This article is part four of the Megunticook River Citizens Advisory Committee’s articles spotlighting  our website’s FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. 

Included in this installment as well are references and links to our newsletters summarizing presentations by Ken Gross about Camden’s industrial history and by Darren Ranco, Ph.D, citizen of the Penobscot Nation,  professor of anthropology, chair of Native American Programs, and faculty fellow at the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine. He discusses indigenous presence in the watershed.

We hope this series will help to answer your questions and provide reference points to guide your understanding of the Megunticook River watershed.   Our articles have highlighted flooding and water levels; dams’ maintenance and costs; and fish passage and habitat for the Megunticook River and its watershed.  

According to Ranco, the Penobscot people had a presence in the Megunticook watershed.  The quote below is from the summary of his presentation in our newsletter, volume 6:

“The Megunticook watershed was inhabited by people from the Penobscot Tribe. The Penobscot likely used the watershed as an access point to southern shellfishing areas and gathered medicinal plants in the higher altitudes.”

As is typical, there is much more written history about the early colonial presence than the indigenous here in the watershed. Ken Gross gave a presentation to MRCAC on our industrial past summarized in our newsletter and also preserved in our “Presentation Series” section. 

Some of the earliest Europeans settled in Camden because of the nine or more ”privileges “ on the Megunticook River. 

A mill privilege refers to the right of a mill-site owner to build a mill and use the power from a stream to operate it. The earliest mills were grist and saw mills at the East and West dams and at Montgomery Dam.  

Between 1769 and the late 1800s, dams along the river provided power for saw and grist mills, foundries manufacturing anchors, boat parts and wooden plugs, as well as businesses, carding wool, tanning, making clothing and manufacturing oakum and gunpowder.  A walking tour of six of these historic mill sites is outlined in The Camden Mill Walk brochure.  

The FAQ section comprises two questions and answers.  There is more thorough information summarized in our newsletters and links to those are also highlighted below. 

Questions on Historical and Cultural Considerations

• How will this project take the history of the Megunticook River and its dams into consideration?
• How will the project honor the intentions of Philip Montgomery when he gifted Montgomery Dam to the Town?

Newsletter Volume No. 5:  Industrial History of the Megunticook River

Newsletter: Volume No. 6:    History of Indigenous People in the Megunticook Watershed a discussion with Darren Ranco, Ph.D.

Because the responses to these questions are complex and can’t be summarized in simple soundbites, we encourage you to use the link provided to explore the answers to help you make an informed decision on the upcoming November vote on Montgomery Dam.  In addition to our FAQ section, our website has past newsletters, recorded meetings and links to important information on the Megunticook watershed.  We hope you will spend some time exploring it.   

As a reminder, MRCAC is a town-sanctioned committee whose purpose is to provide recommendations to the Select Board for preserving and improving the sustainability and resiliency for the Megunticook River and its watershed.  

Please share your concerns and ask questions to guide us moving forward. Our recommendation will be guided by input we receive from you.   Our next MRCAC meeting is July 10 at the Camden Town Hall in the Tucker room, 4 to 6 p.m.  There is a public comment period from 5:45 to 6 p.m.

Members of the Megunticook River Citizens Advisory Committee:

Raymond Andresen

Courtney Cease

Deborah Chapman

Lynette (Elphie) Owen

Ellen Reynolds

Tyler Smith

Seth Taylor

Richard Thackeray

Susan Todd