This Franklin County township contains a section of the Dead River’s North Branch, along with several ponds, the largest of which is Jim Pond. The smaller Greenbush Pond is more accessible, but with a limited fishery. Route 27 follows the River on its journey to Eustis where it merges with the South Branch to create…
The Dead River is one of the longest and most storied waterways in Maine. Its North Branch flows south from the Lower Pond in Chain of Ponds, Through Alder Stream Township and Jim Pond Township. The South Branch flows north from Saddleback Lake in Rangely through Dallas Plantation, Lang Township and Coplin Plantation. …
The Western Conifer Seed Bug is a type of leaf-footed bug, about 3/4 inch from head to tail, that feeds on seeds of trees, especially pine. It is not a destructive pest in the home, but is a nuisance. It finds its way into homes during the end of summer and early fall looking for a place…
Wilmot W. Brookings (1830-1905) was born in Woolwich October 23, 1830. After being admitted to the bar, the new lawyer moved to Sioux Falls in what was to become the Dakota Territory in 1861 (which included today’s North and South Dakota, and much of Wyoming and Montana), and then the state of South Dakota in…
The cutting and moving of logs destined for lumber or paper was a tough, manual effort until the second half of the 20th century. Here is an eyewitness assessment by Louise Dickenson Rich of logging camp life in the 1940’s near Middle Dam in western Maine. I also had to learn to differentiate between a…
The Chain of Ponds Lake consists of four basins arranged in a straight line that runs northwest to southeast. It covers 700 acres and drains 64.5 square miles. The maximum depth is 106 feet, and the average depth is 24 feet. A 300 foot long, ten foot tall, dam at the outlet of Lower Pond…
Also known as T2 R5 WBKP, this township is predominantly Penobscot Indian Territory, distributed as the result of the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement. The North Branch of the Dead River flows through its northeast corner, beginning at Sarampus Falls. The turbines of the Kibby Mountain Wind Project are visible, from the falls, in the…
In western most Maine and Franklin County, the Township (also known as T1 R6 WBKP) has no village and virtually no population. Its major economic resource is Kibby Ridge on Kibby Mountain. Logging the forested township is also an economic asset. Maine Route 27 in Chain of Ponds Township provides access to the network of…
Not to be confused with the town of Eagle Lake in Aroostook County, Eagle Lake Township lies to the southwest in Piscataquis County. It too has frontage on another waterbody named Eagle Lake and includes part of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and a small portion of Chamberlain Lake. A narrow stretch of Maine Public Reserved…
Entering Township 22 on Route 9 A small community in Hancock County, the township’s only improved road, in its northeastern corner, is a portion of Route 9, (“The Airline“). Rocky Pond lies at the center…
This is a small unorganized township in Franklin County on the border with Canada. It has a very small village with few houses and one store. Logging trucks abound, both in the village and those traveling through from Canada, many with lumber. Without mountains, it does have three water bodies: Arnold Pond, Crosby Pond, and…
Governor James B. Longley, January 2, 1975 INAUGURAL ADDRESS Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, Associate Justices, former Governors, and Members of the 107th Legislature. Tonight I begin my duties as Governor of Maine with full realization of the awesome responsibility that lies before me. If history records me as a good governor, it…
National Register of Historic Places – Freeport Mallett, E. B., Office Building [Mill Street] E.B. Mallett Office Building (2016) Perhaps more than anyone, Edmund Buxton Mallett, Jr. (1853-1923) shaped the town’s character. In 1883 he moved from Pownal to launch his empire. Between 1884 and 1892, he built and operated two shoe factories, a…
This township is on the New Hampshire border in northwestern Maine. The name, according to Brian McCauley, is “Abenaki for ‘across the usual path.’ Legend says it was the name of an Indian Chief’s daughter.” The Magalloway River runs southward through it and through the 900+ acre Parmachenee Lake, which extends south into Lynchtown Township.…
The Oxford County Township, in northwestern Maine on the New Hampshire border, is just south of Parmachenee Township. It includes and a small north portion of Aziscohos Lake and the bulk of Parmachenee Lake. That lake was home to the Parmachenee Club. The Club was formed in 1890 by a group of mostly New York…
Berries Strawberries Strawberries are a high value crop in Maine agriculture with net profit potential of $6,000 or more per acre. The number of farms raising strawberries and the acreage dedicated to them increased substantially in recent years, with more demand for locally grown fresh fruit. Strawberries are the most widely grown small fruit crop…
In August 2016, President Barak Obama designated this area a National Monument. It was offered to the United States government by the Roxanne Quimby Foundation, which has established a substantial endowment with the National Park Foundation to support the administration the monument. Katahdin Woods and Waters Recreation Area, east of Baxter State Park, contains about…
As I turned out the light in my office, a small wink of another light flickered back at me. This firefly is a Maine native. Strangely, these “flies” are actually flying beetles. They use their lighting abilities in summer to attract mates by mixing certain chemicals in their bodies. Fireflies in some other states have…
