My family has lived in Camden for at least six generations. In the public library there are photographs taken by my great-great grandmother, Theresa Babb, that show her friends adventuring out on Megunticook Lake. My grandfather, Charles Del Babb, spent much of his life with the Knox Woolen Mill, and was actively involved in the affairs of our town. 

Before he died in 2023, he taught me what it meant to live in (and care for) a small town like ours. 

I have appreciated every second of my life in Camden, and I see dam removal as an act of care for the town that has raised me. This place is rich with history, but it is built by labors of love from past generations. Dam removal, a process supported by the Library Board of Trustees, would act in accordance with historical efforts to preserve this town. Dams are not meant to last forever, and instead of pushing this issue off to future generations, we could improve the integrity of Camden’s waterways right now. 

I want the seventh, eighth, ninth generations of the Babb family to be inspired by my own care for the community, and to follow in my footsteps to shape a town we are proud to pass on. 

Removing the Montgomery Dam means change, but change is inevitable no matter which way this vote goes, it just depends if we want it on our own terms or not. As a sixth-generation member of the Camden community, I support dam removal and urge others to think about the future on June 10 and vote “yes” on Article 7. 

Anya Babb-Brott lives in Camden