Lumberman's Museum and Katahdin Iron Works

THE LUMBERMAN'S MUSEUM - PATTEN
KATAHDIN IRON WORKS - BROWNVILLE JUNCTION*

This trip wsa selected to expose students to a way of life that was at one time very common in the State of Maine. The Museum is located in Patten, just north of Maine's Katahdin country. In this area, the lumbering industry boomed during the period of time depicted at the museum. Arrangements for the visits to the museum may be made by contacting the Lumberman's Museum...The museum is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hours are 9 to 4 Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 on Sundays. The museum is closed on Mondays except holidays. From Labor Day through Columbus Day, the museum is open weekends and by appointment. Organized groups of students are admitted free, however a donation is acceptable.

The museum may be reached by traveling I-95 to the Sherman-Patten Exit. A rest area just before the Medway-Millinocket Exit makes a good stopping place after an hour and twenty-five minutes travel from Bangor. From the Sherman-Patten Exit proceed one mile on Route 11, nine miles to Patten. The museum is located one mile on Route 159 which intersects Route 11 in Patten.

Activities at the Lumberman's Museum included a guided tour of the several buildings at the site. This tour lasted approximately one hour and a half. It is best to divide in small groups with sufficient adult supervision. Students and staff were exposed to every type of lumbering tool imaginable, as well as old photographs, dioramas, models, actual camps, boats, lookout tower, old steam powered log haulers and early snowmobiles. These collections are housed in nine buildings. This experience was exceptionally educational for students as well as staff members. The guides were excellent and the exhibits were very well explained. It is suggested that following the guided tour, the students have their lunch at picnic tables available and then visit the exhibits again in very small groups of not more than ten, each led by an adult. This will allow the students to spend more time examining areas of interest.

As an additional option to this trip, one may retrace the route to I-95 and journey south to the Medway-Millinocket Exit. Following Route 11 west the buses will pass the Great Northern Paper Mill in East Millinocket. Traveling Route 11 south to Brownville, one must turn right at the "Prairie" and drive six miles into the woods to visit Katahdin Iron Works State Memorial. Here one will see a blast furnace and charcoal kiln which have been restored at the site of a once thriving iron works. The history of the Katahdin Iron Works is depicted on display boards at various points.

Student Rating - 3.3
Teacher Rating - 3.8

* Not visited in 1980

(Excerpt from The Maine Journey Field Trip Guide, 1980, p.7.)