Greenbush

Helen S. Dunn School (2012)

Location Map for Greenbush

Year	Population
1970	591
1980	1,064
1990	1,309
2000	1,421
2010	1,491

Population Trend 1840-2010

Geographic Data
N. Latitude	45:04:54
W. Longitude	68:35:35
Maine House	District 137
Maine Senate	District 5
Congress	District 2
Area sq. mi.	(total) 44.0
Area sq. mi.	(land) 43.8
Population/sq.mi.	(land)34.0
County: Penobscot Total=land+water; Land=land only

Islands in the Penobscot River at Greenbush (2001)

Islands in the Penobscot River at Greenbush (2001)[GREEN-bush] is a town in Penobscot County, incorporated on February 28, 1834 from the township T2 EPR. One of the larger towns by area in the state, it was first settled by white people in 1820.

General Store in Olamon Village (2012)

Located on the east bank of the Penobscot River, the town includes several islands, the largest of which, Olamon, abuts Olamon Stream as it empties into the river. Other islands, north to south, are Sugar, Birch, Hemlock, Cow, Foster, Horse, and Jackson.

Greenbush village is on the River and U.S. Route 2. A smaller village, Cardville, is in the middle of the township on the Cardville Road.

Town Office in Olamon Village (2012)

Faith Bible Church in Olamon (2012)

Olamon, the name of a village near the island, means “red paint.” The Indians traveled up the stream to retrieve the red ochre they used as paint for decorating their bodies.

In the mid 1800s Greenbush was served by a steam boat line for both passengers and shipments of freight. They were small flat bottomed stern wheelers.

This informal summary of the town’s economic history was taken from its web site in 2014:

Industry in Greenbush has been varied and a lot of it involved with the forests of Maine – logging, river drives in their hay day, hauling when it in turn became more convenient, saw mills from lumber to shingle mills. Farming as might be expected was also prevalent both as a means to put food on the table and for market. Moses Weld made axes but it isn’t clear if he employed others. His axes were highly regarded by the woodsmen of Greenbush for many years. There were coopers, a grist mill, blacksmiths, snowshoe manufacturing, paddle & axe handle makers, small shops or homes where people made moccasins, others who made canoes, boarding homes, Ellingwood Hotel by Greenbush Trip, Merrill Inn in Olamon, general stores and likely many other what some may consider ordinary business in their time that aren’t mentioned.