[HOLE-den] is a town in Penobscot County, incorporated on April 13, 1852 from a portion of Brewer known as East Brewer.

The town has substantial frontage on Brewer Lake, which is shared with neighboring Orrington.

The area was settled in 1786 by eight families most of whose men had served in the Revolutionary War. One of the early arrivals was Captain (later General) John Blake, who represented the area in the Massachusetts General Court and commanded the militia in Hampden in an encounter with British forces in 1814.

The town is just southeast of Brewer, bisected by U.S. Route 1A.

At East Holden, where Maine Route 46 crosses 1A, a commercial area has blossomed in recent years. Once called George’s Corner, near George Pond, East Holden was described by George Varney in 1886 as “the principal business centre.”

Administrative offices, library, and museum of the Grand Lodge of Maine Masons are located at the crossroads.

Nearby Holbrook School on Route 46 serves students in grades five through eight from the communities of Clifton, Eddington and Holden.  

Much of the town is still characterized by its rural roots and mobile homes.

 

 

Form of Government: Town Meeting-Council-Manager.

Additional resources

Chadbourne, Ava Harriet. Maine Place Names and The Peopling of its Towns.

Highlights of the History of Holden, Maine. The Holden Bicentennial Heritage Committee.  1976.

*Maine Historic Preservation Commission. “Holden Town Hall, Holden, Penobscot County, 1873- c. 1964.” http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=mhpc_recent_listings&id=624513&v=article (accessed August 6, 2015)

Thayer, Mildred N. Brewer and Mrs. Edward W. Ames. Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington: History and Families. Brewer, Me. L. H. Thompson, Inc. c1962.

Varney, George J. A Gazetteer of the State of Maine. 1886. p. 281-282.

National Register of Historic Places – Listings

Photos, and edited text are from nominations to the National Register of Historic Places researched by Maine. Historic Preservation Commission.
Full text and photos are at https://npgallery.nps.gov/nrhp 

Holden Town Hall

[723 Main Road] The Holden Town Hall is an architecturally notable one-and-one-half story wood frame structure located on Main Road in the Penobscot County town of Holden. Built by the town in 1873, the handsome building with Gothic Revival, Italianate and Stick Style details served as the site of the municipality’s governmental functions until the mid-1960s. Later is became the meeting hall for the local Grange until 1995. The building was also used for receptions and funerals, dinners and socials, plays and presentations, and hosted an annual fall fair.*

Historic 1855  South District School   [Not on Historic Register]

This school building is currently (2019) at the University of Maine in Orono.  Location: N44° 53′ 51.17″ W68° 40′ 2.15″.

Historic buildings that have been moved from their original location lose their connection with their former setting, thus not qualified for the National Register.  The notice to the right of the window refers to it as “Harold and Marion Chute Schoolhouse.”