The Aroostook War: Establishing the Northern and Eastern Boundaries of Maine

Beginning at the front of the Fort Fairfield Community Building, we will walk along Elm Street and Main Street, cross over to the dike and walk to the eastern end. We will continue along the ATV trail (underfoot conditions permitting), take a sharp right onto Park Street, then Lower Main to Puddledock. There we will imagine James Fitzherbert’s frame house, and State Land Agent McIntire
being taken from there on a cold February midnight by a posse of British lumbermen, and sent by sleigh down the St. John River to stand trial in Fredericton. Along the way we will stop several times to discuss the Treaty of Paris, Plymouth Grant, lumber trespassers, the King of the Netherlands, Maine politics in the 1820’s and 1830’s, early Fort Fairfield characters, Mr. Webster and Mr. Ashburton, and consequences of their treaty. We will return to the Community Building along sidewalks. In case of inclement weather we will walk to the Gazebo and talk there.