Monroe

[muhn-ROW] is a town in Waldo County, settled in 1789 and incorporated on January 12, 1818 from Lee Plantation. During the 19th century it exchanged land with Brooks three times, and annexed land from Frankfort in 1863.

In 1886, the Gazetteer of Maine observed the many mills that the town contained:

There is one saw-mill for long and short lumber, one grist-mill, a carding-mill, barrel-factory, cheese-factory, and other manufactures common to villages.

A few years ago there were in operation in this town the following: “Willis’s Mills,” on a fall of 15 feet on Marsh River, comprising a saw-mill, with the capacity of producing annually 400,000 feet of long lumber and 800,000 shingles, and a grist-mill with four sets of stones. On a fall of 10 feet, half a mile above, were saw, fulling and carding mills. Half a mile above the last was a lumber and stave mill, and two miles above this were saw and shingle mills.

On the outlet of Northern Pond was “Thurlow Mill,” with capacity of manufacturing annually 200,000 feet of lumber. On the outlet of the Thomas Chase bog, was a stone dam unoccupied, half a mile further down were board, lath, shingle and stave mills. . . . On the Emery Mills Stream was a saw and stave mill, a pail factory, and still earlier, a grist-mill. At the outlet of Jones’ Bog there was a grist-mill.

The Marsh River (now known as Marsh Stream) winds though the town from its northwest corner, through it center, and exits on the eastern town line with Winterport.  Several small streams, marshes, and ponds fill the landscape in this still rural community. In 1880, with a population of 1,366, Monroe supported thirteen schoolhouses.

In 2003 the Town office building also housed the library.  Monroe is served by Maine Routes 139, between Brooks and Winterport, and 141 from Swanville.

The World War I memorial is at the intersection of these highways in Monroe village at East Main Street.

Form of Government: Town Meeting-Select Board.

Additional resources

Town of Monroe. Internet site contains many photos, old and new, and historical material. http://townofmonroeme.net/id31.html (accessed on January 25, 2012)

Emerson, Paul. Monroe, Me. Soldiers and Sailors of the Civil War. Frankfort, Me. P. Emerson. 1998?

Littlefield, Ada Douglas. An Old River Town. Salem, Mass. Higginson Book Co.. 1993. (Cataloger Note: reprint of the 1907 ed. (published: New York : Calkins and Co.) with the addition of Notes, prepared by the Winterport Historical Association, 1982, revised 1993.)

Robertson, Richard. Diaries of Richard Robertson of Monroe, Maine, 1864-1900. [University of Maine, Raymond H. Fogler Library, Special Collections]

Varney, George J. A Gazetteer of the State of Maine. 1886. pp. 369-370.