The Allagash Wilderness Waterway was established by the Maine Legislature in 1966 to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural beauty, character, and habitat of a unique area. It is a magnificent, 92-mile-long ribbon of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams winding through the heart of northern Maine's vast commercial forests. For more than a century "The Allagash" has been praised and enjoyed as a sportsman's paradise. Many famous people, including Henry David Thoreau, have enjoyed its beauty and come away filled with determination to protect it for future generations. The people of Maine have made this dream possible. The State of Maine, through the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, seeks to ensure that this area will be maintained forever as a place of solace and refuge from the pressures of society. Protection of the Waterway was further enhanced in 1970 when it was named the first state-administered component of the National Wild and Scenic River System. There are no permanent human residents in this area, and visitors show respect and care by leaving the fewest possible signs of their presence.