Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

f    WASHINGTON.    565

Washburn, in Aroostook County, lies, on the Aroostook
river, in the 3rd range of townships from the New Brunswick border.
Marysville and Caribou lie on the east. Caribou Lake, in the north-
eastern part, is the largest sheet of water, but there are several small
ponds scattered over the town. There is one saw-mill, run by water-
power, for manufacturing long and short lumber, and one for shingles.
There are two mills manufacturing shingles, and a furniture factory
run by steam.

The underlying rock in this town is limestone. The surface is
rolling, and without high hills. The soil is a sandy loam, and at present
potatoes are found to be the most profitable crop for money returns.
Cedar, spruce, birch and maple constitute the woods. The bridge
across the Aroostook in the western part of the town is 75 feet in length.
The nearest railroad station is at Caribou, 12 miles from the principal
settlement in Washburn.

This town was surveyed by W. P. Parrott in 1842. Nathaniel
Churchill was the foremost man of the first colony, which settled here
about 1829. The town was incorporated February 25, 1861 : being
named in honor of Governor Washburn. The Baptists have a minis-
ter resident in the town. The number of public schoolhouses is six.
The entire school property is valued at $2,400. The population in
1870 was 922. In 1880 it was 1,110. The valuation of estates in 1870
was $63,021. In 1880 it was $100,243. The rate of taxation in the
latter year was 4 of 1 per cent on the whole valuation.

Washington is the north-western town of Knox County.
It is bounded on the south by Waldoboro and Jefferson, east by
Union, west by Somerville in Lincoln County, and north by Palermo
and Liberty in Waldo County, and Appleton in Knox County. It
contains two considerable ponds, Washington and Clark’s ; the first
having an area of 800 and the last of 350 square acres. The streams
are Damariscotta River, which bisects the town from north to south,
and the outlet of Clark’s Ponds and of Washington Pond,—the last con-
stituting Muscongus River. The surface of the town is uneven and in
some parts rocky. Patricktown Mountain, in the north-western part,
is the greatest elevation. The soil is productive, and the inhabi-
tants are generally thrifty. Washington, the chief business centre, is
about 35 miles easterly of Augusta, and 22 miles north-west of Rock-
land. It is on the stage-line from Augusta to Rockland and to Belfast.
The post-offices are North and West Washington. The products of
manufacture are boots and shoes, barrels and casks, cabinet-work,
lumber (two mills), staves, harnesses, flour and meal, etc.

Wasliington was in part included in the Plymouth and in part in
the Muscongus (subsequently called the Waldo) patent. The town
was made up of the westerly part of Union and several strips and
gores adjacent, and was incorporated in 1811, under the name of
Putnam. Among the petitioners for incorporation were Mark Hatch,
John and James Laughton, John Bowmin, David Colamy, Benjamin
Speed, William Starrett, Thomas Nelson, James Daggett, Samuel
Stickney and Sanford Rhoades. The name was changed to Wash-
ington in 1823.

The religious societies are the Free Baptist Methodist, Congregational