[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 13894] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING THE TOWN OF MATTAWAMKEAG ______ HON. MICHAEL H. MICHAUD of maine in the house of representatives Thursday, July 22, 2010 Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the town of Mattawamkeag, Maine as it celebrates its Sesquicentennial this month. Mattawamkeag is the historical site of an early Native American fishing village located on the Mattawamkeag River, a tributary to the Penobscot River. The Indians once told of an ancient burial ground on the northern bank of this river, not far from the town today. Maine residents began settling the area in 1829, and it became incorporated into the state in 1860. The citizens of this small town, currently numbering around 825 residents today, have experienced their fair share of history, both within the State of Maine and the greater United States. During the Civil War, thirty soldiers from the town left to fight for the Union; seven did not return. And in 1847, Henry David Thoreau visited and wrote about Mattawamkeag during his travels. The town's background is also closely tied to the complex railway systems of the United States. It served as a key stop on a transcontinental railway linking Maine to the city of Saint John in New Brunswick, Canada during the late nineteenth century. The network later expanded, and Mattawamkeag became connected to the cities of Megantic in Quebec and Vancouver in British Columbia. Even today, this town plays an important role in interstate exchange, operating as the final eastern stop on the Guilford Rail System connecting Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I am pleased to share in the celebration as Mattawamkeag looks back on 150 years of rich history. Madam Speaker, please join me in wishing all the citizens of Mattawamkeag well on this joyous occasion. ____________________