This sparsely populated plantation in Penobscot county is primarily marshlands and streams, with the exception of Tucker Ridge and Pickle Ridge where Tucker Ridge Road and Pickle Ridge Road serve the plantation’s residents. It contains a portion of the Mattawamkeag River System Wildlife Management Area and the “Webster Lot” of Maine’s Public Reserved Land.
Named for a famous city in ancient Turkey, the town is west of Houlton on Interstate 95 and on U.S. Route 2, where the village of Smyrna Mills straddles the town line with Merrill. See photos. The town has become home to a substantial number of Amish people, who farm and work using simple, low technology methods. The Mattawamkeag River flows through the village. In the river is the ruins of an old dam and mill.
The village is located on Maine Route 17 near the Mattawamkeag River and on the Wytopitlock stream. Other than Route 17, which runs through the through the western portion north to U.S. Route 2A, the Bancroft Road travels northeast from Wytopitlock to the Bancroft town line. These are the only improved roads. Two lots of Maine Public Reserved Land lie within the plantation: the 996-acre Thompson Deadwater Lot and the 539-acre Central-Wytopitlock Lot.
is located about 24 miles west of Houlton, and north of Patten on Maine Route 11. See photos. Rockabema Lake, the source of the West Branch of the Mattawamkeag River, occupies the north central portion of the township. A Scattering of small ponds lie just north of the lake, providing a fine source of fishing. The heavily wooded area supports hunting, guides, and hunting lodges.
The town is served by Maine Route 212 just west of Smyrna. The village of Smyrna Mills straddles the adjoining boundaries of the two towns. See photos. The Merrill Millstream Park was created from land, acquired in 1997, between the East Branch of the Mattawamkeag River and Route 212.
![Upper Gordon Falls on the Mattawamkeag River (2016) [See video]](https://maineanencyclopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/160425-RW014-Copy.jpg)
The Mattawamkeag River, on which the town is located, is the largest eastern tributary of the Penobscot. See photos. The junction of the two rivers is marked by a gravel bar at the entrance to the Mattawamkeag. Thoreau, on his way to climbing Mount Katahdin, visited the area in 1847. Today, a 1,000 acre Wilderness Park is situated between the two rivers with campsites, fishing, swimming and hiking available.
is an unorganized township in Penobscot County. In the early 1870’s the firm of Shaw and Kingman built a sole-leather tannery. See photos. Mr. Kingman commissioned a “finely Italianate residence” in 1871-1872. With the passing of the tannery, no other business, and the Depression, voters dissolved the town government in 1935. Part of the Mattawamkeag River Wildlife Management Area is here. Kingman village is at the intersection of the Mattawamkeag River, Route 170 and the Canadian Railway.
Located on U.S. Route 2A in Aroostook County, this wooded community has recently experienced a major decline in population. See photo. A military road to supply the Houlton post was completed in 1832, providing easy access to the town. Scenic canoeing and fishing is renowned here. The road through the Haynesville Woods was immortalized in the hit song sung by Fort Fairfield’s Richard “Dick” Curless in 1965 – “A Tombstone Every Mile.”
Its eastern portion is dominated by the Mattawamkeag River System Wildlife Management Area. Recreational opportunities include boating, canoeing, and wildlife viewing for eagles, osprey, deer, moose and water birds. The 6,800 plus acre parcel includes Mud Pond. In 1921 Drew was incorporated as a town, but in the depths of the Great Depression it reverted to a plantation.
The Baskenhegan Stream flows through this Aroostook County town, emptying into Baskenhegan Lake in Brookton Township. Rising from Mattawamkeag Lake the Mattawamkeag River flows through the town and the main village.