Kennebec, a S. county of Maine, traversed from N. to S. by Kennebec river, and touched on the west by the Androscoggin; area, 1,050 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 58,021. It has an undulating surface, diversified by numerous small lakes, and a very fertile soil. The Maine Central railroad and the Augusta division pass through it. The chief productions in 1870 were 25,822 bushels of wheat, 111,246 of Indian corn, 170,371 of oats, 122,627 of barley, 733,026 of potatoes, 137,231 lbs. of wool, 1,176,423 of butter, 154,727 of cheese, and 113,153 tons of hay. There were 7,563 horses, 13,252 milch cows, 5,481 working oxen, 12,-163 other cattle, 31,975 sheep, and 4,086 swine; 11 manufactories of agricultural implements, 33 of carriages, 2 of cars, 4 of cotton goods, 4 of edge tools and axes, 6 of iron castings, 14 of machinery, 7 of marble and stone work, 5 of oil cloth, 3 of printing paper, 13 of saddlery and harness, 11 of sash, doors, and blinds, 2 of steel springs, 3 of stone and earthen ware, 14 of tin, copper, and sheet-iron ware, 4 of woollen goods, 35 saw mills, 6 flour mills, 19 tanneries, and 10 currying establishments.

Capital,' Augusta, which is also the capital of the state.

Kennebec #1

Kennebec, a river of Maine, and next to the Penobscot the most important in the state. Its principal source is Moosehead lake in the N. W. part of the state, on the boundary line between Somerset and Piscataquis counties. It issues from the lake on its S. W. shore, and after a course of 20 m. receives Dead river from the right. Its direction is then changed from S. W. to S., and from this course it has but one considerable deviation, namely, in the S. part of Somerset co., where it flows 12 m. E. It enters the Atlantic in Sagadahoc co., through Sheepscott bay, an irregular indentation of the coast studded with many islands. The largest tributary of the Kennebec is the Androscoggin, which joins it 18 m. from the ocean at Merrymeeting bay. The outlets of a number of small ponds, and Sebasticook and Sandy rivers, also flow into it. The most important towns on its banks are Bath, Richmond, Gardiner, Hallowell, Augusta, Waterville, and Norridgewock. It has falls at Waterville and at three points above, which afford excellent motive power. Its whole length is about 150 m., in which it has a descent of 1,000 ft. Large ships can ascend it to Bath, 12 m., steamboats to Hallowell, 40 m., and small craft to Waterville, 54 m. The influence of the tide extends to Augusta, 42 m. from the sea.

A dam with locks has been constructed at Augusta for the purpose of improving the navigation above that point, and increasing the water power. The river is closed by ice at Hallowell from the middle of December to about the 1st of April; below Bath it is open at all seasons except during severe winters.