07 August 2025 – Thursday
Catching up on last summer’s travel
Today we explore a little of Maine’s capital city after taking care of necessary RV chores.
1026 72,333 74°F Filled fresh water at cousin Randy & Linda’s Home
1052 72,341 76°F Augusta, ME
Not all RV life is fun and photogenic. Driveway camping and boondocking, are limited by water and waste storage, so we are always on the lookout for safe and legal places to dispose of waste. Finding that Augusta has a dump station, that’s where we are heading this morning.
Dumped our grey and black tanks at the Augusta Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Here’s the info for other RV travelers:
Our wastewater treatment plant at 33 Jackson Avenue in Augusta, Maine, is OPEN. Open weekdays (not holidays) between 7 AM–3 PM. No fee and no appointment needed. We only ask that folks to be respectful and keep the site tidy and clean when they’re done so our guys don’t have to clean up after anyone.
It took a while waiting for the Class A in front of us to dump their three 50 gallon waste tanks! In comparison our camper van waste water capacity totals 32 gallons (12 black & 20 grey).
Leave 1118 — Thank you Augusta!
1139 72,343 77°F
With the messy work behind us we decide to see a little of the city. Free parking is available at the Augusta City Center.
Old Fort Western (1754)
Made lunch and walked around the outside of the fort. I remember the blockhouse from visiting here as a child.
The Fort is open for tours from Memorial day through mid-October.
Across the street from Fort Western stands the old City Hall, which opened in 1896. This text from a historic marker will probably be appreciated by all our band geek friends…
“THE AFTERNOON CONCERT at Augusta city hall on May 1, 1897 proved to be both popular and historic. On that day the people of Augusta heard the most famous band in the land-Sousa’s Band! John Philip Sousa was by the time of his Augusta concert America’s “March King.” having composed some of his most famous marches: The Washington. Post March and Semper Fidelis. These and other marches were performed in Augusta’s new city hall, which opened in 1896. This handsome building, designed by noted architect John Spofford, provided spacious offices and an auditorium for the city. Sousa’s band enthralled the Augusta audience with spirited music, and his first encore was a new untitled march. Here, at Augusta’s city hall in 1897. America heard for the first time Stars and Stripes Forever!”
Beth captured a couple of photos as we headed out of the city.
The 1886 Post Office is now a private building.
The Tappan-Viles Mansion is now part of the Kennebec Savings Bank Headquarters.
For more information about things to do in Augusta see:
– Viles Arboretum
– Maine State House
– Maine State Museum
– Visit Maine Augusta Guide
Our afternoon was spent looking around for tractor shear bolts at Lowes, Aubuchon Hardware, and Tractor Supply because we have projects to do with Randy & Linda tomorrow.
1453 72,360 83°F Gardner, ME
Restocked food supplies at Hannaford Supermarket.
I noticed a building an imposing granite building across the street that looked like it might have been a train station. Looking it up in Wikipedia shows that it was a Maine Central Railroad Station built in 1911. Passenger service hasn’t been offered here for years, so it may even be for sale if you are in the market for a building on the National Register of Historic Places.
1620 72,380 Driveway camping at cousin Randy & Linda’s cottage