The ghost town of Flagstaff, Maine offers visitors a chance to step back in time and experience a slice of Maine’s fascinating history. What was once a thriving community now exists as a historical site, its remaining structures telling stories of the people who once called it home.
County: Somerset
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 45°11′38.9″N 70°18′52.4″W / 45.194139°N 70.314556°W / 45.194139
Elevation: 1,146 feet (349 m)
Time Zone: Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
Established: Not available
Disestablished: Not available
Comments: Historical accounts reveal that submerged To Form Flagstaff Lake. Flagstaff Lake is located in Somerset County and Franklin County, Maine in the United States. The North Branch Dead River and South Branch Dead River join in the lake, forming the Dead River.
Remains: The site now the lake’s surface area is 20,300 acres (82 km2), and it has a storage capacity of about 275,482 acre-feet. It is extremely shallow (more so during drought years). Its deepest point is 48 feet (15 m). Landlocked salmon and brook trout can be caught. Some points on the lake are very marshy and have to be negotiated with a canoe or kayak; even then, wading may be necessary for the marshy areas to get through to the rest of the lake.
Current Status: Present-day visitors will find the site is flagstaff Lake was a smaller natural lake when the Long Falls Dam impounded the Dead River in 1950, enlarging the lake and turning it into a reservoir used for hydropower electricity production by regulating the flow of the Dead River into the Kennebec River. At the time, the river drive was still a primary means of delivering timber to the pulp mills downstream. Improved highways and the trucking industry have replaced the river drive.
Remarks: Flagstaff represents an important chapter in Maine’s history, showcasing how economic shifts and changing transportation patterns could dramatically alter a community’s fortunes. Its legacy continues to fascinate historians and visitors alike.
Flagstaff: Maine’s Submerged Ghost Town
Beneath the tranquil waters of Flagstaff Lake in western Maine lies a community frozen in time—the ghost town of Flagstaff. Unlike many abandoned settlements that slowly deteriorated due to economic decline or natural disasters, Flagstaff met a more deliberate fate. In 1950, this once-thriving village was intentionally flooded as part of a hydroelectric project, transforming a vibrant community into an underwater memorial to Maine’s industrial progress and the sacrifices made in its name.
Origins and Early History
The story of Flagstaff begins with a significant moment in American Revolutionary history. In 1775, Colonel Benedict Arnold led an expedition of Continental Army troops through Maine’s wilderness in an ambitious attempt to capture Quebec City from British forces. During this arduous journey, Arnold’s men camped along the Dead River and raised an American flag on a tall staff to mark their position—an act that would later inspire the name ‘Flagstaff’ for the settlement that developed in this area.
By the early 19th century, European settlers were drawn to the fertile valley where the Dead River wound through the landscape beneath the shadow of the Bigelow Mountain Range. The region offered abundant natural resources: dense forests provided timber, the river offered transportation and power, and the valley’s soil supported agriculture. These advantages made the area attractive to pioneers seeking to build new lives in Maine’s frontier.
Flagstaff developed as a small but vibrant community, officially organized as Flagstaff Plantation. Alongside it, the neighboring communities of Dead River Plantation and Bigelow Plantation also took root in the valley. These settlements shared the region’s resources and developed interconnected economic and social ties.
The economy of early Flagstaff centered primarily on logging and agriculture. The surrounding forests provided a seemingly endless supply of timber, which could be harvested and transported via the Dead River during spring log drives. Farming families cultivated the valley’s soil, growing crops and raising livestock to sustain themselves and trade with neighboring communities.
Community Life in Flagstaff
By the early 20th century, Flagstaff had evolved into a complete rural community with all the hallmarks of small-town Maine life. Historical photographs and accounts reveal a village with a distinctive Main Street lined with homes and businesses. The town boasted essential institutions including a one-room schoolhouse, churches, a general store, and a post office.
The physical layout of Flagstaff reflected its development along the Dead River, with the village center situated to take advantage of the river’s resources while avoiding its seasonal flooding. Wooden homes, many built in the traditional New England style, housed the families that formed the backbone of the community. Some of these structures dated back to the 19th century, representing generations of family history and local craftsmanship.
Social life in Flagstaff revolved around the institutions and traditions typical of rural Maine communities. The church served not only as a spiritual center but also as a hub for community gatherings and celebrations. The schoolhouse educated the town’s children and hosted community events. Seasonal activities marked the passage of time, from spring planting and summer haying to fall harvests and winter logging operations.
Like many small Maine towns, Flagstaff maintained strong connections between families, with many residents related through blood or marriage. These kinship networks created a tight-knit community where neighbors supported each other through the challenges of rural life. Community traditions, from barn raisings to holiday celebrations, reinforced these bonds and created a shared identity among Flagstaff’s residents.
The logging industry remained central to Flagstaff’s economy throughout its existence. Men from the community worked in the woods during winter months, harvesting timber that would be transported downstream during the spring log drives. These seasonal rhythms shaped the community’s economic and social patterns, creating a way of life deeply connected to the natural environment.
The Decision to Flood
The fate of Flagstaff began to change in the 1940s when Central Maine Power Company (CMP) developed plans to construct a dam at Long Falls on the Dead River. This project was part of a broader initiative to expand hydroelectric power generation in Maine to meet the growing energy demands of the post-World War II era. The proposed dam would create a massive reservoir—Flagstaff Lake—that would submerge the villages of Flagstaff and Dead River Plantation.
The decision to flood these communities was not made lightly, but it reflected the priorities of an era when industrial development and energy infrastructure were seen as essential to economic progress. The Maine State Legislature used its power of eminent domain to approve the project, effectively determining that the public benefit of increased hydroelectric capacity outweighed the preservation of these historic communities.
For the residents of Flagstaff, the announcement of the dam project was devastating. Many families had lived in the valley for generations, with deep connections to the land and community. The prospect of losing their homes, businesses, and way of life created profound feelings of loss, anger, and helplessness. As one resident later recalled, ‘I can’t take my children back and show them where I grew up, where I lived when I was young. The house is no longer there…. wherever it was is underwater.’
Despite opposition from many residents, the project moved forward. Central Maine Power began the process of acquiring properties throughout Flagstaff and Dead River, offering compensation to property owners for their land and buildings. While the financial terms may have been legally fair, they could not account for the emotional and cultural value of the homes and community being lost.
The flooding of Flagstaff represented a significant example of the tensions between industrial development and community preservation that characterized mid-20th century America. Similar projects occurred across the country during this period, as the demand for electricity and flood control led to the creation of numerous reservoirs that submerged historic communities. Flagstaff’s story thus connects to a broader national pattern of sacrifice in the name of progress.
The Final Days
As the completion of the Long Falls Dam approached in the late 1940s, the residents of Flagstaff faced the painful reality of leaving their homes. The process of evacuation unfolded gradually, with families departing one by one as their properties were purchased by Central Maine Power. This staggered departure created a ghostly atmosphere in the village’s final days, as remaining residents witnessed their community slowly emptying around them.
Many families chose to relocate to nearby communities such as Eustis, Stratton, or Kingfield, attempting to maintain connections with friends and neighbors despite the dissolution of their village. Some were able to physically move their homes to new locations, dismantling the structures piece by piece and reconstructing them beyond the future shoreline of Flagstaff Lake. Others salvaged materials from their homes to incorporate into new dwellings, preserving tangible connections to their past.
One of the most poignant aspects of Flagstaff’s final chapter was the relocation of the dead. The cemeteries of Flagstaff and Dead River could not be left to be submerged, so the graves were exhumed and the remains reinterred in a new cemetery in Eustis. This solemn process underscored the comprehensive nature of the community’s displacement—even in death, Flagstaff’s residents could not remain in their chosen resting places.
On July 4, 1949, the communities of Flagstaff and Dead River came together for one final celebration—an event they called ‘Old Home Days.’ This gathering brought together current and former residents for a bittersweet farewell to their communities. Unlike the annual celebrations that many Maine towns hold, this event was unique in its finality, as everyone present knew that such a gathering could never happen again in the same place.
In the months following this farewell celebration, the remaining structures in Flagstaff were either dismantled or prepared for flooding. Some buildings were intentionally burned after salvageable materials had been removed, preventing them from becoming hazards in the future lake. By early 1950, the village that had stood for over a century was reduced to foundations and memories.
Not everyone complied willingly with the evacuation orders. Historical accounts mention that ‘some people refused to sell and they just flooded them anyway,’ with the waters rising around their properties until the structures eventually succumbed to the elements. These last holdouts represented a final act of resistance against the forces that had determined their community’s fate.
In 1950, with the completion of the Long Falls Dam, the waters of the Dead River began to rise, gradually filling the valley and covering the remains of Flagstaff and Dead River Plantation. The transformation of these communities into an underwater ghost town was complete, marking the end of one chapter in the region’s history and the beginning of another.
Flagstaff Lake and Modern Legacy
Today, Flagstaff Lake stands as Maine’s fourth-largest lake, spanning over 20,000 acres and stretching along the base of the Bigelow Mountain Range. The lake serves its intended purpose as a reservoir for hydroelectric power generation, helping to meet the region’s energy needs. It has also developed new roles as a recreational resource and a unique historical site.
The lake’s water levels fluctuate throughout the year based on power generation needs and seasonal conditions. During periods of low water, particularly in late summer and early fall, remnants of Flagstaff village sometimes become visible. Foundations, cellar holes, and other structural remains emerge from the receding waters, offering brief glimpses into the community that once thrived there. These temporary exposures attract visitors interested in history and ghost towns, creating a form of ‘disaster tourism’ centered on the submerged village.
For those with connections to the original communities, these exposures can be emotionally powerful experiences. Former residents and their descendants sometimes visit during low water periods to see the physical traces of their family histories. As one visitor described it, ‘Where you and I see Flagstaff Lake, [former residents] see the town where they grew up.’
The memory of Flagstaff is preserved through various historical initiatives. The ‘Lost Villages of Flagstaff Lake,’ a photo history book published as part of Arcadia’s ‘Images of America’ series, documents the communities and their flooding through historical photographs and accounts. Local historical societies in surrounding towns maintain collections of artifacts, documents, and oral histories related to the submerged villages.
The Dead River Collective, a heritage organization focused on preserving the history of the region, works to document and share the stories of Flagstaff and other lost communities. Their efforts ensure that the memory of these villages extends beyond those with direct personal connections, becoming part of Maine’s broader historical narrative.
Flagstaff has also entered Maine’s cultural imagination through literature and art. In his novel ‘The Poacher’s Son,’ Maine author Paul Doiron incorporated Flagstaff and Dead River into his narrative, using these lost communities as a metaphor for broader themes of loss in Maine’s North Woods. As Doiron explained, ‘I thought that incorporating Flagstaff and Dead River into the story, literally raising them from beneath the waves, would add a layer of sad subtext.’
Some former residents of Flagstaff and their descendants have maintained connections through reunions and shared memories. These gatherings help preserve the social bonds and cultural heritage of the lost communities, ensuring that Flagstaff exists not only as a physical place beneath the water but also as a living memory passed down through generations.
Historical Significance and Contemporary Relevance
The story of Flagstaff offers important insights into several aspects of Maine’s history and continues to resonate with contemporary issues. As a community that was sacrificed for industrial development, Flagstaff represents the complex trade-offs involved in infrastructure projects and resource management decisions.
The flooding of Flagstaff occurred during a period of significant hydroelectric development across the United States, when numerous communities were displaced for dam projects. These developments reflected post-World War II priorities that often valued industrial progress and energy production over the preservation of small communities and historical sites. Flagstaff’s story thus connects to a broader national pattern of development and displacement that characterized the mid-20th century.
For historians of Maine, Flagstaff provides a well-documented example of a complete rural community from the early 20th century. Because the village was evacuated and flooded at a specific moment in time, it offers a snapshot of rural Maine life that was not subject to the gradual changes and developments that transformed other communities. The photographs, documents, and oral histories associated with Flagstaff preserve details about architecture, social organization, economic activities, and daily life that might otherwise have been lost.
The controversy surrounding Flagstaff’s flooding continues to inform discussions about development projects in Maine’s western mountains. As noted by the authors of ‘Lost Villages of Flagstaff Lake,’ contemporary debates about wind power development in the region echo earlier conflicts about the dam project: ‘Although they are not being asked to give up their homes, many residents feel they are now being asked to give up what they believe is a piece of what makes this area so special—its natural beauty. They feel they are being asked to sacrifice some of their inheritance so that other people might benefit financially.’
Flagstaff also represents an important case study in community resilience and adaptation. The residents who were displaced from the village did not simply disappear—they relocated, rebuilt, and maintained their connections despite the loss of their physical community. Their experiences demonstrate both the trauma of displacement and the capacity for communities to preserve their identities and relationships even when their original settlements no longer exist.
As climate change raises questions about rising sea levels and the potential displacement of coastal communities, Flagstaff’s story takes on new relevance. The experiences of Flagstaff’s residents—being forced to leave their homes due to human-made environmental changes—may offer insights for communities facing similar challenges in the coming decades.
For visitors to the Flagstaff Lake region today, understanding the history of the submerged communities adds depth to their experience of the landscape. What appears as a natural lake is revealed as a complex site where human decisions transformed the environment and displaced existing communities. This awareness encourages reflection on the visible and invisible histories embedded in Maine’s landscapes.
Ultimately, Flagstaff stands as a powerful reminder of how communities can be erased from the physical landscape yet persist in memory and history. The village may lie beneath the waters of Flagstaff Lake, but its story continues to surface through historical documentation, cultural references, and the memories of those connected to its past. In this persistence, Flagstaff demonstrates that ghost towns can exert influence and meaning long after their physical structures have disappeared.
Sources:
https://darkdowneast.com/flagstafflake/
https://wcyy.com/maine-underwater-ghost-town-flagstaff-lake/
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-mysteries-the-drowned-ghost-town-of-flagstaff/97-282580108
https://mainecrimewriters.com/2012/01/16/the-ghost-towns-of-flagstaff-lake/
http://thedeadriver.com/the-history-of-flagstaff-village/
