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V O L . X X I N O. X X I I I O C T O B E R 5 , 2 0 1 5 30 O n a map of northern Maine, stick an imaginary pin in the middle of Moosehead Lake. Now draw a circle with a 25-mile radius using that point as its center. Within the circle are the 39-mile- long lake with all its inlets and islands; the nearby Spencer, Kineo and Little Kineo mountains; the Appalachian Trail as it enters the 100-mile Wilderness and the final stretch to Katahdin; the AMC's newly renovated Little Lyford and Gorman Chairback lodges; snow- mobile trails that you can literally take to Canada; fly-fishing opportunities in the headwaters of the Kennebec River; the second-oldest golf course in New England; Gulf Hagas, often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the East; a steamboat that's a remnant of a bygone era when thousands of tourists spent their summers in grand hotels and rustic camps. ose are just a few highlights. Add to them the prime boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, snow- mobiling, skiing, snowshoeing spots known by locals and those who come back to the Moosehead region year after year and have acquired their own local knowledge. ey're all facets of "America's Crown Jewel," the brand- ing initiative for the Moosehead Lake region launched in spring by inter- national branding consultant Roger Brooks and a grassroots group orga- nized by the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corp. Problem is, by and large, many are hidden from view. It's impossible to miss the lake and its obvious scenic beauty, but finding those other attractions and recreational opportunities requires the help of Siri or the latest version of DeLorme's Maine Atlas and Gazetteer. at could change come next spring or early summer, when the Moosehead Lake EDC and the 17-member America's Crown Jewel Branding Leadership Team plan to install "wayfinding" signage designed by Axia Creative, a company based in West Palm Beach, Fla., that special- izes in "strategic branding, thematic wayfinding and compelling visual communications." e project is seen as a critical first step in implementing Brooks' multi-year plan to enhance the Moosehead region's appeal as a "memo- rable destination." e overarching goal is to create a year-round economy that will help turn around the region's decades-long population decline. Wayfinding project Luke Muzzy, president of the Moosehead Lake Region EDC, says Axia Creative has a portfolio of dozens of wayfinding projects across the coun- try, Canada and the Caribbean islands. Instead of simply connecting dots on a map with unappealing road signs, the company emphasizes branded way- finding, which it defines as "connecting people with experiences." "It starts in Portland and we'll go from there," Muzzy says. "is is a tangible outcome of our branding initiative that will have a huge positive effect on the area. We all know how to get to these places because we live here, but if we're really going to be a world-class destination we really need to 'up our game' so that visitors know how to get to those places as well." Muzzy expects that implementing Axia's recommendations could cost in the neighborhood of $750,000. In the meantime, he says, the leadership team is assessing potential sites for wayfinding signage. Muzzy says the branding team and the Moosehead Lake Region EDC will be pursuing an "all of the above" fundraising approach — reaching out to local businesses, applying for grants and funding from state, regional and municipal sources — to help pay for the wayfinding signs. Facets of the crown jewel In unveiling the "America's Crown Jewel" initiative in April, Roger Brooks emphasized the plan isn't simply about attracting tourists. "We are going to put Moosehead Lake on the map as a terrific place to live, raise a family, own a business and visit," he said at the time. Brooks' emphasis on the human elements of community — over the more common notion of scenic natural beauty as the defining trait of a "memorable destination" — resonates strongly with Amanda Hunt, co-owner of Northwoods Camp Rentals with her husband, Andrew. She grew up in Greenville and began working at the vacation rental business as a summer job after graduating from Greenville High School in 1999. Continuing to work there part-time while attending the University of Maine, she and her husband purchased the business from former owner Bruce Porter in 2005. "I'm fortunate to be able to come back," she says. "We've had to be entrepreneurs and find our niche. My husband started a landscaping busi- ness in summertime and plowing in the wintertime to help me as I run this business." A member of the Moosehead EDC and the branding leadership team, Hunt says she and her husband are commit- ted to the region's branding initiative because it's a grassroots effort to reverse the region's decades-long population decline. e team's first step, which has already been accomplished, was to trademark "America's Crown Jewel" as its logo and brand. Liz Cannell, executive director of Moosehead Marine Museum and Katahdin Cruises, says the Moosehead Lake region's appeal goes far beyond its scenic beauty. P H O T O / JA M E S M C C A R T H Y Finding their way Grassroots effort takes first steps in branding Moosehead region as 'America's Crown Jewel' B y J a m e s M c C a r t h y F O C U S

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