Wild River (Androscoggin River)
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The Wild River is a
river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
in the White Mountains of
New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
and
Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. It is a tributary of the
Androscoggin River The Androscoggin River (Abenaki: ''Ammoscongon'') is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data''The National Map'', a ...
, which flows east and south to the
Kennebec River The Kennebec River (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Kinəpékʷihtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 30, 2011 natural river within the U.S. state of Ma ...
near the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
.


Route

The Wild River rises on the north end of Black Mountain in the northern part of the town of
Jackson, New Hampshire Jackson is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,028 at the 2020 census, up from 816 at the 2010 census. Jackson is a resort area in the White Mountains. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in ...
. It flows northeast off the mountain, entering the township of Bean's Purchase, and picks up the stream outlet of No Ketchum Pond coming in from the northwest. The Wild River continues northeast through a mountain valley separating the
Carter-Moriah Range The Carter-Moriah Range of mountains is located in the White Mountains (New Hampshire), White Mountains, in Coös County, New Hampshire, Coös County, New Hampshire. The mountain range, range forms the northern east side of Pinkham Notch, oppos ...
to the northwest and the Baldface-Royce Range to the southeast. The river crosses the southeast corner of the town of
Shelburne, New Hampshire Shelburne is a town in Coös County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 353 at the 2020 census. It is located in the White Mountains, and part of the White Mountain National Forest is in the south. Shelburne is home to Leadmine Sta ...
, then enters Maine and picks up Evans Brook, flowing northerly from the height of land in
Evans Notch Evans Notch (elev. ) is a mountain pass located in the White Mountains in Maine, United States, about east of the New Hampshire border. It is the easternmost notch through the White Mountains (the next ones to the west being Carter Notch and Pi ...
, near the former logging company town of
Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...
. Maine Highway 113 follows Evans Brook and then the east bank of the Wild River from Hastings northward to the Wild River confluence with the Androscoggin River at
Gilead, Maine Gilead is a New England town, town in Oxford County, Maine, Oxford County, Maine, United States. Upon incorporation in 1804, it was named for the large quantity of Balsam poplar, Balm of Gilead trees in the town center. The population was 195 ...
. The Wild River is bridged by
U.S. Route 2 U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected ...
and the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad at Gilead.


Early history

Early European settlement of the watershed was northerly up the Cold River valley from
Fryeburg, Maine Fryeburg is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,369 at the 2020 census. Fryeburg is home to Fryeburg Academy, a semi-private preparatory school, and the International Musical Arts Institute. The town is also si ...
, through Evans Notch and then down Evans Brook to Gilead. Evans Notch and Evans Brook were named for Captain John Evans, who commanded European militia against the indigenous inhabitants in 1781. The town of Gilead was incorporated in 1804. The
Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad , known as St-Laurent et Atlantique Quebec in Canada, is a short-line railway operating between Portland, Maine, on the Atlantic Ocean, and Montreal, Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River. It crosses the Ca ...
from
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
to
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
followed the south bank of the Androscoggin River and reached Gilead in 1851. The railroad bridge was the first river crossing durable enough to withstand runoff events from winter storms. Peak runoff events were similarly destructive to attempts to construct water-powered mills adjacent to the river. Construction of the road now known as Maine Highway 113 commenced in 1866. In 1882, Major Gideon Hastings obtained title to large tracts of timberland and commenced operations of the Hastings Lumber Company.


Wild River Railroad

In 1891, a railroad was built following the present Route 113 from Gilead to Hastings lumber mill on Evans Brook near its confluence with the Wild River. A row of ten houses built along the Wild River for company employees at Hastings became known as "the ten commandments". Rails extended up the Wild River from Hastings by 1896 with branch lines up tributaries Bull Brook, Blue Brook, Moriah Brook, Cypress Brook, and Spruce Brook. A 1903
wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
destroyed the unharvested timber in the watershed. The railroad was dismantled in 1904. The lumber company land was purchased for the
White Mountain National Forest The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is a federally managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had alre ...
between 1912 and 1918.Wight (1971) pp.133-135 Passage of the New England Wilderness Act in December 2006 designated of the watershed as the Wild River Wilderness.


Locomotives


Recreation

In the summer and early fall, the river has low water, although it holds native
brook trout The brook trout (''Salvelinus fontinalis'') is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus ''Salvelinus'' of the salmon family Salmonidae native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada. Two ecological forms of brook trout h ...
. The Wild River Trail follows the old railroad grade along the river. Older maps may show foot bridges that no longer exist. Route 113 is not maintained in the winter and may be closed from late fall to early spring. The
Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...
follows the crest of the
Carter-Moriah Range The Carter-Moriah Range of mountains is located in the White Mountains (New Hampshire), White Mountains, in Coös County, New Hampshire, Coös County, New Hampshire. The mountain range, range forms the northern east side of Pinkham Notch, oppos ...
along the western boundary of the watershed.


See also

*
List of rivers of Maine List of rivers in Maine these are the rivers in Maine Saint John River Note: Higher part of Saint John River is recuperating water from tributaries of Southeast Quebec Left bank of Saint John River (Maine) * Saint John River ** Southwest Branc ...
*
List of rivers of New Hampshire This is a list of rivers and significant streams in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. All watercourses named "River" (freshwater or tidal) are listed here, as well as other streams which are either subject to thNew Hampshire Comprehensive Shorelan ...


Notes


References

* * {{authority control Tributaries of the Kennebec River Logging railroads in the United States Company towns in Maine Rivers of Oxford County, Maine Rivers of Coös County, New Hampshire