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.
Windows on the River: Moosehead to Popham The Kennebec flows from Moosehead Lake through the West Outlet and the East Outlet, both of which empty into Indian Pond. The water passes through the ten miles of Indian Pond to join the Dead River at The Forks, thus forming the main body of this important river.…
Although its population is relatively stable, its character is slowly becoming more of a suburb of Bangor than the rural community of earlier times. See photos. The municipal building houses the post office, the town office, and the fire department. Kenduskeag Stream passes through the town.
Selected works . . . The Ark of Elm Island (1897)Arthur Brown, the Young Captain (1870The Boy Farmers of Elm Island (1869)Brought to the Front, or, The Young Defenders (1876)Burying the Hatchet: or, The Young Brave of the Delawares (1878)Charlie Bell: the Waif of Elm Island (1869)The Child of the Island Glen (1872)The Cruise of…
The first Katahdin, a wooden hulled steam vessel, began plying the waters of Moosehead Lake in 1896. While towing a raft of logs near Sand Bar Island, her steam engines caught fire on May 13, 1913. Work on a replacement began almost immediately. Hull # 63 was built for the Coburn Steamboat Company by Bath…
National Register of Historic Places – Listings Katahdin Iron Works [Northwest of Brownville Junction at Silver Lake] Katahdin Iron Works Township, T6 R9 NWP, is an unorganized township northwest of Brownville and just east of Gulf Hagas and The Hermitage. Red iron oxide from Ore Mountain is believed to have been the source of paint…
![Knox Mansion Montpelier [reconstruction] (2001)](https://maineanencyclopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/knoxman2-180x119.jpg "Knox Mansion Montpelier, reconstruction (2001)")
The current Montpelier, built 1929-1931, is a replica of the original. After many years attempting to raise funds for construction, publisher and philanthropist Cyrus H. K. Curtis donated $250,000 to more than match the $50,000 raised by the Knox Memorial Association.The original was designed in part by Knox himself, and to some degree by noted…
The Brothers and Hay Ledge Preserve, St. George. These four islands off Port Clyde provide a 12 acre home to a number of nesting sea birds such as the black guillemot, common eider, double-crested cormorants and various gulls, which prefer the dense grasses and shrubs. As such, the preserve is closed during nesting season. Managed…
The Pine Tree State Arboretum, Augusta. 200 acres of rolling hills and meadows, mature pine and hardwoods and open woodlands provide a rich variety of colors and a diversity of habitats. A pond and open field provide fine opportunities to observe birds of many shapes and sizes. According to its Guide, From 1840 to 1972,…
It was like sitting in a chimney and waiting for the smoke to blow away. It was, in fact, a cloud-factory,– these were the cloud-works, and the wind turned them off done from the cool, bare rocks. [Thoreau] Washington Irving described the Kaatskill Mountains as “a dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family…swelling up to…
After a trip of four to six months, depending on interests, style, and luck, the north-bound Appalachian Trail “thru hiker” finally arrives at Mount Katahdin’s summit in Mount Katahdin Township in Baxter State Park. Mid-October is the deadline for unrestricted permission to climb the mountain. In 2007 an early snow and resulting ice delayed the…
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…
is the fourth largest in population of the sixteen counties, located in central Maine and bisected by the Kennebec River. It was formed on February 20, 1799 from the northern part of Lincoln County. It lost a large part of its original northern portion when Somerset County was created on June 1, 1809. At least…
(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,…
(1795-1844) a U.S. Representative, was born in Newcastle on April 27, 1795. He attended Montreal Seminary, Montreal, Canada, and Georgetown College, Georgetown, D.C., and was graduated from St. Mary’s College, Baltimore, Maryland, in 1813. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and began his practice in Damariscotta. A member of the Maine House…
(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…
(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…