Walton, Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley Walton, courtesy Maine State Museum

Charles Walton (1819-1900) a U.S. Representative, was born in Mexico, Maine on December 9, 1819. He attended the common schools and was instructed at home and by private tutors. Walton studied law, was admitted to the bar in Oxford in 1841 and began his practice in Mexico in 1843. He also practiced law in Dixfield,…

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.

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.

Wallagrass

Fish River at Soldier Pond Village in Wallagrass (2018)

Settled by Acadians, the town lies just south of Fort Kent on the Fish River, whose Eagle Lake outlet is in the southern portion of the township. See photos. Wallagrass Station village is located at the southern end of the town, where Station Road leads to the shore of Eagle Lake.

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.

Waldo

Working Farm on the Waldo Station Road (2005)

Located just northwest of Belfast, the town (see photos) is served by Maine Routes 7, 131, 137 and 203. The Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railway passes through to its terminus in Belfast. The Railway runs summer service between Unity Station and Belfast for sightseeing and “just for fun.”

Waite

Logging Equipment and Trucking Company in Waite (2013)

Year Population 1970 70 1980 130 1990 119 2000 105 2010 101 Geographic Data N. Latitude 45:23:00 W. Longitude 67:38:00 Maine House District 141 Maine Senate District 6 Congress District 2 Area sq. mi. (total) 43.2 Area sq. mi. (land) 43.1 Population/sq.mi. (land) 2.3 County: Washington Total=land+water; Land=land only [WATE] is a town in Washington…

Wade

Town of Wade on the North Side of the Aroostook River in South Wade (2015)

Once known as Garden Creek Plantation and Dunntown, Wade is just northwest of Presque Isle on the Aroostook River. North Wade is a small settlement on Maine Route 228 in the northeast corner of the township. The Aroostook River in Wade is part of one of Maine’s “Focus Areas of Statewide Ecological Significance.”

Volleyball

Volleyball is a girls sport at the high school level in Maine.  It split from “No Classes” to Classes A and B in 2009.  A concerted effort is underway to expand the sport to more schools. Consecutive Championships School No. Year Greely 6 2003-2008   Year No Classes 1997 Jonesport-Beals 1998 Jonesport-Beals 1999 Jonesport-Beals 2000…

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…

Verona Island

is located on an island in the Penobscot River between the towns of Prospect and Bucksport. The Island is bounded by the Main and the Eastern Channels of the Penobscot. The Eastern is supplemented with the outlet of the Orland River. The old Waldo-Hancock Suspension Bridge provided the link from the Town of Prospect as U.S. Route 1 and Maine Route 3 pass through the town to Bucksport, then “Downeast” to Bar Harbor and Calais. The bridge was replaced by the new Penobscot Narrows Bridge in 2007.

Veazie, Samuel

General Samuel Veazie (1787-1868) was born in Portland. After trying several ventures, including being a sailor, then owning a ship, he moved to Topsham. While there he purchased the “Androscoggin boom,” a system of guiding and sorting logs floated down the river. Veazie participated in the War of 1812, reaching the rank of General. After…

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.

Vaughan, Benjamin

Benjamin Vaughan

(1751-1835) was born in Jamaica, West Indies on April 19, 1751. He was the oldest son of Samuel Vaughan, of London, a West India merchant and planter. His mother was Sarah Hallowell, daughter of Benjamin Hallowell, a Boston merchant. Since his family were Unitarians, not belonging to the Church of England, Vaughan could not attend…

Vanceboro

Sunset over Small Stream in Vanceboro (2013)

At the easternend of Maine Route 6, Vanceboro lies across the river from St. Croix, New Brunswick where 24-hour per day customs stations manage border crossings. See photos. A hill in the village overlooks the main street. With the large houses, the veterans hall and memorial, it appears to have been an important neighborhood in the history of Vanceboro. The local school of recent vintage is located there. Trains from Maine pass through Vanceboro to Canada.

Van Buren

Located across the St. John River from St. Leonard, New Brunswick, the town is at the junction of U.S. Routes 1 and 1A. See photos. Its economic development message is “Gateway to the St. John Valley.” Named for the eighth U.S. President, Martin Van Buren, the area was a haven for Acadians escaping the British oppression of 1755. In 1791 they settled near Keegan, a village just north of the main settlement. A model “Acadian Village” is near Keegan village.

Utterback, John G.

John Gregg Utterback (1872-1955), cousin of Hubert Utterback a U.S. Representative from Iowa, 1935-1937. John Utterback, himself a U.S. Representative, was born in Franklin, Indiana on July 12, 1872. He attended the public schools of his native city and was employed in a carriage factory 1889-1892. A traveling salesman from 1892 to 1905, he lived…

Upton

This small community borders New Hampshire and Umbagog Lake that straddles the two states and is the source of the Androscoggin River. However, the river runs south through New Hampshire before entering Maine in Gilead. Upton is far from other sizable Maine towns on Maine Route 26 as it ends at the New Hampshire border.

University of Maine

1873 President

The 1873 President’s House is an elegant, restored, Victorian-era structure. Historic photographs show the early care given to the house’s landscaping, including newly planted trees. The mature trees on the house’s front lawn comprise native species, such as American beech as well as non-native species. This mix of indigenous and introduced species is true of…

Unity

is home to Unity College, a small liberal arts institution in a rural setting where the Common Ground Country Fair is held each fall. See photos. The main village is at the south end of the 2,528-acre Unity Pond, also known as Lake Winnecook.