Madawaska, Maine

According to me, Madawaska has the distinction of being the northern most city in Maine.  I have made this decision by looking at Google maps; finding nothing but logged wilderness, then Canada in areas that would be more north.  I then did the research and discovered that, indeed, there is not a city more north, and there is a pride associated with this distinction.  Being the northern most town in New England makes Madawaska one of the four corners of the United States. 

 Madawaska is a slightly larger town than Ft. Kent where, according to city-data.com,  3,200 call the place home.  Most of the residents are descended from the French or French-Canadians.   By all accounts a very safe place to live.  There has not been a murder, rape, arson or assault since 2004.  By the numbers, life here seems to be a little bit more affluent than Ft. Kent with the median income in the 37,000 range and home values higher.  This could be because Fraiser Paper is located there.  With all of the timber in the area, it seems a logical place for a paper mill. 

This mill specializes in the production of fine grade paper which it produces from pulp, as every paper mill does.  The unique thing about this mill is that it gets its pulp from the pulp production facility in Edmunston.  Edmunston is Madawaska’s sister city in Canada and ships the pulp through a pipeline across the border.   I imagine most paper production facilities operate this way; where pulp production is separate, but close, to the actual paper production.  What sets this place apart is the international border between facilities.

I would like to recognize the Town Manager of Madawaska, Christina M. Therrien, for being the first person to respond back to me during this project.  This gave me some confidence that parts of this project have merit.  Then she re-emailed me with a little more information.  Thank you very much Christina.  You have given me untold confidence.

Christina told me to check out the Four Corner Park site.  A very interesting park dedicated to long distance motorcycling.  This park honors the finishers of the people that have completed the four corners tour.  Cool site, check it out.  The President's Letter gives you much more information, as well as the opportunity to order a paver.  

There is also the Four Seasons Trail Association.  Lots of free trails, cross country ski rentals, and events.

There is history here.  Acadians first crossed from Canada here while fleeing the British.  There is a monument, a museum, and a festival.  

This blog is about running?  Supposedly.  I did not find a road race here, but did see a mountain bike race.  I have found the Aroostook Runner's club and have reached out to them.  Aroostook County is where Masawaska is located. So far I have yet to hear from them.  Here's hoping. 

I am about six miles outside of Van Buren.  This northern tip of Maine reminds me of the landscape along Interstate 86 near Binghamton.  Very pretty and rolling.  On to Van Buren, Caribou, and Presque Isle.  Then, for the first time, west.