Native American on snowshoes

Throughout ancient times, the Androscoggin was a “great water road” to the Abenaki, both in summer and winter. During the colder months, the smooth ice on the river made travel up and down the valley much easier than over well-worn trails alongside the waterway. Records exist suggesting some white settlers also waited until the river and its feeder streams froze over before making their way to new homes in the upper reaches of the Androscoggin valley.