WRITTEN BY WANDA CURTIS

Piscataquis County has many interesting historic sights to see. More than 50 of those sites have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Many are related to the logging industry. With the recent arrival of warm weather, it would be a great time to plan a day trip, pack a lunch, and head out to visit some of these sites. Below are just a few of the sights that you don’t want to miss.

Ambajejus Boom House is a historic logging-related facility built in 1907. It’s one of the only boom houses of its kind left from the great log drives that were once a major part of the economy in the area. Lumber harvested from the northern woods was sawed into logs and floated down the Penobscot River to Lake Ambajejus and then to the paper mills. Boom houses provided temporary living quarters for loggers and other workers involved in logging operations.

Ambajejus Boom House is now a museum containing artifacts from the river drives in the area that ended in 1971. The museum is located on Ambajejus Lake, northwest of Millinocket. It’s accessible by boat from May through September.

American Woolen Company Mill is a complex including 10 buildings and structures on East Main Street, near the Piscataquis River bridge, in Dover-Foxcroft. Those were built between 1844 and 1941. The mill was once called Mayo & Son Mill. However, the entire complex was completed under the ownership of the American Woolen Company. The buildings are representative of the architecture seen in textile mills during that time period.

Mills provided work for many people in the area for 163 years, according to the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Workers manufactured high-quality woolen textiles used for men’s and women’s clothing.

Chandler Parsons Blacksmith Shop is a historic blacksmith shop located at 103 Dawes Road in Dover-Foxcroft. The shop is thought to have been built by blacksmith Nicholas A. Chandler in the early 1860s. It was later restored and is now a museum containing original blacksmith equipment such as an anvil, bellows, an ox lifter, and other tools used in the blacksmith trade, some of which are interactive. The museum is open between Memorial Day and October.

Chesuncook Village was an 1840s logging settlement associated with the Penobscot log drives. It’s located on the northwestern shore of the 26,000-acre Chesuncook Lake and is part of an unorganized township. One of the key structures there was the Chesuncook Village Lake House, which was a boarding house and lodge for loggers and trappers until it burned in 1918.

The building that replaced it continues to serve as a wilderness lodge that offers home-cooked meals. There are also houses built by Northern Paper Company for workers and a church-schoolhouse building that the company also built. The remote village is open to visitors and can be reached by boat or car.

Katahdin Iron Works is a Maine state historic site where the iron works operated between 1845 and 1890. It’s located in the unorganized territory of Katahdin. At one time, there were 16 charcoal kilns and a blast furnace operating there, according to the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Each kiln burned 50 cords of wood, which the commission’s website says took six days to burn and 10 days to cool.

The company ceased operations in 1890 because of outside competition. Remnants of the blast furnace, a charcoal kiln, and the 200-family company town still remain today. Several natural landmarks are also located in the area.

The Katahdin is a historic steamboat built at Bath Iron Works in 1914 and is the oldest boat built by BIW that is still afloat today. It was first put into operation as a cruise ship for tourists on Moosehead Lake in Greenville. Later, a paper company acquired it and used it as a towboat for hauling lumber across the lake.

The boat was later restored to serve as a cruise ship again, offering cruises on Moosehead Lake from June through October.

Moosehead Marine Museum contains artifacts and photos related to the days of steamboating and the heritage of the Moosehead Lake region. Tickets for Katahdin cruises can be purchased at the museum’s ticket office. The museum is located at 12 Lily Bay Road in Greenville.

William M. Shaw House is a beautiful historic building that was once the home of prominent Greenville businessman William M. Shaw. He owned a sawmill, lumberyard, and retail store in Greenville. He was also the owner of M.G. Shaw Company, which controlled large tracts of forest land.

Shaw owned the Katahdin steamboat as well. The house is known for its elaborate Queen Anne architecture. A period carriage house sits next to it. The property was converted into an inn and is currently operated as the Greenville Inn. It’s located at 40 Norris St. in Greenville. Six guest cottages were added to the property after the conversion.