The northern portion of present-day Route 11 from Sherman to Fort Kent was planned and constructed in many stages from 1826 to the 1850s, following two historic routes: the 75-mile Aroostook Road from Molunkus to Ashland and the 45-mile Fish River Road from Ashland to Fort Kent. These roads provided access north from Maine’s population centers, helped the state protect its claims during the northern border dispute with Great Britain, and encouraged settlement and development of agricultural and timber lands in present-day Aroostook and Penobscot Counties. The Fish River Road was opened in 1839, but lack of funds delayed its completion for many years, making travel nearly impossible except on horseback and only somewhat easier by sleigh in winter, when extreme cold and snowstorms endangered travelers. In 1841, Capt. Lucien Webster of Fort Kent reported that the road passed through dense forest, marked by felled trees and roughly bridged streams, without a single habitation or shelter, and he established winter shelters at two points along the road to make travel through the region comparatively safe.