Argyle, Maine

Argyle Township stretches along the western bank of the Penobscot River, where Route 116 traces the path of an old stage route that once connected Old Town to the Scottish-named community of Edinburg to the north. The township’s name reflects this heritage. Argyle is a county in western Scotland, chosen by early settlers who saw something of their homeland in these forested riverbanks.

Settlement began in 1810, and by 1839 enough people had arrived to incorporate Argyle as a town. The community was also known as “Birch Stream Settlement” for the stream that winds through its forested wetlands on its way to the Penobscot. Part of the original township was later set off to form the town of Alton in 1844, but Argyle continued as an organized municipality until 1937, when residents surrendered their town charter and the area became unorganized territory.

The Penobscot River defines Argyle’s character. Numerous islands dot the river as it flows through the township, Sugar Island, Birch Islands, Hemlock Island, Foster Island, and others creating a maze of channels and backwaters that reward exploration by canoe or kayak. The river has been a highway through Maine since long before European settlement, and Argyle’s position along its banks has always shaped the community.

Birch Stream and its associated wetlands provide critical wildlife habitat, filtering water as it flows toward the Penobscot while supporting beaver, waterfowl, and the fish populations that draw anglers to these waters. The low-lying, forested wetlands also help buffer the effects of flooding, making them ecologically valuable beyond their natural beauty.

The islands that dot the Penobscot through Argyle have their own histories and characters. Sugar Island, the largest, was once farmed and remains partially cleared. Others have returned entirely to forest, their shores accessible only by boat. These islands represent a unique feature of Argyle’s landscape, river geography that creates habitat diversity and recreational opportunities you won’t find in landlocked townships.

Today Argyle remains a quiet corner of Penobscot County, close enough to Old Town and Bangor for convenient shopping and services but rural enough to feel like a world apart. The historic stage route, now Route 116, still carries travelers north along the river, past the islands and wetlands that have defined this place since the first Scottish settlers gave it its evocative name.