St. John Valley Cultural Byway:
A Self-Guided Tour
words by Dona Saucier, photos by Don Raymond
Looking for a one-of-a-kind travel expedition this summer? What if there was a self-guided tour you could
take in a unique part of Maine, where residents, for the most part, have been referred to throughout travel
review sites such as Yelp and Trip Advisor as friendly, courteous and helpful, that would only cost you gas,
lodging and dining (at reasonable prices) for a day or three? The tour itself, an immersion into the Acadian
Culture and life in the St. John Valley, would be quite informative and most probably entertaining (there are
some really good storytellers in the Valley). The journey, with its vast scenic vistas of hills, forests and fields on
a warm summer day and bright stars in the night sky, priceless.
The Maine Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration’s National Scenic Byway
Program have dedicated an area in northern Aroostook County as the St. John Valley Cultural Byway. They
funded the creation and installation of a series of bilingual roadside exhibits (interpretive panels) exploring
aspects of life and culture of the area with significant input and assistance of local consultants and residents.
Each panel (31 in total) was erected in time for the World Acadian Congress celebrations in 2014.
The panels themselves are scattered throughout the St. John Valley, mostly along US Route 1, following the
St. John River from Hamlin to Allagash. Those that are not along the river are only within a few miles off
this path. The following table lists the topic of each panel and its location starting in Allagash and ending
in Hamlin (where the St. John River first becomes the natural border to Canada, to the end of the St. John’s
natural border to Canada):
Panel Title
1. “Call Me a Moostowner”
The Allagash – A Unique Scots-Irish Community
2. Allagash River Drivers & Logging
3. The End of the Line.
Access to the outside world began here at the end of the
rail line
4. International Border Markings
International Boundary Markers & the Shape of Maine
5. Rail Fuels Growth, Cultural Change
How railroads affected economic health of the Valley
6. The River Never Divided Us - Ferries
When ‘going across’ was like crossing the street
7. One people / Two Countries
Location
Allagash Historical Society Museum
564 Dickey Road
St. Francis Historical Society Museum
1074 Main Street
St. John Plantation Community Center
& Municipal Office
1774 St. John Road
Fort Kent Historical Society Train Station
Corner of East Main & Market Streets
Riverside Park Entrance (Ferry Mural)
64 East Main Street, Fort Kent
America’s First Mile Monument
Border Crossing International Bridge, Ft. Kent
SUMMER 2016
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