However, something is being done to fill part of this critical tourism infrastructure gap, in the form of the “Villages of Piscataquis County,” which has recently placed itself under the umbrella of the PCEDC and its tourism committee, the Piscataquis Tourism Task Force (PTTF).

The final goal of this project will be the creation of an audio driving tour that highlights the history and culture of this truly unique area of the state. The tour route for this project includes 15 Piscataquis County villages, and runs a total of 134 miles.

The first component of this project is the interpretative signage that explains these interesting sites. So far, signs have been placed at five of them: Low's Bridge on Route 15 in Guilford; at the Sebec Reading Room in Sebec Village; and just last week, three new signs were unveiled in Brownville - one at the Brownville Town Office, one at Davis Field in the vicinity of the Junction, and one next to the Volunteer Fire Building on Church Street. Ultimately, a total of 25 to 30 sites will have interpretive signage installed.

The second component of the project, which will be linked with the signage, is an audio CD series. These CDs will contain stories, voices, and original music from Piscataquis County as well as directions to the chosen sites.

The third component of the project will be the Villages website, where visitors will be able to create a custom CD or download the audio tour to a portable device (like an mp3 player or an iPod). The website will be enhanced with images of the tour sites as well as snippets of the stories and the music.

The final component of the project will be printed maps and tour guides. The maps and tour guides, along with the CDs, will be made available through local businesses and tourism venues as well as on the internet.

There is a great deal of concern about Piscataquis County losing its character, or its “brand,” as future tourism development takes place. The first thing that is so great about the Villages is that it began as, and still is, a local grassroots effort, which allows Piscataquis County residents to maintain control over the product content.

Villages began as a project of the 2006 class of the Penquis Leadership Institute, a leadership course for area residents. The members of that year's class chose to continue with this project even after their class had ended, investing countless additional volunteer hours to carry out their original plan and to further expand the project's scope.

The interpretive content for each sign comes from town meeting forums, as well as from community volunteers who help to research and tell the stories that they think are important about the sites in their town.

The other thing that I like about Villages is that it is a locally manufactured product, which means that more dollars are kept circulating throughout the local economy. The services and the materials for the Villages project are procured from local vendors; for example, the wooden posts come from local lumber yards, and the signs come from AMB Signs in Dover-Foxcroft. In-kind labor has been provided by the Charleston Correctional facility, municipal public works departments, Hardwood Products, and Villages committee members.

The Villages is proof that Piscataquis County has the ability to create a high-quality tourism product on its own, and the PCEDC is thrilled to be partnering with them and supporting them in reaching their goals.

If you would like more information about the Villages of Piscataquis County, please contact its chair, Gayle Watson, at 207-876-2546. And if you missed the unveiling in Brownville last week, then keep your eyes and ears open for future ones that will be taking place soon in Shirley, Blanchard, and Abbot!

About The Author: Thomas Kittredge is the Executive Director of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC), a countywide organization whose mission is to stimulate long-term sustainable economic development and growth throughout the region. He can be reached at 1-800-539-0332 or tkittredge@emdc.org.