Interstate 95 Hampden Rest Area To Be Dedicated To Joshua Chamberlain Today

Hey, it may not be in Brewer, but it's close enough.

Today at 1 p.m. the Northbound Hampden rest area on Interstate 95 will be dedicated to a former Maine governor, college president, and Civil War hero!

That's right, the newly designated Joshua Chamberlain Rest Area will reside at mile marker 176.

Rep. Arthur “Archie” Verow, a Democrat from Brewer created the plan to name the rest area, and in a press release he said, “Chamberlain’s legacy is not only of statewide but also national importance. More people should know he was born and raised in Brewer.  Naming the rest area for him is an opportunity to celebrate our local history and invite visitors to spend time in our area."

Joshua Chamberlain served as colonel of the 20^th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Civil War before going on to become the 32nd governor of Maine and later president of Bowdoin College.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest military honor, for his role in the Battle of Gettysburg.

He also accepted Confederate General  Robert E. Lee's surrender at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

Lending Chamberlain’s name to the rest area, Verow said, is a chance to direct visitors to local landmarks like Brewer’s Chamberlain Freedom Park, which includes a memorial to Chamberlain as well as a historically significant Underground Railroad site.