Madison, Norridgewock, and Smithfield

The Maine communities of Madison, Norridgewock, and Smithfield all have their own unique ties to the waters on which they were founded. Madison dependson the waterfalls of the Kennebec River, the backboneof central Maine, to support its manufacturing roots.Wool mill operations began in 1881, but soon gave wayto the still prosperous paper mill. Norridgewock also rests on the shores of the Kennebec, but lacking the falls it was able to remain true to its name, "quiet place in the river." The town remained so quiet in fact, that it lost its county seat to Skowhegan in 1871. Shoe manufacturing later turned Norridgewock into a booming industrial town. Smithfield lacks the river entirely, but in its placeone finds North Pond. The beauty of the area has madeit a natural recreation area for the other two towns.