Explore Maine Real Estate
Central Maine Two of the state's largest and most important rivers - the Androscoggin and the Kennebec - give their names to the counties of central Maine. A great portion of the state's population - and economic and political activity - lies in the belt that follows I-95 and the Maine Turnpike from the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn, through the Augusta-Gardiner area to Waterville and Winslow. If you venture far from the highway, however, the landscape quickly turns to farms and fields, lakes, and ponds.  By Maine standards, Lewiston-Auburn is a truly urban community and has nearly as many residents as Portland, a statistic that always seems to surprise people in southernmost Maine. In fact, Lewiston is the state's second-largest city, Auburn is the fourth, and they are closely entwined both economically and socially. Lewiston is known primarily for its sizable Franco-American community, its textile mills, and Bates College, a fine liberal arts school that plays a large cultural role in the city. L-A has been enjoying something of a renaissance of late as increasing numbers of businesses have set up shop because of the twin cities' advantageous location - almost equidistant from Portland, Brunswick, and Augusta.
 Also well situated is Maine's state capital; Augusta sits on the Kennebec about an hour north of Portland and an hour and a half south of Bangor. It was chosen as the hub of politics because of its central location (in terms of population rather than geography), and with its busy shopping plazas, restaurants, and UMaine campus, it serves as the economic and cultural center of the region. Just south of Augusta is Hallowell, known for its historic brick downtown and the lovely old homes on its leafy hillside streets.
North of Augusta along the river is Waterville, Kennebec County's second city and an economic and cultural center in its own right. The city rose to prominence as a mill town, but its claim to fame today is the highly regarded Colby College, which brings 1,600 students to the city. West of I-95 is the Belgrade Lakes region - a scenic group of lakes, ponds, and streams that have been developed as a summer colony - and the hillside apple farms of Monmouth, Wayne, and Readfield.
This article has been adapted from the February 2004 issue of Down East Magazine. |
