Southern Piscataquis County Reminding visitors of a Norman Rockwell painting, the Piscataquis River Valley promises a slower pace, allowing time for relaxation and reconnection. Better yet, there’s time for visitors to enjoy outdoor recreation, local festivals, and cultural offerings away from the rush of everyday life. Settled in the early 1800’s the Piscataquis River Valley was home to mostly farmers, but as the population grew, other industries moved into the region. Blacksmiths, shoemakers, carpenters and other craftsmen came as demand for their services grew. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that an economic boom occurred for the region; a rail line linked the area to Bangor’s seaports on the Penobscot River and the Maine Central Railroad came into the area linking Southern Piscataquis to Newport, thus increasing imports and exports in the region. Known as the place where you can visit the shore without going to the coast, the Piscataquis River Valley will keep visitors happy. Southern Piscataquis County (Piscataquis River Valley) swims with the kind of year-round fishing action that anglers dream about. Visitors with a sharp eye are likely to spot moose, deer, and smaller game. Gulf Hagas – a spectacular narrow gorge filled with pools, waterfalls, cliffs, and sheer rock faces, known as the “Grand Canyon of Maine” – beckons to eager hikers. Piscataquis River Valley is also home to these events: Annual Kiwanis Canoe Race on the Piscataquis River in the spring, Annual Piscataquis Valley Fair in the summer, and the Annual Schoodic Lake Ice Fishing Derby, which is the largest ice fishing tournament in the area in the winter. Only one hour from Bangor and two and half hours from Portland; the authentic, Americana feeling of the Piscataquis River Valley region will surely delight any traveler. Towns covered in this region include: Abbot Village, Atkinson, Blanchard Township, Bowerbank, Brownville, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Elliotsville Township, Guilford, Kingsbury Plantation, Lake View Plantation, Parkman, Medford, Milo, Monson, Sangerville, Sebec, Shirley, Wellington, and Willimantic.