Indians of the Androscoggin

     Indian nations existed long before the white man came to this land. The Abernaki Nation was made up of many tribes that lived in the Northeast. The Abernaki, the Aroostook, the Penobscot, the Passamaquoddy, and the Androscoggin were only a few of the many tribes that lived in this region.

    Many years before the white settlers came to the area today known as Lewiston, the Androscoggin Indians lived on the banks of the Androscoggin River.

    It was a good place to live. The Indians build their homes from materials they would gather in the forest. Some of them built long homes of wooden saplings covered with birch bark. These were called "Wickiups". Others build round, one-room homes called "Wigwams". These were bark and mud covered. Bearskins were hung for doors to the wigwams.

    The Indian mothers worked very hard. They tanned the deerskins, made clothing, and moccasins for their families. In winter the indians wore leggings and shirts made of deerskin.

    The mothers and daughters spent much time decorating clothing with porcupine quills and beads made of shells. Indian women also wove blankets from strips of rabbit skin and fur for use during the cold Maine winters.

    The Androscoggin Indians were good hunters and warriors. Each hunter made his own bow, arrows and arrowheads. Indian braves hunted deer, moose, wild turkey, and rabbit for food.

    The Indians fished for salmon in the Androscoggin River and often would move down the river to the ocean to fish for haddock and cod. They gathered clams and trapped lobsters. Often they would have festivals and clambakes.

    The Indians found many wild vegetables and raised their own corn and beans.

     Although the Indians were very good hunters and well prepared for Maine weather, indian population began to decrease. Many of them died from small pox, measles, and other diseases oh the white settlers. Fights with neighboring Indians tribes as well as the white setters caused many to die in battle. By the time the settlement of Lewiston had grown into a village, there were very few Androscoggin Indians left in the area.

    Today there are only two of the many Indian tribes, that once lived in Maine remaining. They are the Penobscot, whose reservation is on Indian Island in Old Town, and the Passamaquoddy whose reservations are in Princeton and Pleasant Point in Washington County.

      Select Abernaki Indian to find out more information on the Eastern Woodland Indians. You may have to visit many links to find information.

Quiz on Indians of the Androscoggin.

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Created by D. Letourneau ©1999 Revised 2003