Many of the major events of Columbia's past have been summarized in this section from local texts, newspaper accounts, and from the recollections of residents.

The first formal record of government is a petition for a Justice of the Peace in 1770 to the Governor of Massachusetts by persons living in the Pleasant River valley.

To enhance the quality of the salt hay, boxes and dikes were built in the marshes to reduce the saltwater content.

The early settlements near the mills were Epping, Saco Falls, the Branch, Little River, Webb District and Georgetown.

Native Americans knew that burning the fields in spring helped the crop, and they dried blueberries for pemmican, as well.

The blueberry and forestry industries, including Christmas trees and wreath brush, still remain seasonal sources of income for many residents.

Some liquidation forestry has taken place, but attempts at subdivision have been largely unsuccessful so far due to lack of jobs in the area.

Elio Carerj purchased the Columbia portion of Pine Island (which is in the middle of the Great Heath) from Maurice Worcester for $1,000 on August 17, 1963.

Columbia Streets and Public Facilities are of historic importance to the town's residents: Cemeteries are a cultural resource, providing insight into the history of the community.

They are as follows: There is one old family cemetery (Furren) whose gravestones could not be found, north of Route 1 behind the new Faith United Methodist Church.

The shoreline of the Pleasant River, Schoodic Lake, kettle hole ponds and the south margin of the blueberry barrens have been determined by MHPC to be archeologically sensitive areas that are worth professionally surveying.

While the soils in Columbia are not ideal for many agricultural uses, they are well suited for blueberry production, and this activity continues to provide significant employment in town.

The northwestern part of this watershed contains Pineo Ridge and a large sand and gravel aquifer, with potential yields of than 50 gallons per minute.

The southern part of this watershed is primarily forested but is an area where significant clearcuts have occurred recently as timberland is converted to wreath brush production.

The other watersheds in Columbia contain the main stem of the Pleasant River in the northern part of town, including the Great Heath described below.

The West Branch of the Pleasant River rises in two sub-watersheds in the southeastern part of Columbia and drains south toward Addison.

Activity anywhere in the watershed, even several miles away, has the potential to impact the water quality of our streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.

Point source pollution is discharged directly from a specific site such as a municipal sewage treatment plant or an industrial outfall pipe.

Non-point source pollution poses the greatest threat to water quality in Maine communities, and Columbia is no exception.

The most significant contributing source comes from erosion and sedimentation as well as excessive run-off of nutrients, particularly phosphorus.

The non-point source pollution in Columbia caused by failing septic systems, run-off from surrounding agricultural land, and aerial spraying of herbicides threatens Schoodic Lake and kettle hole ponds, the Pleasant River and the headwaters of the Harrington River (Great Marsh Stream and Dorr and Trout Brooks).

In summary, the water quality of Schoodic Lake is considered to be average, based on measures of SDT, total phosphorus (TP), and Chlorophyll-a (Chla).

The potential for TP to leave the bottom sediments and become available to algae in the water column (internal loading) is low to moderate.

Schoodic Lake is managed by the Maine Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife as both a warm water and cold-water fishery.

The outlet of Schoodic Brook hosts a run of rainbow smelts that are dipped by locals and provide forage for landlocked salmon.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Machias is administering federal USDA funds in a small watersheds program known as PL566.

Surface water withdrawals in Cherryfield from Crane Pond are also of concern as these are the headwaters of the Harrington River tributaries that flow through Columbia.

Concerns include the long-term impact of withdrawals of low water on Atlantic Salmon and other aquatic species such as native brook trout.

In addition to this commercial concentration on Route 1 the area known as Epping in the northeast corner of town contains the municipal offices, home based businesses and historic structures.

As in other towns in Washington County, large parcels of timberland are changing hands and undergoing intensive harvest.