Northwest end of Speck Pond looking toward the AT (2009)
Location Map for Grafton TWP
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1970 | n.a. |
| 1980 | n.a. |
| 1990 | n.a. |
| 2000 | n.a. |
| 2010 | n.a. |
no
| Geographic Data | |
|---|---|
| N. Latitude | 44:36:06 |
| W. Latitude | 70:58:42 |
| Maine House | District 91 |
| Maine Senate | District 14 |
| Congress | District 2 |
| Area sq. mi. | (total) n.a. |
| Area sq. mi. | (land) n.a. |
| Population/sq.mi. | (land) n.a. |
County: Oxford
Total=land+water; Land=land only |
|
[GRAF-tun] is a township in Oxford County, just north of the Riley Township on the border with New Hampshire. Grafton was established as a plantation on March 19, 1852 as Plantation Letter A R2. It surrendered its status as a local government on February 27, 1919. Some of its annual town reports for the period are available (see Additional resources below).
Grafton Notch State Park, north of Newry on Route 26, features the Notch formed by Old Speck Mountain (in the background at right) and Baldpate Mountain.
Ice in Mahoosuc Notch (June 2003)
In the Notch, Screw Auger Falls has worn deep holes into solid rock by the swirling water of the Bear River. The Park, located on Route 26 which follows the Bear River through it, hosts many other hiking trails.
Success Pond from Old Speck Mountain
The State Park encompasses several hiking trails, some of which begin off Route 26 in Grafton Township. They include Table Rock Loop Trail, Baldpate Mountain Trail and the Appalachian.
Grafton is the second township encountered on the Appalachian Trail in Maine as it trends north and easterly toward Mount Katahdin. Featured in the video, the Old Speck Trail, part of the Appalachian Trail, offers spectacular views of western Maine and eastern New Hampshire. The day-hike over the mountain, down toward Speck Pond, and back to the Route 26 parking area provides many scenic rewards to accompany the sometimes stressful climbs.
Kiosk near the parking area off Route 26 at the base of the Old Speck Trail
Appalachian Trail Sign at the base of the Old Speck Trail
Maine’s Mahoosucs Public Reserved Land abuts the State Park to the east, providing a large area protected from development and available for recreation. With no lakes, the township hosts several mountains, notably Old Speck and Bald Pate.
<= South Appalachian Trail – click a boot North 
=>
More Videos!
Additional resources
Fobes, Charles Bartlett. Grafton, Maine–A Human And Geographical Study. Orono, Me. University Press. 1951.
Grafton (Me.) Annual report of the municipal officers of the town of Grafton. Grafton, Me. The Town. University of Maine, Fogler Library, Special Collections. [1901/02; 1909/10; 1911/12; 1913/14-1917/18]
Grafton Loop Trail. Augusta, Me. Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. 2007.
Probert, Randall. A Grafton Tale. Bethel, Me. Randall Enterprises. c2010.