Millinocket

by David R. Duplisea

The town of Millinocket rests at the junction where the West Branch of the Penobscot River and the Millinocket Stream converge. In 1898, settlers arrived in the area and carved a town out of the wilderness, constructing the Great Northern Paper Company, the largest paper mill in the world at that time. Utilizing the waterways, lumbermen floated the logs downriver to feed the mill and export paper around the globe. The town and mill sprang up practically overnight, built at a fevered pace to keep up with the paper demand, and gave Millinocket the nickname Magic City in Maine's Wilderness. Today Millinocket is the closest town to the famous Baxter State Park and Maine's highest peak, Mount Katahdin. As the gateway to the Allagash region, Millinocket draws tourists year-round with its numerous outdoor activities.