On Wednesday morning, May 31st, we all departed the
Poland Springs Campground.
We headed back toward Highway 122 on Route 26. There was a
Sunoco gas station at that intersection and the pumps were headed in the right
direction! We pulled in and all filled up!
We headed north on Highway 122, this will avoid us driving
back through Gray to catch Route 202 again. We picked up Route 202 just outside
of Auburn.
We passed by an American Legion that really showed its
patriotism. If you don’t believe me, just check out their building! It is American
Legion Alden M. Gayton Post 31. I tried to reach this post’s namesake, but could
only find, he was born in 1894, died in 1918 and is buried in Peare Cemetery in
Greene, Maine.
Highway 202, turned to head downtown Auburn we started to
follow the road,but our GPS quickly alerted us that there was a "low clearance" ahead. We had to make a couple of left turns to get back to a "safe" route for the height of Jack's rig. The route around downtown took us across the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Bridge was built in 1973. It crosses
the Androscoggin River and Boxer Island, connecting Lewiston to Auburn.
Passed through the towns of Greene, Leeds, and Winthrop. Just
south of Manchester, we found a golf cart crossing sign! I have blogged about
many animal and farm related crossing signs, but don’t think I ever found a
golf cart crossing sign.
In Augusta, we hit a traffic circle. Have I mentioned how
much I hate traffic circles! I missed the correct exit and we started down the
wrong one … too late to pull back into the circle … oooppps! There was an old
supermarket being worked on, so all three of us pulled into that lot. We needed
a break anyway!
We discovered Old Fort Western, which was built in 1754 and
a National Historic Landmark. It is America's oldest surviving wooden fort. The
Fort was built by the Kennebec Proprietors, a Boston-based company seeking to
settle the lands along the Kennebec River that had been granted to the Pilgrims
more than a century earlier. Built at the head of the river, Fort Western
served as a fortified storehouse in support of Fort Halifax, located 17 miles
north. Supplies were shipped via sloop and schooner from Boston, unloaded at
Fort Western and then taken to Fort Halifax. Fort Western was never attacked
directly. Private Edward Whalen, however, was captured in May, 1755, as he
attempted to deliver dispatches to Fort Halifax. He spent four years in
captivity, first among the Indians, then as a prisoner in France. He was
exchanged in 1760. Protected behind its four-pound cannon, the garrison spent
most of its time doing routine duty, including boat repair, cooking, baking,
brewing, and getting wood, in addition to helping re-supply Fort Halifax. Hostilities
on the Kennebec came to a virtual end in 1760 following Wolfe's capture of
Quebec but the garrison at Fort Western, though reduced in strength, stayed on
station until late in 1767 to help maintain an English presence on the river.
Finally, when the last of the garrison was discharged, Captain Howard made
arrangements to acquire the Fort's buildings and surrounding lands. Benedict
Arnold used Fort Western as a staging point for his assault on Quebec in 1775
during the American Revolution. But, after 1767 no soldiers were stationed at Fort Western.
Once back on track, on Highway 202, we passed a purple
house!
Highway 202 joins Route 3, entering the China Lakes Region. China
Lake is a natural freshwater glacial lake. China Lake is an irregularly shaped
body of water, with two true basins: the West Basin and the East Basin. China
Lake has been the Kennebec area's main water supply since the early 1900s, now
serving more than 40,000 people. The Kennebec Water District owns much of the
lake's shoreline and is attempting to protect the lake from future problems.
Route 3 and Highway 202 separated and we stayed on Route 3. We found an ice cream stand and we all thought about our friend, Pattye! A bit further we discovered the Lake St George State Park is on the northwest shore of the
beautiful Lake St George. Route 3 runs parallel and close to the lake, which
was originally part of a farmstead. The centerpiece of the park is Lake St
George itself. Some of the park's campsites are located right on the shoreline
where a morning cup of coffee can be enjoyed while watching the sun rise over
the crystal clear water. Loons are frequent visitors and their signature call
can often be heard at night. The lake is 1,017 acres and boasts numerous
undeveloped islands. Fishing for landlocked salmon and brook trout is a popular
sport.
Outside of Belfast, you find the Belfast Curling Club. It
opened officially in February, 1959 on the site which had previously been
flooded for outdoor curling by a group of enthusiasts. Inspired by founder and
first president, Dr. Norman E. Cobb and friends from the St. Stephen, New
Brunswick Curling Club, volunteer masons, carpenters, plumbers, electricians,
and laborers built the club on donated land. Before this, the original handful of "roaring game"
fans traveled frequently to St. Stephen, and later carted an assortment of
stones to a nearby college hockey rink for early morning ice time. In 1962, the
two-sheet ice house was razed to make room for the present three-sheet
clubhouse which now provides activities for more than 100 members ranging in
age from 16 to 75.
We crossed a bridge over the Penobscot Bay, it was obviously
low tide with a few fishing boats present. Penobscot Bay is an inlet of the
Gulf of Maine and Atlantic Ocean in south central Maine. The bay originates
from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River, downriver from Belfast. Penobscot
Bay has many working waterfronts. Penobscot Bay and its chief tributary,
Penobscot River are named for the Penobscot Indian Nation, which has
continuously inhabited the area for more than ten thousand years, fishing,
hunting and shellfish gathering in and around the bay and river.
The Town of Stockton Springs is a small coastal community in
Waldo County, Maine. We are located between Belfast and Bucksport on Coastal US
1. We are home to Fort Point State Park, Sandy Point Beach Park, and Stockton
Harbor. We are also just south of the impressive Penobscot Narrows Bridge. We saw our first lighthouse here. In June of 1834, Congress appropriated $5,000 to enable the
Secretary of the Treasury to provide a contract for building a light-house on a
site at Fort Point, at the entrance of Penobscot Bay. The lighthouse, a conical
tower built of undressed split granite and an accompany dwelling. The tower was
topped by an octagonal iron lantern housing eight lamps with thirteen-inch
reflectors that shone a fixed white light at a height of ninety-nine feet above
high water. Fort Point Lighthouse went into service to guide ships hauling
literally tons of potatoes and timber from the area. Between 1905 and 1907,
three long wooden piers were built that turned Cape Jellison into a bustling
port. A huge 600-foot-long warehouse, capable of holding 240,000 barrels or an
astounding 18 million pounds of potatoes grown in Aroostook County, was
situated near the wharves. A fire in 1924 destroyed the wharfs, and the port
never recovered.
Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory are located
on the west bank of the Penobscot River in Prospect. It is an area known as the
Penobscot Narrows. The Fort was named for Major General Henry Knox, America's
first Secretary of War, who was born in Boston but retired to Thomaston, Maine
in 1796. The Fort garrisoned its first troops from 1863 to 1866. These troops
were mostly volunteers undergoing training before being sent to their active
posts and included members of the celebrated 20th Maine. Troops were also
briefly stationed at the Fort during the Spanish American war in 1898, but
never saw military action. Fort Knox is one of the best preserved
fortifications on the New England seacoast. The Fort has many architectural
features present only to itself, as well as a rich history behind its cannon
batteries. Maine was repeatedly involved in northeast border disputes with
British Canada, and the area between Castine and the rich lumber city of Bangor
was invaded and occupied by the British during the American Revolution and the
War of 1812. Despite the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, Fort Knox was
established in 1844 to protect the Penobscot River valley against a possible
future British naval incursion.
The Penobscot Narrows Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that carries
US 1 & Route 3 over the Penobscot River. The Penobscot Narrows Bridge is
one of three bridges in the US constructed recently using a cradle system that
carries the strands within the stays from bridge deck to bridge deck, as a
continuous element, eliminating anchoring in the pylons. Each strand acts
independently, allowing for removal, inspection and replacement of individual
strands. The bridge was designed as an emergency replacement for the
Waldo–Hancock Bridge. From conception to completion, just 42 months elapsed.
The Bucksport Veteran’s Memorial is located next to the
river where Route 1 intersects Main Street in downtown Bucksport. As with most
communities within the State of Maine, Bucksport has a deep respect and
appreciation for their military veterans. The local American Legion Bucksport
Post 93 is an active organization committed to supporting military members and
their families. In 2007, Post 93 began working with the Town of Bucksport to
develop a memorial that would honor all the military veterans from Bucksport
that have served their country. By the summer of 2009, the Veteran’s Memorial
was completed.
Driving along Route 3 was a very dreary and foggy drive. Our friend, Karen, a Mainer ... tells us that the fog breathes ... which explains why, we went from dense fog to clear!
We did pass a motel, with little cottages. Naturally, I had
to snap a picture because the one on the end was purple!
Headed into Ellsworth, unique art along Route 3 right near statues representing our heritage. This is the
first time we have seen a Walmart since we left the Walmart in Troy! We did not
stop now, but I am sure we will be back!
Great signage to ensure we headed in the right direction! We drove onto Mt Desert Island, a quick left took us to the
campground.
Our home for the next 3 nights is Mt Desert Narrows Campground, an
Encore property.
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