Explorations (Part 1): Maine..."Away from the coast"

Written by
Alissa
World Champion LumberJill
​Founder & Owner of the Axe Women Loggers of Maine

Two weeks ago, we observed Memorial Day Weekend... also known as the official "kick off" to the summer tourist season here in Maine. That time of year when our roads become filled with out of state license plates, lost drivers in rental cars and gigantic motor homes... and businesses that quietly ran throughout the winter months graciously welcome travelers from all over the world as they rush in to see our beautiful state... 
We are lucky that we get to call the state of Maine home year-round... well... when we're not on the road, that is! 
And we enjoy showing off our state to visitors! So, if you get the chance, please come see what Maine has to offer... but don't forget that we are more than just Bar Harbor, light houses, and lobster (Yes, those are all great!). Maine has so much more to show you...

If you head just a little bit north (and inland) from the coastline you can find some amazing hidden gems! Maine is actually well known for its logging history... and there are several unique places you can visit to learn a little more about that! And maybe even escape some of the crowds that tend to stick to the coastal towns! 
 
According to an article from The Maine Highlands, "Logging in Maine began in the early 1600’s when English explorers first cut trees on Monhegan Island. In 1634, the first sawmill powered by water, was built in South Berwick. By 1832, Bangor had become the largest shipping port for lumber in the world. At times, as many as 3,000 ships were anchored there and one could almost walk across ship decks to Brewer. 8,737,628,202 board feet of lumber were shipped from Bangor between 1832 and 1888."

Bangor is just one hour (or maybe closer to two with summertime traffic) from Bar Harbor. It is definitely worth spending at least a day exploring the city and its surrounding areas. 
One of my favorite photo ops in Bangor is the giant Paul Bunyan statue! He stands 31 feet tall, holding a double bit axe over his shoulder with one hand and a peavey in his other hand. He was built in 1959 for Bangor's 125th birthday... and said to mark the birthplace of everyone's favorite lumberjack! Some other states may try to argue and claim that he was actually born elsewhere.... but I've heard that his birth certificate is still located, and even on display, within Bangor's city limits. 
It's said that he could quite possibly be the world's tallest Paul Bunyan statue... and... he was built to withstand hurricane force winds! Definitely worth a stop!! You can find him standing in Bass Park.
If you're already in Bangor visiting Paul, you should really take a drive just a few miles into the town of Bradley and check out the Maine Forest & Logging Museum . You can also read about it here in my last blog !

If you're up for some adventure, and really want to leave the crowded tourist destinations behind you, then pack up your canoe, tent and bug spray and drive just a few hours north of Bangor into the North Maine Woods and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. You'll have to check in at one of their check points and pay a fee. Make sure you have a high clearance vehicle with 4-wheel-drive and plenty of extra fuel, food, and water! We spent a week camping up there last summer. Amazing!! Aside from the one really nice family from New Jersey that we managed to run into twice, we never saw another human until we checked out! The wildlife was incredible, and the night sky was unbelievable. 
The North Maine Woods region covers more than 3.5 million acres of forest! Most of this land is currently owned by timber corporations and is actively being worked. A few words of caution - It is up to you to watch out for logging trucks! They have the right of way. If you meet one, or notice one coming up behind you - pull completely over and let them by! Also... watch out for moose!!!
While you're still up in that area of Northern Maine I want to make two more suggestions of places that you should look into and try to see before you leave. If you can, you should get out to the Ambajejus Boom House, located on an island in Ambajejus Lake. It was used right up until 1971 to house booming crews! You'll need to take a boat to get there! 
And finally, you should take the hike through the woods to find the abandoned Allagash trains... ghost trains some people call them. Sitting between Eagle Lake and Chamberlain Lake are two abandoned steam locomotives. They were used to haul logs during the 1920's... but sadly, just left there in the 1930's.

Maine has so much to offer! So much history here in our woods and rivers! When you come to visit, please take the time to research all the regions of Maine... and give things off the beaten path a chance! You might be surprised by what you'll find!