1917 Map of Belfast

About this map

The Passagassawakeag River flows toward the coast of Penobscot Bay, anchoring a landscape defined by small mid-coast Maine hamlets and specialized industry during the early twentieth century. Around the hub of Belfast, the Maine Central RR connects coastal commerce to the interior, passing through City Point and Head of the Tide. The terrain is marked by a dense network of local schools and family-named landmarks, such as the Moody Mountain School and Robinson School, which suggest the social fabric of rural Waldo and Knox counties. Diverse water bodies like Quantabacook Pond and Pitcher Pond are surrounded by prominent peaks including Levenseller Mountain and Hatchet Mtn. This record by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a transitional period where water-powered industry at sites like Poors Mill and Holmes Mill persisted alongside growing rail infrastructure.