Muscongus Bay

Bay on the coast of Maine, USA

Muscongus Bay is a bay on the coast of Maine, United States, between Penobscot Bay and John's Bay. Muscongus was the name of an Abenaki village meaning "fishing place"^[1] or "many [or large] rock ledges."^[2] John Smith recorded the river in 1616 as Nusconcus^[3] and was also spelled Nuscongus. The two main tributaries are the Saint George River at its eastern end and the Medomak River, which flows into the bay at Waldoboro. Historically, the Medomak River and Muscongus Bay were the dividing line between the Waldo Patent and Pemaquid Patent and Waldoboro was a customs point of entry.^[4] Muscongus Bay has many islands including Hog which is home to a National Audubon Society camp, Allen, Eastern Egg Rock, Franklin (home of Franklin Island National Wildlife Refuge), and Louds Island historically referred to as Muscongus Island prior purchase from Thomas Drowne by William Loud. Monhegan Island is offshore from Muscongus Bay. The Maine Island Trail passes through Muscongus Bay.

The bay is bounded by Marshall Point Light, Pemaquid Point Light, and contains Franklin Island Light.

Towns bordering Muscongus bay are Bristol, Bremen, Waldoboro, Friendship, Cushing, and St. George.

The type of sailboat called the Muscongus Bay sloop is also known as the Friendship Sloop. The hull of the five-masted schooner Cora F. Cressey lies in Muscongus Bay.

References

^ "Muscongus Bay | Maine Island Trail Online Guide". Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
^ Huden, John C.. Indian place names of New England. New York, N.Y.: Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, 1962. Print. 128.
^ John Smith, A Description of New England, 1616. 23. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=etas accessed 11/25/2013
^ Stahl, Jasper Jacob. History of old Broad Bay and Waldoboro. Portland, Me.: Bond Wheelwright Co., 1956. Print.

External links

An Environmental Bibliography of Muscongus Bay, Maine

43°54′58″N 69°23′24″W / 43.916°N 69.39°W / 43.916; -69.39

Gulf of Maine estuaries

Maine

Bays	Blue Hill Bay Casco Bay Chandler Bay Dennys Bay Englishman Bay Frenchman Bay Harrington Bay Machias Bay Maquoit Bay Merrymeeting Bay Muscongus Bay Narraguagus Bay Passamaquoddy Bay Penobscot Bay Pleasant Bay Saco Bay Wohoa Bay
River mouths	Batson River Benjamin River Cape Neddick River Damariscotta River Johns River Jordan River Josias River Kennebunk River Little River (Boothbay) Little River (Drakes Island) Little River (Georgetown) Little River (Goosefare Bay) Little River (York) Morse River Mousam River Ogunquit River Pemaquid River Piscataqua River Sheepscot River Sprague River Webhannet River York River

Massachusetts

Bays	Cape Cod Bay Massachusetts Bay
River mouths	Annisquam River Eagle Hill River Egypt River Ipswich River Jericho Creek Merrimack River Roger Island River Rowley River Skug River

New Brunswick

Bays	Bay of Fundy Chignecto Bay Cumberland Basin Passamaquoddy Bay Shepody Bay
River mouths	Big Salmon River Quiddy River Saint John River

New Hampshire

River mouths	Blackwater River Hampton River Piscataqua River

Nova Scotia

Bays	Bay of Fundy Annapolis Basin Cobequid Bay Cumberland Basin Minas Basin St. Marys Bay
River mouths	Tusket River

Rivers of Maine by drainage system

Bay of Fundy

Passamaquoddy Bay

Little River (Big Lake)
Little River (Passamaquoddy Bay)
Pennamaquan River
St. Croix River

Saint John River Watershed

Allagash River
Aroostook River
Baker Branch Saint John River
Blackwater River
Big Black River
Birch River
Brown River
Campbell Branch Little Black River
Chimenticook River
Daaquam River
Depot River
East Branch Pocwock Stream
Fish River
Gobeil River
Little Black River
Little Machias River
Little Madawaska River
Little River
Little Saint Roch River
Little Southwest Branch Saint John River
Machias River
Meduxnekeag River
Musquacook Stream
North Branch Birch River
North Branch Blackwater River
North Branch Meduxnekeag River
Northwest Branch Saint John River
Otter River
Pocwock River
Red River
River De Chute
Saint Francis River
Saint John River
Shields Branch
South Branch Birch River
South Branch Blackwater River
South Branch Machias River
South Branch Meduxnekeag River
Southwest Branch Saint John River
St. Croix Stream
West Branch Little Black River
West Branch Pocwock Stream
Wolastoq

Casco Bay

Fore River Watershed	Fore River Long Creek Stroudwater River South Branch Stroudwater River
Presumpscot River Watershed	Bear River Chute River Crooked River East Branch Piscataqua River Little River Muddy River North Branch Little River Northwest River Piscataqua River Pleasant River Presumpscot River Songo River Sticky River Tenny River
Others	Cousins River Harraseeket River Little River New Meadows River Royal River

Gulf of Maine

Blue Hill Bay (Union River Watershed)	Bog River East Branch Union River Little Bog River Middle Branch Union River Union River West Branch Union River
Chandler Bay	Sandy River
Dennys Bay	Dennys River Hardscrabble River Orange River
Englishman Bay	Chandler River East Branch Chandler River Englishman River
Frenchman Bay	Jordan Stream Skillings River
Harrington Bay	Harrington River Mill River
Little River Watershed	Little River (Drakes Island) Merriland River
Machias Bay (Machias River Watershed)	Crooked River East Machias River Machias River Maine River Middle River West Branch Machias River
Mousam River Watershed	Littlefield River Middle Branch Mousam River Mousam River
Narraguagus Bay (Narraguagus River Watershed)	Little Narraguagus River Narraguagus River Spring River West Branch Narraguagus River (Cherryfield) West Branch Narraguagus River (Hancock County)
Pleasant Bay (Pleasant River Watershed)	Little River Pleasant River West Branch Pleasant River Western Little River
Piscataqua River Watershed	Great Works River Little River Neoutaquet River Piscataqua River Salmon Falls River
Sheepscot River Watershed	Back River Cross River Dyer River Marsh River Sasanoa River Sheepscot River West Branch Sheepscot River
Wohoa Bay	Indian River Southwest Branch Indian River West River
Others	Batson River Benjamin River Cape Neddick River Damariscotta River Johns River Jordan River Josias River Kennebunk River Little River (Boothbay) Little River (Georgetown) Little River (Goosefare Bay) Little River (York) Morse River Ogunquit River Pemaquid River Sprague River Webhannet River York River

Merrymeeting Bay

Androscoggin River Watershed

Kennebec River Watershed

Abagadasset River
Back River
Carrabassett River
Dead River
East Branch Eastern River
East Branch Moose River
East Branch Sebasticook River
Eastern River
Kennebec River
Lemon Stream
Little River
Moose River
Moxie Falls
North Branch Dead River
Roach River
Sandy River
Sebasticook River
South Branch Dead River
South Branch Moose River
South Branch Sandy River
Temple Stream
West Branch Carrabassett River
West Branch Eastern River
West Branch Moose River

Muscongus Bay

Saint George River Watershed	Back River Dead River East Branch Oyster River Mill River Oyster River Saint George River West Branch Oyster River
Others	Back River (Medomak) Back River (Meduncook) Goose River Medomak River Meduncook River

Penobscot Bay

Penobscot River Watershed

Others

Bagaduce River
Ducktrap River
Goose River (Belfast Bay)
Goose River (Rockport Harbor)
Little River
Megunticook River
Passagassawakeag River
Weskeag River

Saco Bay

Saco River Watershed	Charles River Cold River Hancock Brook Kezar River Little Cold River Little Ossipee River Little River Little Saco River Mad River Middle Branch Mad River Old Course Saco River Ossipee River Saco River Shepards River South Branch Mad River South River Tenmile River West Branch Tenmile River
Others	Dunstan River Libby River Nonesuch River Scarborough River Spurwink River