Kingman, Maine

Kingman’s story is written in rise and fall, a boom-and-bust tale typical of Maine’s industrial townships. In the 1870s, this was a thriving community built around a major sole-leather tannery. At its peak, nearly 1,000 people lived here, and the tannery’s success funded fine Italianate homes for its owners. Today, fewer than 200 remain, and the tannery is nothing but memory.

The firm of Shaw and Kingman built their tannery in the early 1870s, taking advantage of the hemlock bark abundant in surrounding forests and the water power of the Mattawamkeag River. Romanzo Kingman commissioned a finely detailed Italianate residence in 1871-1872, now on the National Register of Historic Places, before moving west to Wisconsin to establish another tannery. He kept partial ownership of the Maine operation, and the town carried his name.

For decades, the tannery sustained the community. But in the 1920s, a disastrous fire destroyed the tannery and many homes. Without its industrial base, the town couldn’t survive the Great Depression. Residents voted to dissolve the town government in 1935. A brief reorganization as a plantation didn’t last, and by 1945, Kingman had become an unorganized township. A status it holds today.

What remains is a quiet rural community where the Mattawamkeag River still flows past the village, the historic Kingman House still stands on its hill, and Interstate 95 provides an unexpected lifeline to the outside world. The highway makes Kingman unusually accessible for a Maine backcountry community, allowing residents to enjoy rural living while maintaining easy access to Lincoln and Bangor.

The Mattawamkeag Wildlife Management Area encompasses thousands of acres of protected habitat in and around Kingman. The mix of wetlands, forest, and river corridor supports diverse wildlife, from moose browsing in the shallows to bald eagles fishing the open water. Hunters appreciate the accessible deer and turkey habitat, while anglers work the river for smallmouth bass and the occasional landlocked salmon.

The irony of Kingman’s location isn’t lost on its residents. Interstate 95, the highway that carries millions of tourists to Acadia and Bar Harbor each year, runs right through the township. Yet almost no one stops. The exit exists primarily for logging trucks and the handful of residents who use it daily. This accidental anonymity suits those who live here, providing the benefits of highway access without the disruption of tourist traffic.

For those passing through on I-95, Kingman is barely a blip on the GPS. But for those who turn off and explore, it offers a glimpse of Maine’s industrial past and the quiet resilience of communities that outlive their original purpose. The Romanzo Kingman House still presides over the village, a reminder of ambitions and fortunes that have long since moved on, while the Mattawamkeag keeps flowing as it has for millennia.