History of Frankfort, Maine
From
A Gazetteer of the
State of Maine

By Geo. J. Varney
Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill,
Boston 1886

Frankfort is situated on the western bank of the Penobscot River, in the north-eastern part of Waldo County. It is bounded on the north by Winterport, east by Bucksport, on the opposite side of the Penobscot, south by Prospect and Searsport, and west by Monroe. The town is about 7½ miles long, east and west, and 4½ wide. The surface is broken and rough. The soil is gravel in parts, in others loam. The principal crop is hay. There are several high hills, the highest of which, mounts Waldo and Mosquito, are in the south-eastern part of the town. The former is about 1,000 feet in height. It was formerly called mount Misery, from the sufferings connected with the death of two boys who ascended the mountain, and perished in the snow-storm by which they were overtaken. In 1815 a party of excursionists who ascended the Thountain re-named it Mount Waldo Mosquito Mountain is an immense mass of granite, and is noted for the number of mosquitoes swarming about it from the stagnant marsh between its base and the river. Halley Hill is another elevation of land near the centre of the town. Each of these three eminences have granite quarries near them, from which immense quantities of granite have been taken. The principal stream is Marsh River, the north branch of winch, flowing from the west, forms a portion of the north-~western boundary of the town; and having formed a junction with the south branch, which bounds a small portion of the town on the east, empties into the Penobscot at Marsh Bay. On this stream are several powers, of which the first is occupied by mills. At this place is Marsh Village, 16 miles from both Bangor and Belfast. The stream is the outlet of several ponds in the town adjoining at the west, and of Goose Pond at the south-western corner of the town. There are some charming nooks along Marsh River in the western part of the town. Frankfort has three companies engaged in quarrying granite, a saw, shingle and grist mill, etc. The buildings in the village, and through the rural parts of the town give indications of thrift. Maple and birch trees prevail in the forests; and many of the former have in years past been set along the streets, to the beautifying of the town, and refreshment of the traveler. As originally incorporated in 1789, Frankfort embraced the whole territory along the western bank of the Penobscot from Belfast to Wheeler's mills, on Soadabscook Stream ; thus embracing also the present towns of Prospect, Winterport, Hampden, and parts of Belfast, Searsport and stockton. In 1793 this was divided into the three towns of Prospect, Frankfort and Hampden; the first being the longest settled,-retaining the records but not the name. Prospect then included Seai-sport and Stockton, and Frankfort, the present Winterport. The last was set off in 1860, when Frankfort acquired its present boundaries. It is found that there were settlers in Frankfort as early as 1770, for in 1773 there were twelve families residing at Marsh Bay, one family at Oak Point, and one where the village now is. Among these first settlers were J. Treat, E. Grant, J. Kinnakum, J. Woodman, P. King, S. Kenny and E. Ide. According to a MS. letter of Joshua Treat, Esq., an early settler, "the first settlers got their living by hunting moose, beaver and muskrat, and by fishing in Penobscot River." There were conflicting claims of proprietors under the Waldo patent-to which this tract belonged. Thorndike & Company finally proved to be the owners of this township, which they sold to settlers at $2 per acre. The war of 1812 was a serious injury to the town, both as to development and losses of property in lumber and vessels by seizure, and from destruction of the coasting trade. Among later valued citizens we have the names of Robert Treat, Waldo and George A. Peirce and John Wiswell. Frankfort sent 60 men to do battle for the Union in the war of the Rebellion. Ten of these were lost. The church-ediflee in the town belongs to the Congregationalists. Frankfort has eight public schoolhouses, valued, with their appurtenances, at $4,500. The value of estates in 1870 was $220,646. In 1880 it was $186,815. The rate of taxation in 1880 was 21 mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 1,152. In 1880 it was 1,158.

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