Since European settlement, at least 14 species of wildlife are known to have been completely eliminated from the Maine environment. To prevent further losses, the Maine Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1975. In 1986, Maine’s first list of 23 Endangered and Threatened species was adopted. After the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife…
It lies on the southwest entrance to Somes Sound, diagonally across from Northeast Harbor, a village in the town of Mount Desert. Southwest Harbor has been both a fishing and summer resort community from its earliest days as a town. See photos. Maine Route 102 begins at entrance to Mount Desert Island and leads directly south to the main village of Southwest Harbor. Here the Wendell Gilley Museum celebrates the life and work of Gilley, a pioneer of decorative bird carving. South of the harbor, the small villages of Manset and Seawall face the entrance to Somes Sound and the Cranberry Isles.
The town lies on the Weskeag River, which broadens into several large coves before emptying into the Muscle Ridge Channel. In addition to the main village, Pleasant Beach, Waterman Beach, and Spruce Head villages hug the shore on Penobscot Bay. Spruce Head Island, connected to the mainland by a bridge, juts into Muscle Ridge Channel, a favorite passage for boaters seeking the protection of the outlying islands.
The Darling Marine Center of the University of Maine is located in the village of Walpole. See photos. The population centers in the town’s southern most reaches are on Rutherford Island, perched at the end of a peninsular. The community is home to three nature preserves. Plummer Point is a 74 acre wooded peninsula with over a mile of shoreline. The Tracy Property is a town park with public access to the Damariscotta River. The wooded 18-acre Witch Island Sanctuary, provides two beaches and views of Johns Bay.
Maine’s oldest educational institution, Berwick Academy, was established here in 1791 when the town was part of Berwick. See photos. South Berwick is the birthplace of Sarah Orne Jewett, who attended Berwick Academy for four years — her only formal education. The town is accessible to the coastal communities of York and Kittery via Maine Routes 91 and 236.
Sorrento sits on Waukeag Neck, on Maine Route 185 south of Sullivan. See photos. The neck juts into Frenchman’s Bay with spectacular views of the mountains in Acadia National Park. Sorrento Harbor is a centerpiece of the community, especially when the “summer people” return and the water fills with pleasure boats. The town hosts two nature preserves in Sorrento Harbor, both maintained by the Nature Conservancy: Dram Island, is home to nesting osprey; Preble Island is densely forested with eagles roosting.
Daniel Elton Somes (1815-1888) a U.S. Representative was born in Meredith (now Laconia), New Hampshire on May 20, 1815 where he received an academic education. Somes moved to Biddeford in 1846 and established the Eastern Journal, later known as the Union and Journal; and engaged in the manufacture of loom harnesses, reed twine, and varnishes.…
The Sheepscot River runs through the western portion of the town, and through Somerville Village itself. It widens into Long Pond (once known as Patricktown Pond), on which the town has substantial frontage. See photos. Somerville is east of Windsor on Maine Route 105, and north of Jefferson following Maine Route 206 to 105. This rural town has had a small, but growing population. Since the 1970’s it has grown to two and a half times its size then.
Solon, Maine is a town in Somerset County, incorporated on February 23, 1809 from the township T1 R2 EKR. Settled in 1782 by William Hilton of Wiscasset, it was named for one of the great sages of Ancient Greece, in keeping with its neighboring town of Athens.
Consecutive Champions School No. Year Madison 4 1994-1997 Traip 3 1988-1990 Jonesport-Beals 3 1992-1994 Richmond 4 2013-2016 Year Class A Class B Class C Class D 1977 Winslow Hermon Massabesic 1978 Mt. Ararat Gorham Searsport 1979 Winslow Massabesic Madison 1980 Gardiner Van Buren York 1981 Westbrook Gorham Mexico 1982 Houlton Lisbon Mexico 1983 Cony Gorham…
1871 Born on Indian Island, grandson of the Chief of the Bear Clan. 1893 Attends St. Mary’s College, Van Buren. 1894-1895 Attends Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts, batting a powerful .444 over two seasons. 1896 Transfers to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, where his outfield talent catches the eye of big league scouts. 1897-1899…
Consecutive Championships School No. Year North Yarmouth 5 2003-2007 Year No Class Class B Class C Class D 1980 Waterville 1981 Waterville Class A 1982 Waterville Hyde 1983 Waterville Penobscot Valley 1984 Waterville Penquis Valley 1985 Mount Ararat Penobscot Valley 1986 Caribou Penobscot Valley 1987 Mount Ararat Houlton Carrabec 1988 Cape Elizabeth York Schenck 1989…
Consecutive Championships School No. Years Scarborough 4 1973-1976 Richmond 4 1976-1979 Falmouth 4 2001-2003 Year Class A Class B Class C Class D 1970 Gorham 1971 Gorham 1972 Gorham 1973 Scarborough Yarmouth 1974 Scarborough Greely Richmond 1975 Scarborough Greely Georges Valley 1976 Scarborough Freeport Richmond 1977 Gorham Freeport Richmond 1978 Gorham Freeport Richmond 1979 Greely…
Olympia Jean Snowe (1947- ), a U.S. Representative and a Senator from Maine, was born Olympia Jean Boucles in Augusta on February 21, 1947. She attended St. Basil’s Academy in Garrison, New York 1962; graduated from Edward Little High School in Auburn in 1965. She holds a B.A. from the University of Maine, Orono, 1969.…
Donald Francis Snow (1877-1958), a U.S. Representative was born in Bangor on September 6, 1877. He attended the public schools of his native city and was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1901 and from the law school of the University of Maine at Orono in 1904. Snow was admitted to the bar in 1904 and…
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.
A summer recreational center, it hosts the bulk of two of the Belgrade Lakes: North Pond and East Pond. East Pond is home to several summer camps for young people, some that cater to adults, and some that are individually owned summer cottages. See photos. The main village is on the eastern shore of North Pond, where a sandy beach attracts area residents and summer visitors.
Located just south of Greenville on Maine combined Routes 6 and 15, its main village, Shirley Mills (see photos), grew up around early 19th century clapboard and saw mills, using water from the Piscataquis River. Along the east side of the pond, the B&A Railroad North Road runs north along the river. It was created from the old rail bed.
(1972-1985) was born on June 29, 1972 in Houlton, and died in a plane crash on August 15, 1985. At age ten, she wrote a letter to then Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov expressing her concern over the possibilities of nuclear war. Andropov replied that the Soviets did not want war and invited her to visit him.
(1897-1995) became, in 1949, the first woman to serve as a United States Senator. She was the first senator to speak out against Senator Joseph McCarthy and his committee on Un-American Affairs with her “declaration of conscience speech,” delivered to the Senate in June of 1950.