Kennebunk

The name means “the long cut bank” for a land formation near the sea. Shipbuilding and shipping were once staples of the economy, now oriented to tourism and light manufacturing. See photos. The conversion of historic buildings for contemporary use and the historic districts have enhanced Kennebunk’s attraction for visitors and new residents.

Kennebunkport

Dock Square list of Shops in Kennebunkport (2012)

in York County, incorporated 1653 as Cape Porpoise. See photos. After early white settlers were driven away by Indian raids, it was reorganized as Arundel in 1718. In 1821 its name was changed to Kennebunk Port. It has long been an attraction for tourists and summer residents. Well-known residents included writers Booth Tarkington and Kenneth L. Roberts.

Kent, Edward

Edward Kent

(1802-1877) was born in Concord, New Hampshire on January 8, 1802. After studying law with Benjamin Orr of Topsham, Kent began his own practice in Bangor in September of 1825. He later was a partner in several law firms and held various judicial positions. After several terms in local office, he was elected from Bangor…

Kibby Township

Access from Route 27 (2017)

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…

Kidder, David

(1787-1860) a U.S. Representative, was born in Dresden on December 8, 1787. He pursued classical studies with private tutors, studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Bloomfield; moved to Skowhegan in 1817 and then to Norridgewock in 1821. Prosecuting attorney of Somerset County 1811-1823, he was elected to the Eighteenth and…

King, Angus S. Jr.

Governor King and his wife, Mary Hermon (2002)

(1944- ) was born on March 31st, 1944, in Alexandria, Virginia, was president of two of his classes at the local high school, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1966 and the University of Virginia Law School in 1969. While in high school, he attended Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “March on Washington” on August 28, 1963,…

King, William

Portrait of Governor William King

(1768-1852) the first governor of Maine, was a wealthy business owner and politician. At one point, the wealthiest ship owner in Maine, he was active in politics representing first Topsham then Bath in the Massachusetts legislature at various times between 1795 and 1819. He was the leading force behind the movement for separation of Maine…

Kingfield

Now a “four season” recreation center, located half way between the North Pole and the Equator, it is the gateway to Sugarloaf Mountain Ski Area in Carrabassett Valley. See video & photo. Named for Maine’s first governor, the town hosts the Stanly Museum (of Stanley Steamer fame).

Kingman

is an unorganized township in Penobscot County. In the early 1870’s the firm of Shaw and Kingman built a sole-leather tannery. See photos. Mr. Kingman commissioned a “finely Italianate residence” in 1871-1872. With the passing of the tannery, no other business, and the Depression, voters dissolved the town government in 1935. Part of the Mattawamkeag River Wildlife Management Area is here. Kingman village is at the intersection of the Mattawamkeag River, Route 170 and the Canadian Railway.

Kittery

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (2013)

in York County serves as the gateway to Maine from points south with its old and more modern bridges spanning the Piscataqua River. See video & photos. The federal government established the Navy Yard in 1806. The 74-gun ship Washington was the first vessel built there in 1815. The town’s long history is partially illustrated by the substantial list of historic sites.

Knowlton, Ebenezer

(1815-1874) a U.S. Representative, was born in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, December 6, 1815. He moved with his parents to South Montville in 1825, attended the common schools, studied theology and entered the ministry. A member of the Maine House of Representatives from 1844 to 1850 and served as speaker in 1846. Elected as a Republican…

Knox

is a town in Waldo County, incorporated on February 12, 1819 from Knox Plantation. It was named for Revolutionary War General Henry Knox. See photos. The town, a small but steadily growing community, lies northwest of Belfast on Route 137. The Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad passes through its northern tip.

Knox County

Map of Maine Counties and Baxter Park

is the tenth largest in population of the sixteen counties, located in mid-coast Maine and home to about twenty moderate-sized islands, the largest of which are Vinalhaven, North Haven, and Isle Au Haut. It was formed on April 1, 1860 from parts of Lincoln and Waldo counties. The county currently consists of the city of…

Kyros, Peter

Peter Kyros, c. 1968

Peter Kyros (1925-2012 ) a U.S. Representative was born in Portland on July 11, 1925. He attended the public schools in Portland and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1947, and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1957. Kyros father also had served in the U.S. Navy, followed…

Ladd, George Washington

George Washington Ladd (1818-1892) a U.S. Representative was born in Augusta on September 28, 1818. He attended the common schools and Kents Hill Seminary. He was in the drug business in Bangor and later in lumber, commission, and wholesale grocery businesses. Elected as a Greenback candidate to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1879-March…

Lagrange

While growing slowly, this still small community retains its rural, farming and home town identity. Lagrange was named for the estate of the Marquis de La Fayette, the French friend of the American Revolution. See photos. A section of Maine Public Reserved Land is in the southwest corner of the township, managed for recreation and sustainable forestry.