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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>UNITED
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      D.C. 20549</strong></font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>FORM
      8-K</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>CURRENT
      REPORT</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>PURSUANT
      TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>SECURITIES
      EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>______________________________</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Date
      of
      report (Date of earliest event reported): March 16, 2006</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 24pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Merrill
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Exact
      name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></div>
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              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">jurisdiction
                of incorporation)</font></div>
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            <td align="left" valign="top" width="18%">&#160;</td>
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                Number)</font></div>
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                Employer </font></div>
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      Main Street, Bangor, Maine 04401</strong></font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Registrant's
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      name or former address, if changed since 1</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><sup>st</sup></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
      report)</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Check
      the
      appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
      satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
      provisions:</font></div>
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      ]&#160;&#160;&#160; Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the
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      ]&#160;&#160;&#160; Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the
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      ]&#160;&#160;&#160; Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b)
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      ]&#160;&#160;&#160; Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)
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</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Other
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      </font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">a
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      cash
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 72pt; TEXT-INDENT: -72pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Item
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</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Financial
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    <div>
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          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>(c)</strong></font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Exhibit</strong></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td>&#160;</td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td><font size="2">Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release dated March 16,
              2006</font></td>
          </tr>

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    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div><br>&#160;</div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">&#160;</div>
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      <div id="HDR">
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>SIGNATURE</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Pursuant
      to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
      has
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      duly authorized.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Merrill
      Merchants Bancshares, Inc.</strong></font></div>
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    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">
            </td>
            <td>&#160;</td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;"><font size="2">By:</font></td>
            <td><u><font size="2">/s/ Deborah A. Jordan</font></u></td>
          </tr>

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          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 36pt;">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Chief
                Financial Officer</font></div>
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          </tr>

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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Dated:
      March 16, 2006</font></div>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "MERRILL MERCHANTS BANCSHARES INC", "cik": "0000913072", "assigned-sic": "6099", "irs-number": "010471507", "state-of-incorporation": "ME", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-24715", "film-number": "06692485"}, "business-address": {"street1": "201 MAIN ST", "city": "BANGOR", "state": "ME", "zip": "04401", "phone": "2079424800"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "201 MAIN STREET", "city": "BANGOR", "state": "ME", "zip": "04401"}}
UNITED
      STATES
SECURITIES
      AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
      D.C. 20549
______________________________
FORM
      8-K
CURRENT
      REPORT
PURSUANT
      TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES
      EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
______________________________
Date
      of
      report (Date of earliest event reported): March 16, 2006
Merrill
      Merchants Bancshares, Inc.
(Exact
      name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Maine
000-24715
01-0471507
(State
                or other
jurisdiction
                of incorporation)
(Commission
File
                Number)
(IRS
                Employer
Identification
                No.)
201
      Main Street, Bangor, Maine 04401
(Address
      of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant's
      telephone number, including area code:
(207)
      942-4800
Not
      Applicable
(Former
      name or former address, if changed since 1
st
report)
Check
      the
      appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
      satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
      provisions:
[
      ]    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the
      Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[
      ]    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[
      ]    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b)
      under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[
      ]    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)
      under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item
      8.01
Other
      Events
On
      March
      16, 2006, Merrill Merchants Bancshares, Inc. issued a press release announcing
a
      3%
      stock dividend to all shareholders of record as of March 31, 2006, for
      distribution on April 7, 2006. In addition, the Company announced a
cash
      dividend of $.17 per share on the common stock payable April 28, 2006 to
      shareholders of record on April 14, 2006. The press release announcing the
      cash
      dividend is attached as Exhibit 99.1.
Item
      9.01
Financial
      Statements and Exhibits.
(c)
Exhibit
Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release dated March 16,
              2006
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
      to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
      has
      duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
      duly authorized.
Merrill
      Merchants Bancshares, Inc.
By:
/s/ Deborah A. Jordan
Chief
                Financial Officer
Dated:
      March 16, 2006
-2-