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Onawa, Maine facts for kids

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Onawa, Maine
Onawa, Maine is located in Maine
Onawa, Maine
Onawa, Maine
Location in Maine
Country United States
State Maine
County Piscataquis
Elevation
617 ft (188 m)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s) 207
GNIS ID 579590

Onawa is a small, quiet place in the state of Maine, USA. It's not a city or a town with its own government, but rather an unincorporated community. This means it's a settled area that doesn't have its own local government separate from the county or state. You can find Onawa right next to the beautiful Lake Onawa. Long ago, a railway called the International Railway of Maine passed through here. In 1919, something big happened nearby: a major train wreck occurred a couple of miles west of the Onawa railway stop.

The Onawa Trestle Bridge

Onawa is home to an interesting structure called the Onawa Trestle. A trestle is a special kind of bridge that uses a framework of beams to support the tracks or road above. This particular trestle was built in 1930 for the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Guards of the Trestle Bridge

During World War II, from 1942 until the war ended in 1945, this remote bridge was very important. It was guarded by the 366th Infantry Regiment. This was an all-African-American army unit. Their job was to protect the bridge and make sure it stayed safe during the war.

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