North Anson, Maine: A Historic Mill Village on the Kennebec

Head up the Kennebec River from central Maine and you will come to North Anson, a quiet village with a rich mill-town past. Set where the Carrabassett River spills into the Kennebec, it grew up around the water power that once drove sawmills and factories, and today it makes a pleasant stop for anyone exploring the upper Kennebec Valley or heading toward Maine's western mountains.

Where Is North Anson?

North Anson is a village in the town of Anson, in Somerset County, on the west bank of the Kennebec River at the mouth of the Carrabassett River. It sits in the heart of the upper Kennebec Valley in central Maine, a short drive north of Skowhegan and Madison, and serves as a gateway toward the Carrabassett Valley and the western mountains beyond.

A Kennebec Valley Mill Town

The area was first settled in 1772 as Plantation Number One, and the town of Anson was incorporated in 1798, taking its name from the British admiral Lord George Anson. North Anson was briefly set off as its own town in 1845 before rejoining Anson a decade later. The falls of the Carrabassett River provided the water power that turned North Anson into a busy little manufacturing village — over the years it produced lumber, brick, carriages, cans, and textiles, a heritage still visible in its old village architecture.

The New Portland Wire Bridge

Just a few miles away in neighboring New Portland stands one of Maine's most unusual landmarks: the New Portland Wire Bridge, a historic suspension bridge built in 1866 across the Carrabassett River. Believed to be the last of its kind still in use in Maine, this rare wire-cable bridge is a genuine must-see for anyone visiting the North Anson area.

Rivers and the Outdoors

North Anson's setting at the meeting of the Carrabassett and Kennebec rivers makes it a fine base for time on the water — fishing, paddling, and simply enjoying the river valley scenery. To the northwest, the Carrabassett Valley leads toward Sugarloaf and Maine's high peaks, so the village is well placed for four-season adventures, from summer river days to fall foliage drives and winter trips to the mountains.

Visiting North Anson

North Anson rewards travelers who enjoy small historic villages and river country. If you are exploring the Kennebec Valley from the Winslow–Waterville area, a scenic drive north up the Kennebec River brings you through Skowhegan and Madison to North Anson — a rewarding day out along the same great river that flows past Winslow's own historic Fort Halifax.

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