History :

In the spring of 1787, a section six miles east from the Penobscot River was surveyed by General John Blake of Wrentham, Massachusetts. That area, now Holden, has borne the names of two states, Massachusetts and Maine; three counties - Hancock, Lincoln, and Penobscot, as well as the town names of East Wrentham, New Wrentham, Orrington, East Brewer and finally in 1852, Holden. At that time it became the eighth youngest town in Penobscot County.

A few years before General Blake's arrival, John Brewer of Worcester, Mass., had obtained the consent of the General Court of Mass. to survey a large tract of land in the area, extending from Bucksport to Eddington and known as a part of Township 9. Such was the general location of the future Town of Holden. For purposes of civil government it was first a part of Orrington. In 1812 when the northeast section of that town became Brewer, the future Holden area was designated as East Brewer until incorporated April 13, 1852.

The selection of the town's name is traced to that of a Worcester, Mass. suburb which was known as the "north half of Worcester." It was later named Holden from that of a merchant, Samuel Holden, "whose philanthropies aided the colonies."

The year following (1787) his surveying expedition, General Blake brought his wife and two children to their new home, a log cabin built the previous year. The location was on Potash Hill, a short distance from Holden Center on the recently (1975) discontinued Dole Hill Road. Since he had come from Wrentham, Mass., he gave the name of New Wrentham in the District of Maine to the future settlement.