Monson

From Katahdin

Incorporated as a town on February 8, 1822, Monson is located in the southwestern part of Piscataquis County, Maine.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Lakes, ponds 2.1.1 Lake Hebron 2.1.2 Monson Pond 2.1.3 Other ponds 2.2 Rivers, streams, brooks 2.3 Wetlands 2.4 Homer Hill 3 Public places 3.1 The Honor Roll 4 Culture 4.1 Entertainment 4.1.1 Kris Kringle Fair 4.2 Libraries 4.2.1 Monson Public Library 4.3 Museums 4.3.1 WW&F Railway Museum 4.4 Organizations 4.4.1 American Legion Towne-Holmbom Post 116 4.4.2 Central Maine Sheep Breeders Association 4.4.3 Finnish Farmers Club 4.4.4 Hot Shots 4.4.5 Monson Historical Society 4.4.6 Monson Narrow Gauge Riders Snowmobile Club 4.4.7 Monson Preservation Society 5 Churches 6 Businesses 7 Government 7.1 Office hours 7.2 Elected officials 7.3 Departments 7.4 Contact information 8 Demographics 9 Schools 9.1 Monson Elementary School 10 Medical 11 Infrastructure 11.1 Roads 11.2 Utilities 11.2.1 Monson Volunteer Fire Department 12 References 13 External links

History

• Monson history

Geography

Monson is located in the southwestern part of Piscataquis County, Maine. Monson is roughly equidistant between Abbot and Shirley, with the former being about seven miles to the south, while the latter is to the north, along ME-6/15. Blanchard is a couple of miles to the west of Monson, on the Blanchard Road, while Willimantic is about the same distance to the east, along the Willimantic Road. Monson is about halfway between Guilford and Greenville. The town of Monson was settled along the shores of Hebron Lake, on the southwest, with Monson Pond being to the northeast.

The portion of the Appalachian Trail that passes just a few miles north of town, at what is known as "the ledges," begins the famous "one hundred mile wilderness," with the trail terminating at Mount Katahdin, about a hundred miles to the northeast.

Lakes, ponds

Lake Hebron

In the early 1890s, the people of Monson began to appreciate the appreciate the beauty of the lake and to recognize its value as a summer resort. The first cottage on Indian Point, owned by Mrs. P.W. Knight, is still standing. Soon after, more cottages were built, the land sold through a corporation established by Eben and Lucy Bray in 1890.

Today, Lake Hebron is surrounded by newer and more modern camps, most with electricity. Only recently, a bathing beach was developed at Whiting's Cove, which features supervised swimming during the summer months. 525 acres, maximum depth 102 feet.

Monson Pond

Monson Pond is located along the Elliottsville Road, about two miles from Monson Village. The pond is surrounded by several cottages, as well as a camping and tenting area, built in 1971. Kelley's Orchards are located across the road from the pond. 359 acres, maximum depth 92 feet.

Other ponds

• Bell Pond (19 acres, maximum depth 28 feet)
• Big Bunker Pond (10 acres, maximum depth 25 feet)
• Doe Pond (54 acres, maximum depth 8 feet)
• Eighteen Pond
• Lily Pond
• Little Bunker Pond
• Lower Doughty Pond (20 acres, maximum depth 25 feet)
• Meadow Pond
• Moores Pond
• South Pond
• Spectacle Ponds (177 acres, maximum depth 38 feet)
• Squankin Pond
• Towne Pond
• Upper Doughty Pond (13 acres, maximum depth 40 feet)

Rivers, streams, brooks

• Bear Brook
• Davis Brook
• Eighteen Pond Brook
• Goodell Brook
• Gully Brook
• Hammond Brook
• Jackson Brook
• Ladd Brook
• Leeman Brook
• Monson Stream
• North Pond Brook
• Peppermint Brook
• Piscataquis River
• Pond Brook
• Prescott Brook
• Witham Brook

Wetlands

• Doughty Bog

Homer Hill

William Hoar came to Monson in 1826, settling on Homer Hill, at a time when there was only one other family on the hill. The Gates family sold their land to Hoar, giving him possession of the entire hill. He sold two small parcels of land to the quarries to be used as a dump, but has used the rest of the hill as a farm, passing the land down to family members throughout the generations.

Public places

The Honor Roll

The plot of ground where the Honor Roll stands is covered with green grass. On iron posts set in cement, the tablet is seven feet wide and eight feet high, its frame made of wood painted white, and on either side a raised "V" for "victory" adorn the top, with "U.S.A." arranged perpendicularly below, the letters raised and painted in gold.

The panels enclosed in the frame are of Monson slate, and the top bears the inscription, "Monson Honor Roll," on a field that has been sandblasted. The main panel is of slate, 48 by 60 inches, and in the upper section the names of World War I veterans, 58 in number, appear; and in the lower section are those of World War II, which number 109. The names are in bronze, and fastened to the slate background. Plate glass covers the entire main panel.

The Monson Volunteer Fire Department is credited with much of the work that went into completing this monument.

Culture

Entertainment

Kris Kringle Fair

• Contact information
  • Phone: 207.997.3268
  • Phone: 207.827.4857

Libraries

Monson Public Library

Open Monday through Friday, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

• Contact information
  • Librarian: Van Wentworth
  • Phone: 207.997.3641

Museums

WW&F Railway Museum

There is discussion about the organization of a railroad museum.

• See WW&F Railway Museum Forum

Organizations

American Legion Towne-Holmbom Post 116

• Contact information
  • Phone: 207.997.3975

Central Maine Sheep Breeders Association

• Contact information
  • 22 Spring Road; Monson, Maine 04464
  • Phone: 207.997.3202
• See Central Maine Sheep Breeders Association

Finnish Farmers Club

• Contact information
  • Phone: 207.997.3630
  • Phone: 207.294.0472

Hot Shots

Volunteer forest firefighters.

Monson Historical Society

• Contact information
  • President: Estella Bennett
  • Address: PO Box 173; Guilford, Maine 04464
  • Phone: 207.876.3073

Monson Narrow Gauge Riders Snowmobile Club

• Contact information
  • President: Peter Ryder
  • Phone: 207.997.3340

Monson Preservation Society

• Contact information
  • President: Annalee Korsman Libby
  • Address: 102 South Main Street; Old Town, Maine 04468
  • Phone: 207.997.3268

Churches

• AIIA Institute
• Monson Community Church
• Monson United Church of Christ

Businesses

• Monson businesses

Government

Monson is governed by a Selectmen/Town Manager type of government.

Office hours

• Monday through Wednesday: 8am-4pm
• Thursday 8am-7pm
• Friday 7:30am-1pm

Elected officials

• Selectmen
  • Douglas Nelson
  • Shawn M. Nelson
  • Mark Lewis

Departments

• Fire chief: Roy Sargent
• Fire warden: Tim Anderson
• Sexton: Kenney Villone
• Plumbing inspector: Brian Turner
• Code enforcement: Brian Turner
• Animal control: Joseph Guyotte
• Health officer: Dr. Lawrence Dubien

Contact information

• Town manager: Julie Anderson
• Address: PO Box 308; Monson, Maine 04464
• Phone: 207.997.3641
• Email: monson@midmaine.com

Demographics

At the time of the 2000 census, there were 666 people, 295 households, and 179 families residing in 564 housing units in Monson.

Education

Schools

Monson is a part of Maine School Administrative District (MSAD) #68. The Monson Elementary School is located in town.

Monson Elementary School

K-5th grade.

• Contact information
  • Principal: Jeffrey Keene
  • Address: 35 Greenville Road; PO Box 288; Monson, Maine 04464
  • Phone: 207.997.3737
  • Fax: 207.997.2981
• See Monson Elementary School

Medical

The nearest hospitals are located in Greenville and Dover-Foxcroft.

Infrastructure

Roads

• ME-6/15
• Abandoned Railroad Road
• Appalachian Trail
• Barrows Falls Road
• Blanchard Road
• Bodge Farm Road
• Bray Road
• Camp Road
• Center Street
• Chapin Avenue
• Deggerstrom Road
• Doughty Pond Road
• Elliottsville Road
• Farm Quarry Road
• Fire Lane Road 1
• Fire Lane Road 2
• Forest Brook Drive
• Garage Street
• Greenville Road
• Hebron Street
• Hickory Lane
• Homer Hill Road
• Indian Point Loop
• Indian Point Road
• Island Road
• Jackson Brook Road
• Kelley Orchard Road
• Matthews Road
• Mitchell Street
• Moosehorn Road
• Narrow Gauge North
• Narrow Gauge South
• North Guilford Road
• Packard Road
• Parrot Siding Road
• Pleasant Street
• Ranta Lane
• Seven Mile Square Road
• Shore Road
• Spring Road
• Stanton Avenue
• Steven Road
• Steward Road
• Tenny Hill Road
• Thomas Road
• Towne Cove Lane
• Wallace Road
• Water Street
• Wildwood Loop
• Wilkins Street
• Wilson Lane
• Willimantic Road
• Wyman Road

Utilities

Monson Volunteer Fire Department

• Contact information
  • Fire chief: Terry Gaudet
  • Address: Main Street; Monson Maine 04464
  • Phone: 911 (emergencies)
  • Phone: 207.997.3676

References

• DeLorme, "The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer", 28th Edition, 2005 ISBN 0-89933-282-X
• DeLorme, "Maine Fishing Depth Maps: Lakes & Ponds by County", 2002 ISBN 0-89933-350-8

External links

• Town of Monson (official site)
• Wikipedia