Nashville Plantation

Nashville Plantation is a municipal corporation located in the north-central forested region of Aroostook County, Maine, situated west of Ashland and south of Portage Lake. When learning about Nashville Plantation Maine, visitors and newcomers will find a small community with an official elevation of 682 feet. The plantation encompasses a total area of 35.6 square miles, consisting of 35.2 square miles of land and roughly 0.39 square miles of water. It shares borders with Ashland, Garfield Plantation, Portage Lake, and unorganized townships including Township 11 R7, Township 12 R7, Township 13 R5, and Township 13 R7. The community is served primarily by ZIP codes 04732 in Ashland and 04768 in Portage.

Population and Community

At the 2020 decennial census, Nashville Plantation had a resident population of 27 people, down 41.3% from 46 residents recorded in 2010. Earlier census records show that in 2000, the plantation was home to 22 households with a median age of 34 years, while the 1880 census recorded a population of 33.

Local Economy and Industry

Wood products manufacturing is the primary industrial activity in Nashville Plantation, involving sawmills, cut stock, resawing, planing, and lumber drying. A major facility in town is the Ashland Sawmill, operated by Irving Forest Products, Inc., located at 1218 Portage Road. This sawmill produces softwood dimensional lumber and supports approximately 140 full-time jobs, with plans to expand employment to around 220 full-time positions. A mill expansion project funded in 2026 was designed to increase annual production capacity from 130 million to 250 million board feet. To support this $42 million investment, the Finance Authority of Maine approved $16.5 million in tax credit certificates through the Maine New Markets Capital Investment Program.

Municipal Government and Community Services

Nashville Plantation operates under the plantation meeting and board of selectmen form of government. Municipal administration, tax collection, clerk services, and General Assistance are handled through an agreement with the neighboring Town of Portage Lake. Administrative services, along with vehicle, ATV, snowmobile, and watercraft registrations, are conducted at the Portage Lake Town Office at 20 School St., Portage Lake, ME. Office hours run Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Thursday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and Friday from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, while remaining closed on Mondays, weekends, and holidays. Residents can reach the office and General Assistance inquiries at 207-435-4361. Corrine Routhier serves as the Town Manager for Portage Lake and General Assistance Administrator for Nashville Plantation. For utility excavations, notifications are coordinated through Dig Safe and local municipal utility contacts under Maine Public Utilities Commission rules.

Emergency Services

Law enforcement coverage for Nashville Plantation is provided by the Maine State Police and the Aroostook County Sheriff's Office. Fire assistance and emergency dispatch are coordinated with neighboring agencies, including the Ashland Fire Department, while emergency medical and ambulance transport services are provided by the Ashland Ambulance Service.

Schools and Education

Nashville Plantation maintains its own municipal school administrative unit, recognized as Nashville Plt Public Schools (district ID 2308580 under the National Center for Education Statistics, with a classification of Rural: Remote). The plantation does not operate any school buildings within its borders. Instead, elementary and secondary pupils are educated on a tuition basis in neighboring school systems, historically including Maine School Administrative District 32 in nearby Ashland.

Transportation and Regional Travel

Maine State Route 11 traverses the plantation, where it is locally known as Portage Road. Route 11 connects Nashville Plantation directly south to Ashland and north to Portage Lake. Just 0.40 miles north of the Nashville Plantation and Portage Lake town boundary, State Route 11 becomes the Fish River Scenic Byway, continuing north to Fort Kent. Commercial air travel for the region is provided through Presque Isle International Airport (PQI) in Presque Isle.

Outdoors, Fishing, and Regional Culture

Within Nashville Plantation, Little Machias Lake spans roughly 238 acres and has been surveyed by state fisheries biologists for recreational fishing. Regional cultural services are based in neighboring Ashland, where the Gladys J. Craig Memorial Library (Ashland Community Library) provides public library access and community programming to plantation residents. The Ashland Historical Society also gathers at the library and maintains historical collection displays in its basement.