Norridgewock Tribe
The Norridgewock tribe, part of the Abenaki confederacy, inhabited the Kennebec Valley near present-day Norridgewock, Maine. Their principal village became a French mission site in 1688, with Jesuit Father Rasles fostering strong ties to the French, which alienated them from English colonists. An expedition in 1724 led to the village’s destruction and the tribe’s dispersion, with many fleeing to Canada. Subsequent attacks forced them to abandon their homeland for safety, highlighting the volatility of their existence amid colonial conflicts.