Augusta: Maine's Capital on the Kennebec
Augusta became Maine's state capital in 1832, a decade after Maine separated from Massachusetts. The State House, built of Hallowell granite quarried just up the river, was designed by Charles Bulfinch, who also designed the Massachusetts State House and parts of the U.S. Capitol. The building has been expanded several times since its original construction in 1832, but the Bulfinch front facade remains.
The city grew along the Kennebec River, which powered cotton and paper mills throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Fort Western, built in 1754 on the east bank of the Kennebec, is the oldest surviving wooden fort in New England and now operates as a museum. Benedict Arnold's 1775 expedition to Quebec passed through Augusta on its way upriver, a grueling march that followed the Kennebec into the wilderness.
Augusta's economy today revolves around state government, healthcare, and services. MaineGeneral Medical Center serves as the primary hospital for the Kennebec Valley. The population is roughly 19,000, making it one of the smallest state capitals in the country. The city sits at the head of navigation on the Kennebec, the point above which the river becomes too shallow for large vessels.
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Augusta became Maine's state capital in 1832, a decade after Maine separated from Massachusetts. The State House, built of Hallowell granite quarried just up the river, was designed by Charles Bulfinch, who also designed the Massachusetts State House and parts of the U.S. Capitol. The building has been expanded several times since its original construction in 1832, but the Bulfinch front facade remains.
The city grew along the Kennebec River, which powered cotton and paper mills throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Fort Western, built in 1754 on the east bank of the Kennebec, is the oldest surviving wooden fort in New England and now operates as a museum. Benedict Arnold's 1775 expedition to Quebec passed through Augusta on its way upriver, a grueling march that followed the Kennebec into the wilderness.
Augusta's economy today revolves around state government, healthcare, and services. MaineGeneral Medical Center serves as the primary hospital for the Kennebec Valley. The population is roughly 19,000, making it one of the smallest state capitals in the country. The city sits at the head of navigation on the Kennebec, the point above which the river becomes too shallow for large vessels.
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