Penobscot River
|
|
Penobscot_River.jpg
The Penobscot River is the longest river, at 350 mi (563 km), in the U.S. state of Maine.
It rises in four branches in several lakes in the central Maine, and flows generally east. After the uniting of the branches, it flows south, past the city of Bangor, where it becomes navigable. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Penobscot Bay.
The first European known to have explored the river was the English navigator Martin Pring in 1603. The following year in 1604 the French explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed up the course of the river. The river has been historically important for hydroelectric power for paper mills, and for the transportation of timber. The wooded areas around the upper reaches of the river are noted for providing recreational hunting, fishing and canoeing. Author Stephen King placed his fictional town of Derry, Maine on the Penobscot.