Maine State Route 35 runs the course of western Maine, from Bethel to Kennebunk. It passes through Oxford, Cumberland and York Counties. It is known in its lower sections for both its unusually windy course as well as its notoriously poor paving, as a result of winter frost heaves. Its northern section leads to the famous ski resort, Sunday River. The route crosses the Presumpscot River and a well preserved section of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal approximately one mile west of U.S. Route 302 in North Windham.
There is currently a state of confusion regarding where exactly Route 35 exists between the junction at Hunt's Corner Road and Route 5, and the town of Bethel. Historically, Route 35 leaves Route 5 at this point and takes a more easterly route toward Bethel, ending up being signed as Vernon St at the junction of Main Street in Bethel. Current (2006) maps from the American Automobile Association and Mapquest still show this route as Route 35. However, in reality, as of July 4, 2006 Route 5 is signed as both Routes 5 and 35 all the way to U.S. Route 2 in Bethel. The question of when the "old" Route 35 was switched to follow Route 5 is an open issue. Personal experience from November 1, 2004 indicated that the "old" Route 35 was barely being maintained, so one could speculate that the decision to realign this state route to double up with Route 5 happened roughly near this time.
Famous quotes containing the words maine, state and/or route:
“We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The mountainous region of the State of Maine stretches from near the White Mountains, northeasterly one hundred and sixty miles, to the head of the Aroostook River, and is about sixty miles wide. The wild or unsettled portion is far more extensive. So that some hours only of travel in this direction will carry the curious to the verge of a primitive forest, more interesting, perhaps, on all accounts, than they would reach by going a thousand miles westward.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The route through childhood is shaped by many forces, and it differs for each of us. Our biological inheritance, the temperament with which we are born, the care we receive, our family relationships, the place where we grow up, the schools we attend, the culture in which we participate, and the historical period in which we live—all these affect the paths we take through childhood and condition the remainder of our lives.”
—Robert H. Wozniak (20th century)