1898 Map of Norridgewock

About this map

The Kennebec River and Sandy River converge in this late 19th-century landscape, where river-driven commerce and early rail transport defined the local economy. Norridgewock and South Norridgewock serve as primary hubs at the river bend, marked by notable features such as Sunset Rock and the Bombazee Rips. To the south, a dense network of glacial lakes including Great Pond, North Pond, and East Pond dominates the terrain, with small lakeside settlements like Belgrade Mills and South Smithfield established along their shores. This survey documents a transitional era in central Maine, capturing the Maine Central R. R. cutting through the southeast corner near Messalonskee Lake while Davis Ferry still provided essential passage across the Sandy River further west. Dozens of named peaks, including Mc Intyre Hill, Philip Mt., and Bear Mt., illustrate the prominence of the rolling upland topography between the river valleys.