NATURE · HISTORICAL MARKER
Trophy Trout Discovered / La découverte de truites trophées
Nature
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By the mid-1850s, outsiders' "discovery" of Rangeley's large brook trout forever changed the character of the community. Advertisements, articles, and exhibits on the trout and the region's natural beauty appeared in Boston, New York, and beyond. At the Madison Square Garden Sportsmen Exhibition in 1898, Maine sponsored a booth promoting the natural resources of the Rangeley region. The exhibit featured a live moose, a "real" log cabin, and fly-fishing lessons by the legendary Maine guide, Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby. As anglers flocked to the region, camps were built to accommodate their needs, and many residents added guide services to their growing list of skills. Even youngsters might catch an 8-pound speckled trout, as shown by seven-year-old Percival Baxter, future governor, in 1884.
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Rangeley, Maine
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