Kennebec Valley Chamber

Belgrade, located northwest of Augusta, was incorporated in 1796. The sixty square miles of the town are largely composed of lakes, streams, and wetlands. In the summer months, the idyllic town’s population nearly doubles when part-year residents return to their cottages and seasonal camps along the many scenic lakes and streams.

Chelsea, incorporated on March 1, 1851 from a portion of Hallowell, was named for a Massachusetts town, which in turn was named for a section of London, England. Chelsea is the “gateway to the capital,” laying directly to the south of Augusta.

Dresden was first settled as Frankfort in 1752 by German and French Huguenot immigrants. A town in Lincoln County, it was incorporated as Pownalborough in 1760 as when Lincoln County was created in the Maine District of Massachusetts.

Located on the banks of the Kennebec River between Gardiner and Hallowell, Farmingdale is a vibrant residential community with densely populated riverbanks and open rural back-land. The town was incorporated on April 3, 1852 from parts of South Hallowell, North Gardiner, and West Gardiner.

Fayette is a beautiful, small town community located approximately 19 miles northwest of the state capital of Augusta. Fayette shares some of the most beautiful lakes and ponds in central Maine with the bordering towns of Mount Vernon, Readfield, and Wayne.

Gardiner is an unspoiled, authentic New England community with a historic downtown, vibrant arts and entertainment scene, shopping, and outdoor activities. Sitting on the banks of the Kennebec River at the head of navigation, Gardiner offers scenic recreational trails as well as a beautiful waterfront park and public boat launch. It is a historic city full of culture and architecture.

Hallowell, Maine’s smallest city, rests on the banks of the Kennebec River. It was settled in approximately 1762 and was once a granite and lumbering community. Granite from Hallowell was used to construct several buildings within the region. The small city is also classified as a National Historic District.

Jefferson is a town in Lincoln County, incorporated from Ballstown Plantation on February 24, 1807, when Thomas Jefferson was President. During the 19th Century, it set off land to Newcastle and Alna, and annexed land from Patricktown, later incorporated as Somerville.

Litchfield is located 16 miles southwest of Augusta in southern Kennebec County. It is a rural community situated on and around the Tacoma Lakes.

Manchester was settled in 1775 and became a town in 1850. It was first named Kennebec, but finding that their mail often went to Kennebunk, the townspeople decided in 1854 to change the name to Manchester.

Monmouth is a quintessential Maine town comprised of artistic culture and agriculture. It is a friendly walking village with access to the eateries, shops, the public beach, the library and the professional Shakespearean theater. 

Incorporated in 1792, Mount Vernon is a quintessential small town in Maine situated in the beautiful lake region of central Maine at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain range.

Pittston is located about seven miles south of Maine’s capital along the eastern shore of the Kennebec River just across from the city of Gardiner. Pittston is a small rural town with the beauty of the historic Kennebec River as a backdrop along with easy access to all services the capital area has to offer.

Randolph, about 2 square miles in size, is about 6 miles south of Augusta and about 20 miles north of the coastal town of Wiscasset. A town of just under 2,000 residents, Randolph lies along the bank of the Kennebec River just across from the City of Gardiner.

Readfield is a small rural community and a popular recreation spot in central Maine due to the numerous lakes and
ponds within its limits as well as many hiking and walking trails.

Settled in 1725 and incorporated in 1823, Richmond is a charming community made up of beautiful farms, Victorian and Greek Revival homes, a growing vibrant village, and a rich historical story to tell. The town is known for its shipbuilding history, its dairy farms, and tales of the Underground Railroad.

Somerville, located in Lincoln County, was incorporated on March 25, 1858 from Patricktown Plantation. The plantation had existed at least since 1813. It is a quiet town with a tradition of community. Many of its residents are descendants of those who settled there in the 1800s.

Wayne is a small town 15 miles west of Augusta. The town was incorporated in 1798 and named after Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne.

West Gardiner is a town in Kennebec County, incorporated on August 8, 1850 from a portion of Gardiner. It swapped land with Farmingdale (1852, 1853) and annexed some land from Litchfield (1856) to complete its boundaries.

Whitefield was settled in 1770 by mainly Irish Catholics who named the town after British evangelist George Whitefield when it was incorporated in 1809. The town has a strong sense of community fostered through its rich history, its diverse population, recreation, and locally produced crafts, artwork, and foods.

Windsor is small town located approximately 13 miles east of the state capitol, Augusta. Windsor began as a plantation known as New Waterford. The town was incorporated as Malta in 1809.

Located about 10 miles west of Maine’s capital city, and settled in 1771, Winthrop, is a business and service center for the Western Kennebec Valley region. With over 12 lakes, ponds, and streams as well as hundreds of acres of farmlands and undeveloped woodlands, there is an abundance of wildlife and opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking, and other recreational activities.