Early in 1828, a Bangor lumber baron by the name of Amos Patten purchased Township 4 Range 6 for its abundant timber. Three land agents -- Ira Fish, Elijah Kellog and Samuel Wiggin were chosen to survey the property. They traveled by canoe up the Penobscot to Mattawamkeag, then up the Mattawamkeag to what is now Island Falls. As Fish Stream brought them to the foot of what is now called "Mill Hill", they were awe-struck by the vast stands of White Pine -- many trees standing 150 to 200 feet tall! They were so taken with the area, that upon the survey's completion, they promptly
asked Mr. Patten for permission to settle there. Mr. Fish and Mr. Wiggin returned in 1829, constructing log cabins at the foot of Mill Hill, with Mr. Kellogg following somewhat later.

So contiguously did the town develop, that by the time Patten was officially incorporated in 1841, churches, schools and families had grown up alongside the early grist and saw mills. Patten's first newspaper, "The Voice" rolled off the presses in 1860, and was followed by the first stage coach in 1867. The steam train replaced the stage in 1896, whistling in a new era of marketing prosperity.

Over the years, Patten has endured its share of hardships -- the Great Fire of 1917 claimed nearly half of the town, and a flood destroyed all three bridges in 1927. The townspeople were spared the worst of the Great Depression, as Katahdin Trust remained open and the Civilian Conservation Corps built the road from Patten to Baxter State Park during this period.

One notable and unique attraction to the area is the Patten Lumberman's Museum. Founded by Lore Rodgers in 1962, nine buildings now enshrine a nationally recognized collection of artifacts that honor this extraordinary way of life.

While lumbering and farming flourished, outdoor recreation increased in notability during the later half of the century. Hiking, hunting , fishing and snowmobiling continue to grow in popularity as others discover the same splendor that enticed Amos Patten's three land agents so long ago.