A Drive to Wyman Dam and Much More!!

by Rita Relaine · October 28, 2020

After much backtracking, I took the road behind the town clock; (GPS has much value, but getting lost can lead to wonderful surprises as you will see later on )😊

So I continued on for just a short distance until, OMG, there it is off in the distance!! (Wyman Dam)

This impressive structure was built 1929-1930 to harness water power for hydroelectric energy; apparently, it is still in use, though to what extent I don’t know. We use energy daily and when the wind doesn’t blow (remember the windmills in Bingham) the river always flows. AND when the sun isn’t shining (for the solar panels) the river is always winding….. its way to the ocean.

There were a couple of vehicles in the parking lot for Wyman Dam (not pictured here).

Back on the main highway, I headed north towards Jackman (actually, it’s the other way around). I drove by the turn off to Wyman Dam thinking that I would see the dam from the highway. I kept driving, hoping the dam would appear, but it didn’t. I was discouraged and couldn’t get internet reception at any locations along the highway heading north to help me figure out what to do. Always best to plan ahead. My plan: it’s close to Bingham and I’ll see it from the road. The first part was right, but the second part not. Ya need to know though, there are numerous road side turn off areas that allow sightseers a view of the beautiful Kennebec River. This road was definitely designed with sightseers in mind! What an amazing drive!

Below, a rest area with picnic tables.

You can even get an education at the rest area! (Kennebec River history which includes Benedict Arnold)

(The pictures above just don’t show off the beauty; it was a somewhat cold, windy October day when I took these pics; the colorful fall leaves had mostly disappeared.) But ya kinda had to be there to soak up all the beauty!

There’s even a campsite along this route!

MacDougall Pond lies at the end of this drive!

More campground

The highway (The Old Canada Road) is excellent: smooth! A word of caution: the highway has many, many curves!

The sides of the road opposite the Kennebec River are steep, but picturesque!! This photo does look kinda faded though, doesn’t it. See for yourself and I betcha you’ll agree: (the scenery is FABULOUS!)

Below is a small retaining “wall” made from rocks about the size of an adult fist and covered with wire. In this spot, the soil is being kept from washing onto the road.

But the best is yet to come!

No, not the falling rocks! But the retaining wall that I nicknamed the Birdhouse Wall. This Birdhouse wall is massive in length (1/3 mile long) with over 100 birdhouses and is topped with a heavy gauge wire. The birdhouses have been attached to the fence anonymously since 2011. (If you add a birdhouse, know that this highway can be very busy with fast moving traffic and pull-over space on that side of the road if limited)! Oh, the higher the birdhouse is placed will help to ensure less damage from a snowplow. lol Serious business to keep rocks from tumbling onto the highway!

So, (drumrrrroooolllll please!!