Many unusual questions have come up during my research about the Old Town Canoe Company but no one has yet asked me exactly where the wood used to build the canoes originated. I may have found an answer. The purchase of the Carleton Canoe Company and saw mill in 1910 included several wood lots. They continued to add woodlands through the 1930s. This allowed them to operate during the Second World War when all other lumber was being directed to the military efforts. The Penobscot county deed in book 1912 and page 369 shows that the State of Maine took 44.86 acres of this land in September, 1963 when Interstate 95 was extended from Old Town to Houlton. The map below shows this land as lots 29, 40, and 42 in Argyle with a total of 987.84 acres along Birch Stream near where the "State Highway" crosses the water. It is interesting to note that there were no other roads to these lots at that time so all of the logs would have probably been floated down the stream. The company sold this land (and more) in December, 1966 as shown by the deed in book 2084 and pages 279-281. The link below shows how this area looks now from the north bound side of the highway. Let me know if you have any questions,
Benson
Benson
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