled electric power plant known as Wyman Station. The Island has ferry terminal for Chebeague Island.

Woolwich

Woolwich Shore on the Kennebec River from Thorne Head in North Bath (2010)

Woolwich, across the Kennebec River from Bath and with long shores on Merrymeeting Bay, is home to two nature preserves. Settled in the 1600s, it has several historic buildings. Alewives have been a historic part of the community.

Windham

The main village, North Windham, lies adjacent to Sebago Lake and on the shore of Little Sebago Lake at the junction of U.S. Route 302 and Maine Routes 35 and 115. See photos. While Route 302 is a long commercial strip, an old meeting house is adjacent to the Windham Union Church. Young adult offenders are held at the Maine Correctional Center in South Windham.

Whitefield

Whitefield is west of Gardiner on Route 126 and north of Wiscasset on Route 218. See photos. The Sheepscot River flows through the town and is a popular canoe trip opportunity. As do many Maine towns with scattered villages, Whitefield has several volunteer fire departments: Coopers Mills, Kings Mills, and North Whitefield. St. Denis Catholic Church, west of North Whitefield on Maine Route 218, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

West Gardiner

Its community center is on the Spears Corner Road where the town office, fire department, town garage, elementary school, and convenience store all lie in close proximity. See photos. West Gardiner is the site of one of the Maine Turnpike Authority’s service plazas, home to the Center for Maine Craft, which features a retail gallery and cultural tourism information.

West Bath

West and mostly south of Bath, it is bounded by the New Meadows River on the west and has several deeply indented coves on its south end. See photos. Although the town’s rural tradition is still evident in its buildings and remaining farms, much of the community is influenced by its extensive coastline, which is well protected from open ocean storms. Between Bath and Brunswick on the “by pass” limited access highway, West Bath is easy to miss but has more to offer than meets the fleeting eye.

Wesley

Blueberry Barrens on Route 9 (2013)

Blueberry production is a major industry in this Washington County town. See photos. The Jasper Wyman company is the primary employer and owner of the blueberry barrens in the area. Fishing and camping is available at Seavey Lake, Little Seavey Lake and the western shore of Long Lake. Maine Routes 9 and 192 pass through this sparsely populated, heavily forested area.

Wells

Cottages along Wells Beach (2012)

in York County north of Ogunquit, Wells Main Street is a commercial strip, hosting some community facilities, including the Junior High and the Historical Society. See photos. Wells Beach is a destination for locals and tourists alike. In 2004 the town estimated its peak summer population at about 39,000, including seasonal homes, lodging houses, and recreational vehicle parks. That is four times the resident population.

Orland

Small pond with a fishway and an outlet to Toddy Pond, surrounded by U.S. Route 1, Toddy Dam Road, and Hatchery Road in East Orland (2010)

In addition to Alamoosook Lake, the town hosts Craig, Heart and Toddy ponds, and the State’s Craig Brook Fish Hatchery. See video and photos. Located just east of Bucksport, Orland is a growing community, whose old village center is located on the Orland River, where the old village school and the general store are located. H.O.M.E., a crafters’ cooperative was established by Sister Lucy Poulin in 1970.

Wales

Rolling Hills in Rural Wales (2002)

The early settlers arrived in about 1773, some of whom came from Wales in Britain. See photos.The gentle hills in the town reflect the landscape of the old country. With access to Sabattus Pond, the town is within easy reach of Lewiston-Auburn via Maine Route 132, and of Gardiner by way of Routes 9 and 126.

Veazie

Veazie Dam on the Penobscot River (2003)

At only 3.4 square miles in area, Veazie is one of the smallest municipalities in the state. U.S. Route 2 is also its Main Street. Created in 1853, it was named, and likely created, for General Samuel Veazie who owned the saw mills and most of the property in the new town. Mills and a power station took advantage of the Penobscot River here.

Union

Union (see photos) became the subject of Ben Ames Williams’ historical novel Come Spring, which chronicles the early settlement of the town through the lives of the Robbins family, whose home is now that of the Vose Library and the Union Historical Society. Most of the 591-acre Crawford Pond and the 523-acre Seven Tree Pond are shared with Warren to the south.

Port Clyde

Port Clyde (2005)

Port Clyde is a village in St. George at the southern tip of its long peninsular. Port Clyde has long been an attraction to artists, including N. C. Wyeth, and tourists, who can take the ferry to Monhegan Island, visible in the distance. It is a base for lobster fishing and fin fishing. The village…

Trenton

Union River Bay from Bayside Road at Low Tide (2013)

South on Route 230 (Bayside Road) from Ellsworth, on the west shore of town, one notes the very modest houses on the inland side and the more substantial houses and cottages set back from the road on the Union Bay side. Route 3, the “Bar Harbor Road,” on the east side has a completely different character, featuring attractions for tourists bound for Acadia National Park, and the Hancock County – Bar Harbor Airport.

Topsham

Recently the downtown (see photos) has witnessed a renewal with modern buildings. Topsham has been a very rapidly growing community both in population and in commercial development.The area of the Topsham Fair Mall is located adjacent to Interstate 95. Pejepscot Village was once an active community when the Pejepscot Paper Mill was in full production. Falls in the Androscoggin River between Topsham and Brunswick encouraged the development of paper and textile mills which dominated the economy into the 20th century.