T6 ND BPP

Fourth Lake Road in T6 ND BPP (2013)

     Fourth Lake Road in T6 ND BPP (2013) @ This township is just west of Grand Lake Stream Plantation.  Its Fourth Lake Road leads to the interior, to nearby lakes, including Pocumcus Micmac for “at the gravelly place.” * Eventually the road leads to a campsite and boat launch at Fourth Machias Lake…

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…

Vienna

Castle Island Area in Vienna at Long Pond from the Castle Island Road (2012)

Year Population 1970 205 1980 454 1990 417 2000 527 2010 570 Geographic Data N. Latitude 44:33:17 W. Longitude 70:00:08 Maine House District 76 Maine Senate District 17 Congress District 1 Area sq. mi. (total)25.4 Area sq. mi. (land) 24.2 Population/sq.mi. (land) 23.6 County: Kennebec Total=land+water; Land=land only Castle Island Area in Vienna at Long…

Stacyville

Mount Katahdin and Hunt Mountain from Swift Brook Road in Stacyville (2017)

Its main village is Sherman Station on the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad line and Maine Route 11 just across the town line from the Town of Sherman. Stacyville Village is in the southwest of the township; Siberia village is in the center on the Grindstone Road. That portion of Route 11 in Sherman Station Village serves as the “Main Street” for the town, with community buildings and businesses.

Signs of Maine

Sign for the U.S. Customs Inspection Station on Route 167 in Fort Fairfield

When John Steinbeck was traveling the country in 1960, he noted that states had interesting differences expressed in their signs: The New England states use a terse form of instruction, a tight-lipped, laconic style sheet, wasting no words and few letters. . . . I am an avid reader of all signs, and I find…

Mars Hill

Mars Hill mountain with Wind Turbines from U.S. Route 1 in Blaine (2014)

As with many rural Maine towns, Mars Hill is a community of pickup trucks as an essential tool of the farm economy. See photos. It shares a main street, U.S. Route 1, with neighboring Blaine. Mars Hill is located on the Prestile Stream where U.S. Route 1 forks to Presque Isle and Route 1A leads to Fort Fairfield. Established in the 1960’s, the Big Rock Ski Area on Mars Hill was purchased in 2000 by the Maine Winter Sports Center.

Mariaville

Union River East Branch from Jones Bridge Between Waltham and Mariaville on Route 179 (2013)

The town, with substantial frontage on Graham Lake and the east and west branches of the Union River, was named for William Bingham’s daughter Maria. With over 17% of its area covered with water, it is one of the most water-covered non-coastal towns in the state. While somewhat remote twelve miles north of Ellsworth, the town has a small but consistently growing population.

Local Government

Anson Town Office on Main Street (2003)

in New England traces its origins to 1620 and the Mayflower Compact written and agreed to by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony. By 1652 the Colony asserted its authority over that part of Maine known then and now as York(shire) County. By having local townsmen sign a statement accepting that authority, the tradition of popular…

Linneus

Linneus Town Office near a pond likely to provide water to the firedepartment (2012)

Year Population 1970 608 1980 752 1990 810 2000 892 2010 984 Geographic Data N. Latitude 46:54:25 W. Longitude 67:51:48 Maine House District 145 Maine Senate District 2 Congress District 2 Area sq. mi. (total) 45.8 Area sq. mi. (land) 44.6 Population/sq.mi. (land) 22.1 County: Aroostook Total=land+water; Land=land only [LIN-ee-us] is a town in Aroostook…

Limerick

It was settled by whites in 1775 on the old Pequaket Trail, a way station used by the Sokoki Indians traveling between the Saco River and Pequaket (Fryeburg). Sokokis Lake (also known as Holland Pond) and the long Lake Arrowhead grace the northeast corner of the town near Limerick village.

Hiram

Routes 5/13 entering Hiram Village from the North (2010)

The villages of Hiram and East Hiram are divided by the Saco River. Nearby Mount Cutler sports a hiking trail; a chain of ponds hugs the western border above South Hiram. Raymond Cotton, a storekeeper and author, made many home movies. See photos & 1938 video on blueberry farming. The community buildings (churches, library, grange, museum) are within walking distance in Hiram village.

Hanover

Kiosk at the River, noting the Androscoggin River Trail, by the Mahoosuc Land Trust (2014)

Hanover is experiencing home and vacation property development at a more rapid pace. The small town is receiving more interest within the greater area as development in neighboring larger towns is spreading. As with many Maine communities, the number of full-time residents is declining as non-resident vacation homes increase.

Gilead

Sign: Welcome to The Town of Gilead (2013)

the Androscoggin River splits Gilead down the middle from west to east, flowing between two mountain ranges. See photos. Only one bridge crosses at the village. In 1973 the U.S. EPA was documenting pollution in the river. A brief canoe trip makes about five of its six miles through Gilead to West Bethel, with spectacular views of the Presidential Range.

Freeport

L.L. Bean Stores Campus in Freeport (2012)

is a popular center of “outlet” stores, including the legendary L. L. Bean, which has a virtual campus of retail buildings. See video and photos. It was named, say some, for Sir Andrew Freeport, a character in Addison’s Spectator Papers. Freeport-built vessels Lafayette and Blen were captured and burned by Confederate raiders. Arctic explorer Donald B. MacMillan lived in Freeport, as did a young John Gould, later author, humorist, and newspaper editor.

Durham

Durham Community School on the Royalsborough Road (2013)

The 1835 Union Church was a community meeting house, then in 1922, the Town Office, and recently home of the Durham Historical Society. The early 20th century religious movement known as the Sandfordites, after their leader Frank W. Sandford, built their 1897 temple “Shiloh” here. Runaround Pond offers a pleasant canoe trip through water lilies and bird life. See video and photos.

Biddeford

Early settlers from Biddeford in England may have given the area its name. Biddeford was destroyed during Queen Anne’s War, but was resettled beginning in 1714. Lumbering was the major industry until the early 19th century; textiles dominated for 100 years from mid-century. First Irish, then French Canadians came to work in the mills. See photos.