This township is in southern Piscataquis County, just west of Brownville. Originally Williamsburg and Barnard were within Number Six, Range Eight township, and adjoined Brownville on the west. In 1834 the original township was split when Barnard and Williamsburg each became incorporated towns. In 1939, in the midst of the Great Depression, Williamsburg gave up…
![Granite moving mechanism in Augusta (2002) [See crane below right]](https://maineanencyclopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/02110116-Copy.jpg)
Granite: The Product and the People The 19th century granite industry provided jobs for men on the islands as well as on the mainland. The Wiscasset, now historic, jail was completed in 1811 with granite walls from the Edgecomb quarries. As early as 1832 many rooms, walls and arches of Fort Knox in Prospect were…
The town lies on the Weskeag River, which broadens into several large coves before emptying into the Muscle Ridge Channel. In addition to the main village, Pleasant Beach, Waterman Beach, and Spruce Head villages hug the shore on Penobscot Bay. Spruce Head Island, connected to the mainland by a bridge, juts into Muscle Ridge Channel, a favorite passage for boaters seeking the protection of the outlying islands.
The main village lies north of Rockland and boasts its own, attractive harbor near Camden. The harbor was once the home of “Andre the seal,” a local attraction and mascot of the community and summer visitors. Atteeactions include its lighthouse, opera house, and waterfront park .
Mining has been significant part of the Maine economy at different times in different places, thanks to its geologic composition. Granite, slate, and gem extraction have been important local industries at certain points in the state’s history. The Mt. Mica mine in Paris, Maine was the site in 1820 where amateur naturalists Elijah Hamlin and…
Abandoned granite quarries and clay banks where bricks were made suggest the early economic activities of the area. See photos. Several fine farm houses and barns have survived to recall the great heritage of the town. See images below from the Library of Congress of the old cattle pound.
Early in the 19th century, Hallowell on the Kennebec has become an important commercial center in the District of Maine. River ice and shipbuilding were staple industries. Granite quarries were active and productive in the 19th century, with one on “Granite Hill.” Maine’s smallest city in area has a vital downtown with antique and book shops, along with restaurants. See photos. The first settler arrived in 1762; surveyor Ephraim Ballard, in 1776; his wife Martha, the next year. Maine’s first Anti-Slavery Society was founded here in 1833.
(1777-1834) was a geographer and one who believed that Maine’s economic and civil success would be best supported by a clear understanding of its geographic, economic, and demographic resources. He became know as “Maine’s First Mapmaker.” [Click each map to see more detailed images from the Osher Map Library.] Born in 1777 in Newburyport, Massachusetts,…
Blueberries and Christmas trees are major crops in this still growing rural community. The Taunton Bay Islands nature preserve consists of two small islands. Named for Benjamin Franklin, the town lies east of Ellsworth.
in eastern, coastal Washington County and named for the French port, was briefly settled in 1604 when a French expedition arrived on St. Croix Island. Today it features late 19th century historic brick structures, modern state and federal buildings, and a visitor center. Home to Washington County Community College. See video and photos.
Famed for its slate, its quarry industry ended in 1917. It is the eastern gateway to The Hermitage, 35 acres of stately 150 year-old growth white pine overlooking the Pleasant River. Brownville Junction is so named for the railroad junction of Canadian and U.S. railroads.
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 village straddles a bend in the Kennebec River at the junction of Maine Routes 8 and 139, and U.S. Routes 2 and 201A. See photos. The Sandy River empties into the Kennebec in the town. Benedict Arnold’s expedition passed through in 1775. Norridgewock was the home of author Rebecca “Sophie May” Clark, and U.S.Representatives Cullen Sawtelle and Stephen D. Lindsey.
The island town is home to two nature preserves, both managed by the Nature Conservancy. See photos. Granite quarrying was an important industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries, both on the main island and on nearby Hurricane Island, which is in the town of Vinalhaven. Now a community of summer residents and Maine residents, it is accessible by the State Ferry Service, which provides transportation, for passengers and vehicles, to and from Rockland.