1965 Map of Bath

About this map

Coastal Maine’s complex network of estuaries and islands is revealed in this mid-1960s study, which traces the transition from the industrial hubs of Brunswick and Bath to the remote outposts of the Atlantic Ocean. The maritime character of the region is defined by the heavy presence of shipping and defense infrastructure, including the Fort Popham Military Res at the mouth of the Kennebec River and a U S Coast Guard Station managing the approaches to the Medomak River and Penobscot Bay. Further inland, the Maine Central RR connects the riverside towns of Topsham, Wiscasset, and Rockland. The map illustrates the era’s navigation patterns through the Two Bush Channel and past isolated landmasses like Monhegan Island and Matinicus Island, providing a detailed look at the granite-edged coastline before later 20th-century development altered these historic harbor settlements.