1960 Map of Presque Isle

About this map

Presque Isle and the vast timberlands of northern Maine are documented here during the mid-century, a time when the region's economy relied heavily on the Bangor and Aroostook railroad. The map shows the sprawling wilderness of the Maine North Woods, including the remote headwaters of the Allagash River and the high peaks of Baxter State Park, anchored by Mount Katahdin. This era represents the height of the Cold War presence at Presque Isle AFB, which stands in contrast to the rural agricultural and logging settlements like Washburn, Ashland, and Smyrna Mills. To the west, the international border with Canada is clearly defined, separating the Maine wilderness from Quebec settlements such as St Pamphile. The landscape is a network of remote ponds and ridges, from Caucomgomoc Lake to Norway Bluff, reachable then primarily by rail or primitive woods roads.