Maine Towns Activism and Colonial Legacy

 

Towns named in solidarity of countries independence or resilience in Maine (These towns reflect Maine’s political consciousness and solidarity with global community) and  Towns named after Colonists/settlers (These towns honor Maine’s colonial legacy)

How do these towns named for the purpose of solidarity and towns named after colonists reflect the inner dialogue within Maine residents regarding social resistance and colonial legacies?

The unique names of several towns in Maine reflect the broader social and political discourses of their era embedded in their communities. Some towns were named after colonists or the cities they hailed from such as Waldoboro, Leeds, Boothbay, Augusta, and Poland. In addition, several towns in Maine were named with the intention to show solidarity with a countries resilience or successful independence such as Peru, Mexico, Denmark, Belgrade, and Moscow. This suggest that Mainers were proud of their colonial ancestry but also conscious of current events happening within the global community, going back as 1816 when the a Maine town was named Moscow in response to Russians burning their city to evade Napoleon's advancements. 

I marked towns named in solidarity with triangles and towns name after colonists with points. I also used arrows to guide the reader along the dates the maps were created. I chose a variety of maps ranging from 1774 to 1902 to exhibit how maps of Maine have changed through-out the course of history. Maps became more colorful, specific, and detailed as history progressed. However, it is fascinating to see the accuracy of these maps that were created centuries ago that are somewhat or innately similar to how the places they’re depicting are currently depicted.  

I selected towns that were named after early Maine settlers and towns named in solidarity to not only exhibit discussions that were important for Mainers at that point in history but also to show a broader contradiction in these towns historical histories. I think often times people are more willingly to recognize and respond to atrocities or political events from a distance than those happening in their own communities. It must be acknowledged that all og these towns are settled on Indigenous Territories. While these town names exhibit the reflections of Mainer’s sympathies to the international community they don’t necessarily reflect Mainer’s perspectives or even acknowledgement of their occupation on former indigenous territory.

The Maine towns that were named to commemorate the decolonial efforts of other countries implies that these towns empathized with colonized countries and recognized the importance of their independence. However, that sentiment is not necessarily reflected in Maine towards the decolonial efforts of Abenkai tribe against settler colonialism and expansion.  

This map exhibits the colonial narrative of Maine towns that honors the legacy of settler colonialism, neoliberalism and development in Maine. This map also reflects the American belief in independence and autonomy in nation building. For instance, the Maine town Augusta was named after the daughter of a Revolutionary War hero. It is evident that Mainers recognized the importance of independence and autonomy.  The Revolutionary War and toppling the British hegemony in the United States evoked a profound collective sense of patriotism within Americans. Resistance is a focal part of American identity, but for who? I made sure to include a point at Portland and description to exhibit the attack the British navy administered that evoked sympathies in Mainers towards the Dutch who experienced a similar attack in Belgrade. Mainers naming a town Belgrade in solidarity to the dutch against their common enemy the British shows contradiction in how many Americans recognize and interpret resistance. It is evident that resistance is viewed as legitimate and admirable in certain contexts and for certain people specifically when it is in the best interest of colonial America. 

I attached brief sentences underneath each town to exhibit the colonial narrative behind the naming of these towns. I also included what Indigenous territories these towns occupy/border to remind the viewer of the enduring presence of Indigenous people that have prevailed across time and space in this country. Indigenous lifestyles and history is seldom acknowledged in Maine and the rest of the United States. The maps cover and overpower the Indigenous ancestry of the territory they preside over.  

 

 

 

 

In 1818, the country of Mexico was fighting for its independence from Spain, and townsfolk in what would become the Maine town of the same name, sympathized and named themselves after it. A similar thing happened with the town of Peru — the South American country declared its independence from Spain in 1821, the same year the Maine town incorporated.1880 - Towns in Solidarity(Peru and Mexico)

“The land was once part of Pequawket (now Fryeburg), village of the Sokokis Abenaki Indians... The town was named after the country Denmark to show solidarity, because Copenhagen had been attacked by the British Navy 1884 - Town in Solidarity (Denmark)

The town was named after Leeds England where John Stinchfield was born. His sons Thomas and Roger were the pioneer settlers of Leeds Maine.1879 - Colonial Town (Leeds)

The town was finally given the name Moscow, named for the Russian city that was burned by its citizens in 1812 to dislodge the French soldiers.1883 - Town in Solidarity (Moscow) 

The Boothbay area was called Winnegance by settlers and coastal voyagers during the mid-to-late 1600s...There was already a Townsend in Massachusetts, so when our "place without the bounds of any town" was declared a town, the name was changed to Boothbay.1887 - Colonial Town (Boothbay)

One theory holds that when Belgrade was incorporated in 1796, townsfolk named it for the Serbian city, which a few years earlier had been besieged by Austrian forces. 1879- Town in Solidarity (Belgrade)

Moses Emery one of the area's earliest settlers and representative to the general court... he considered names for the town, for it was Poland he chose.1873 - Town in Solidarity (Poland)

In September 1607, when the European settlers first came to the area, they named it Cushnoc, the Native American word for "head of the tide"... The city is named after the daughter of Henry Dearborn, a statesman and Revolutionary War general.1902 - Colonial Town (Augusta)

Between 1740 and 1753, approximately 1,500 Germans immigrated to Waldoboro, Maine...the town of Waldoborough was formally created – named after their founder Samuel Waldo.1774 - Colonial Town (Waldoboro)

 

Burnham, Emily Burnham. “The Strange Origins of Maine Towns Named after Foreign Places.”Bangor Daily News, March 21, 2023 https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/ 03/21/news/strange-origins-maine-towns-names-foreign-joam40zk0w/. 

Fox, Cooper. “6 Things You Probably Don’t Know about Augusta.” 92 Moose, January 20, 2020. https://92moose.fm/6-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-augusta/. 

“History.” Town of Moscow, Maine. Accessed November 9, 2025. https://moscowmaine.org/history. 

“History of Poland, Maine | Poland Me.” Town of Poland Maine . Accessed November 9, 2025. https://www.polandtownoffice.org/historical-society/pages/history-poland-maine. 

Rumsey, Barbara. “The Origin of the Name Boothbay, Part I.” Boothbay Register, November 6, 2014. https://www.boothbayregister.com/article/origin-name-boothbay-part-i/43449. 

“The Germans of Waldoboro.” Meander Maine, June 8, 2025. https://meandermaine.com/tale/the-germans-of-waldoboro/. 

“The History of Mexico, Maine – Mexico Maine.” Mexico Maine . Accessed November 9, 2025. https://mexicomaine.net/history/.  

“The History of Belgrade.” The Belgrade Historical Society, May 24, 2022. https://belgradehistoricalsociety.org/about-us-2/the-history-of-belgrade/. 

Town of Leeds. “About the Town of Leeds.” Town of Leeds. Accessed November 9, 2025.https://townofleeds.com/about. 

https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/all-over-the-map-maine-place-names/