Pike's Mile Markers facts for kids

The Pike's Mile Markers are a set of twelve special stone markers. You can find them along United States Route 1 in the towns of Robbinston and Calais in eastern Washington County, Maine. These stones were put in place by James Shepherd Pike. He owned a big house nearby called The Mansion House.

The markers show the distance from his house to the center of Calais. People say Pike used them to check how well his horses were running. These markers are special because they are the only ones of their kind in Maine. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. This means they are important historical sites.

The Story of James Shepherd Pike

James Shepherd Pike was born in Calais in 1811. He became a well-known journalist across the country. Before the American Civil War, he spoke out strongly against slavery. During the war, he served as the United States Ambassador to the Netherlands. This means he was America's top representative in that country.

After his time as ambassador, Pike bought the Mansion House in Robbinston. It was a large, old-style mansion. He lived there in a kind of semi-retirement. He kept writing about civil rights for African Americans. However, he became very upset with the problems and corruption during the Reconstruction Era. This was the time after the Civil War when the country was rebuilding.

Why Were the Markers Placed?

It is believed that James Shepherd Pike carefully measured the road from his house to Calais. He then placed these stone markers sometime between 1866 and his death in 1882. People also say he used these markers to test his horses. He could see how fast they traveled each mile. This helped him know which horses were the best.

Exploring the Mile Markers

There are twelve markers in total. Eleven of them are the original stones placed by Pike. Marker #6 was broken during road work after World War II. A new marker, made of red granite, replaced it. Pike's original markers are all made of gray granite. They have numbers painted in red on a white background. All the markers are on the east side of US 1.

Miles to Calais	Image	Location	Town	Notes
12		12In front of the Redclyffe Shore Motel 45°05′05″N 67°06′41″W / 45.084676°N 67.111364°W / 45.084676; -67.111364 (Marker 12)	Robbinston	A rectangular stone with a flat top.
11		11US 1 45°05′36″N 67°07′27″W / 45.09342°N 67.124089°W / 45.09342; -67.124089 (Marker 11)	Robbinston	An uneven rectangular stone with a damaged top.
10		10US 1 45°06′15″N 67°08′05″W / 45.104127°N 67.134797°W / 45.104127; -67.134797 (Marker 10)	Robbinston	An uneven rectangular stone with a damaged top.
9		09US 1 45°07′02″N 67°08′41″W / 45.117163°N 67.144797°W / 45.117163; -67.144797 (Marker 9)	Calais	An uneven rectangular stone with a damaged top.
8		08US 1 45°07′48″N 67°09′08″W / 45.130066°N 67.152263°W / 45.130066; -67.152263 (Marker 8)	Calais	A rectangular stone with a flat top, but one corner is damaged.
7		07US 1 45°08′36″N 67°09′54″W / 45.143212°N 67.164904°W / 45.143212; -67.164904 (Marker 7)	Calais	A rectangular stone with a rounded top.
6		06Southeast corner of US 1 and Old River Rd. 45°09′17″N 67°10′37″W / 45.154771°N 67.176971°W / 45.154771; -67.176971 (Marker 6)	Calais	A rectangular stone with a flat top.
5		05US 1, opposite house #759 45°09′44″N 67°11′45″W / 45.162130°N 67.195853°W / 45.162130; -67.195853 (Marker 5)	Calais	A rectangular stone with a flat top.
4		04US 1 45°09′52″N 67°12′59″W / 45.164562°N 67.216354°W / 45.164562; -67.216354 (Marker 4)	Calais	A rectangular stone with a flat top.
3		03US 1 at Taylor's Furniture 45°09′42″N 67°13′59″W / 45.161716°N 67.232960°W / 45.161716; -67.232960 (Marker 3)	Calais	A taller stone with a flat top.
2		02US 1 45°10′15″N 67°14′48″W / 45.170892°N 67.246641°W / 45.170892; -67.246641 (Marker 2)	Calais	A rectangular stone with an angled top.
1		01Opposite Calais UMC on US 1 45°10′54″N 67°15′39″W / 45.181580°N 67.260783°W / 45.181580; -67.260783 (Marker 1)	Calais	A taller stone with a flat top.