The Gravel Pile
The Stevens family’s resistance to land encroachment became a defining moment of tribal solidarity and set the stage for the land claims and land return across Passamaquoddy and Wabanaki homelands
This protest was more than a dispute over land or business expansion. It was a firm stand against decades of systemic land dispossession and oppression.
In 1964, the Passamaquoddy people faced significant discrimination and hardship. Denied the right to vote in state elections, they were often barred from basic services like getting a haircut in the neighboring town of Princeton and excluded from employment at major local mills. Homicide cases involving tribal members were rarely investigated or prosecuted by the authorities. The Passamaquoddy community was also dependent on food and firewood provided by the state's Indian agent, Hiram Hall, who held arbitrary power over their lives.
This parcel of land along Lewey Lake was purchased in the mid-20th century for a few dollars by local businessman William Plaisted. What was once ancestral tribal land soon housed the Plaisted Cabins, a set of modest camps on the lake catering to recreators. After winning an adjacent lot in a card game, Plaisted decided to expand his business.
When Plaisted brought in a bulldozer and began clearing a road, George Stevens, Plaisted’s immediate neighbor and father to more than a dozen children, was determined to protect his family’s home. His brother, John Stevens, then Chief of the Tribe, gathered a delegation of tribal members and drove to Augusta to meet with Maine's Governor. After being made to wait for five hours, they were refused assistance and told to sue, leaving them with no recourse but to act.
Tribal homes along Route 1
John Stevens put out a call to community members to stop further encroachment by Plaisted. Around 75 men and women from the community took turns standing in front of the bulldozers sent to clear the land. This act of civil disobedience became a pivotal moment in the tribe's resistance to land encroachment.
The Stevens Family
Because many men needed to work in the woods to support their families, it was often the women who kept the protest going. Four Passamaquoddy women—Phyllis Sabattus, Pauline N. Stevens, Rita M. Ranco, and Delia R. Mitchell—were arrested for disorderly conduct after refusing to move from the gravel pile.
Following the arrests, the women sought legal representation, leading to the involvement of attorney Don Gellers, who went on to file a land claim suit on behalf of the Passamaquoddy people in 1968. The case was later dismissed by a judge. But the 1964 protest and subsequent legal actions were instrumental in the tribe's pursuit of land rights and sovereignty.
George & Pauline Stevens’ home
By highlighting the injustices faced by the Passamaquoddy people for centuries, these events galvanized efforts to take a firm stand against decades of systemic land dispossession and helped set the stage for the legal and political struggles that ultimately led to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980.
Today, the pile of gravel left behind by the bulldozers remains a monument marking that day of resistance—a lasting testament to the community’s resolve to protect this land and Passamaquoddy heritage.
This research was compiled as part of the Mihqitahatom: The “I Remember” Walk at Motahkomikuk/Indian Township, which took place on August 17, 2025. For more research related to this area, click on the tags below. To download a hi-res version of the posters below for educational use, please contact where@atlanticblackbox.com.
This walk was a collaboration between the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikuk (Indian Township), First Light, and the Walks for Historical & Ecological Recovery (WHERE), a series convened by Atlantic Black Box, following the actions and determination of the community and leadership from elders.
Poster design by Meadow Dibble