[4] The first European settlement is believed to have been an English trading post in 1633, almost immediately destroyed by the French.

The first permanent settlement in the area in 1763 was intended to be a site for the production of lumber, with 1.6 million board feet produced in 1764.

The river mouth and offshore waters were the scene of the Battle of Machias — the first naval battle of the American Revolution, occasioned by the British need for lumber for Boston.

Production was as high as 40 million feet in a year, but declined in the late 19th century to between 10 and 20 million feet per year (with a similar amount of lath also produced).

[7] Natural water flow in the river varies seasonally, so dams were built to power the mills.