Brooks

Named for Governor John Brooks of Massachusetts, the town in Waldo County incorporated in 1816. Marsh Stream or Marsh River as it is also known, runs through the main village. A dam near an old mill site broadens the stream into a pleasant pond. See photos.

Brownfield

Named for Captain Henry Y. Brown, who received a land grant for service in the French and Indian Wars, the town sits between the New Hampshire border and the Saco River. The Stone Mountain Arts Center, with excellent attractions and food, brings visitors from long distances. See photos.

Brownville

Slate House (c. 1990)

Famed for its slate, its quarry industry ended in 1917. It is the eastern gateway to The Hermitage, 35 acres of stately 150 year-old growth white pine overlooking the Pleasant River. Brownville Junction is so named for the railroad junction of Canadian and U.S. railroads.

Brunswick

Picard Theater and Maine State Music Theater at Bowdoin College (2018)

Since the demise of textile and shoe manufacturing, Brunswick has become a service center for the region and a residential community for commuters to the greater Portland area. With Bowdoin College, Maine State Music Theater, Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, Pejepscot Historical Society, and many historic buildings, it is a powerful cultural magnet. AMTRAK service to Boston resumed in 2012. The town has a 66 mile ocean shoreline and 12 miles along the Androscoggin River.

Bucksport

in Hancock County was settled in 1762. Jed Prouty’s Tavern and Inn, no longer operating, was a stop for the Bangor to Castine stage route. The paper mill (once St. Regis, then Champion, then Verso) dominates the north end of town and is across the Penobscot River from Fort Knox. Northeast Historic Film, a moving image archives, research and education center is located here. See photos.

Burlington

Panoramic view of Saponac Pond, fields and mountains in Burlington Village (2014)

in Penobscot County, incorporated in 1832. The township was first settled in 1824, probably by Tristam Hurd who donated the name “Hurd Ridge” to the area. Saponac Lake, in the south, is from the Indian word for “the big opening.” Lumbering and agriculture have been the main occupations, with little manufacturing.

Burnham

on the Sebasticook River, lies between Pittsfield and Clinton, is home to Pride Manufacturing, a wood products company. Burnham Junction marks the intersection of the Maine Central with the northern terminus of the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad. See photos.

Buxton

Saco River with old bridge abutments in Buxton (2003)

was settled by men who were survivors of King Philip’s War having been granted allotments of land in what was then Narragansett, Number One. The first permanent settlers arrived in 1750. Named for Buxton in Norfolk, England, it incorporated in 1762. The Buxton Powder House, one of only three War of 1812 powder houses to survive in Maine, was erected on a vote of local citizens. See photos.

Byron

in Oxford County incorporated in 1833, the village is located on the Swift River nears Coos [CO-oss] Canyon, legendary source of gold and other minerals. This sparsely populated town is served by Maine Route 17 connecting it with the Rumford-Mexico area to the south. See photos.

Calais

National Park Service Saint Croix Island International Historic Site in Calais (2013)

in eastern, coastal Washington County and named for the French port, was briefly settled in 1604 when a French expedition arrived on St. Croix Island. Today it features late 19th century historic brick structures, modern state and federal buildings, and a visitor center. Home to Washington County Community College. See video and photos.

Cambridge

in Somerset County, settled in 1804, incorporated in 1834 and named for Cambridge, England, the town is divided from neighboring Ripley by Main Stream, a tributary of the Sebasticook River. The village and grange hall are at the eastern end of Cambridge Pond. See photos.

Camden

The village, at the foot of Mt. Battie, is at Camden Harbor on Penobscot Bay and U.S. Route 1. In 1880 the first summer cottages were built and and a flood of seasonal and semi-permanent residents began. The Opera House hosts many cultural events, including the Camden Conference and the Camden Film Festival. Edna St. Vincent Millay graduated from high school here. See video and photos.

Canaan

Old Mill Site in Canaan on Carrabassett Stream (2013)

in Somerset County, incorporated in 1788, though settlement began in 1803 when mills were erected on Wesserunset Stream. Lake George and Sibley Pond, the source of Carrabassett Stream, are popular summer recreation and winter ice-fishing attractions. See video and photos.

Canton

Lake Anasagunticook from Staples Hill Road in Canton (2013)

village in Oxford County, incorporated in 1821, overlooks Lake Anasagunticook at the junction of Rts. 108 and 140. The Androscoggin River winds through the town just north of the village. The historical society, old railroad station and masonic building grace this residential, agricultural community. See video and photos.