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Mark Babitz
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Mark Babitz
History of Poland, Maine
From
A Gazetteer of the
State of Maine
By Geo. J. Varney
Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill,
Boston 1886
Poland is the south-west town of Androscoggin County. It is 10 miles from Lewiston and 85 from Portland, with both of which places it is connected by the Grand Trunk Railroad, which passes across the north-eastern portion of the town. The territory of Poland is nearly square, its angles marking the points of the compass. It is bounded on the north-east by Minot and Auburn from which it is separated by the little Androscoggin River, on the south-east by New Gloucester and Auburn, on the south-west by Casco and Raymond, and on the north-west by Otisfield and Oxford. It contains 26,000 acres of land, about two-thirds of which is improved. There are six considerable ponds wholly within its limits and another in part. Thompson’s Pond, the last mentioned and largest, is at the western angle, and contains 8 square miles. Tripp’s Pond, lying about half a mile eastward, has-an area of one and one-fourth square miles; the Upper, Middle and Lower Range ponds, lying parallel with the last from the middle of the town southward, contains 85-55 and 50-lOOths of a square mile respectively. The principal business of the town is at Mechanic Falls. Poland Corner, at the centre of the town, has steam, grist, saw and planing mills, and considerable neighborhood trade. There is a lumber-mill and sash and blind factory at Page’s Miii on the river above Mechanic Falls, and lumber-mills at Hacket’s Mills and Minot Post-Office below, and at West Poland. At the southern angle of the town the Shakers have a power used for several small manufactures. East Poland has a post-office and railway station, and West and South Poland and Shaker Village have each a post-office. The most important manufactures at Mechanic Falls are paper, and the repeating rifles of the Evans Rifle Company, and a canning factory. The Dennison Paper Manufacturing Company operates six different mills at this place, producing various kinds of paper, and employing about 225 persons. The surface of the town is in the eastern part level or gentle undulating, while in the western portion there is a combination of hill, lake and forest scenery that is very pleasing, and in some parts highly picturesque. The ledges that crop out along the hillsides show a coarse granite structure with a predominance e of felspar in some localities. Micaschist and argillaceous rock are found in other quarters. The soil in the lowlands and valleys is alluvial, having a surface stratum of vegetable origin underlaid by sand. Poland is one of our best agricultural towns, all the usual crops having a good yield.
The town, however, is most noted for its mineral springs. There are the Poland and South Poland and the Highland springs, the two latter just coming into notice. All are situated at an elevation which affords fine views of the surrounding country, and are recommended for some diseases of the kidneys and associate derangements. The Poland spring, known in the region as Ricker’s, is owned by Hiram Ricker and sons, in whose family the property has been since 1794. Wentworth Ricker opened the Mansion House in 1797 and it has been kept as a hotel by his son and then by his grandsons ever since. Little attention was given to the spring until about 1858; when the valuable qualities of the water becoming generally known, the hotel (whose business had fallen off with the change from stages to railroads) soon had to be enlarged. So popular have the waters of this spring become, that a few years ago it was found advisable to build another and larger house for the accommodation of the patrons who flocked thither in the summer months. The new house bears the name of the Poland Springs House, and contains 120 sleeping rooms, and has 450 feet of broad piazza. The situation on the top of a high, extended hill, or ridge, 800 feet above the ocean, with ponds, forests amid other hills on every side, is one of rare attraction. The spring runs about eight gallons a minute from a crevice in the solid granite ledge. Besides Ricker’s Hill may be mentioned Pigeon, Harris, Johnson’s, Megquier, White Oak, Bailey, Thurlow and Black Cat hills, all considerable eminences. The two neighboring Shaker villages, called the Upper Shaker Village, in the town about one half mile south, and another called the Lower Village in New Gloucester, about a mile south of the last, are objects of interest to visitors. The sect in this town originated in 1784 or 1785 by the preaching of an itinerant disciple of Ann Lee, from Lebanon, New York. There were at this time quite a number of settlers on Ricker Hill, and most of them became converted. They were joined by others from Hebron; but exchanged their lands, and settled together in New Gloucester, forming what is now called the Lower Family, and holding their property in common. The Upper Family, orthe present Poland community, came from Gorham, Maine, in 1819. They then numbered about 50, but now less than 40. They brought with them eight oxen, three horses and twenty cows, with a variety of house. hold goods and farming utensils. They have since further increased their lands by purchase. They have now in addition to the dwelling. houses they have occupied for a half century, a new stone-house three or more stories in height. It contains one or two large central halls, together with a large number of lodging arid living rooms. It was begun before the war, and when finished will have cost about $20,000. Beside this, they have land and other property to the value of about $30,000.
The earliest settlers were Nathaniel Bailey, Daniel Lane, Moses Emery, and John Newman, who settled at what has long been known as “The Empire” in 1768—1769. The Pulsifer family is a leading one of the town, having located here in the person of their ancestor, David Pulsifer, in 1790. The family has furnished several esteemed public men. John Nevins, who claimed to have cut the first tree felled in Poland, died in 1832, being above 100 years of age; other names are Josiah Dunn, “Captain” Davis, John Rollins, “Captain” Farrington, Henry Bray, Benjamin Coombs and Mrs. Woodard. The land titles are from the proprietors of Bakerton (see Auburn). The town is thought to have been named for Poland, a noted Indian chief of the region. It was incorporated in 1795. A portion was set off to Danville in 1852.
The total amount paid out by the town for its expenses in the war of the Rebellion is $45,230, and the total number of men for which it received credit, 304.
The religious societies of the town are the Congregationalists, Universalists, Free Baptists, and Adventists. Poland has twenty-two public schoolhouses, valued at $16,775. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $765,960. The population at the same date was 2,436. In 1880, it was 2,443. The valuation in 1880 was $920,057.
February 23 at 10:03am · Delete Post
Mark Babitz
History of Waterford, Maine
From
A Gazetteer of the
State of Maine
By Geo. J. Varney
Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill,
Boston 1886
Waterford lies in the southern part of the broad middle section of Oxford County. The township is almost square, with angles marking nearly the points of the compass. Norway bounds it on the north-east, Albany and Stonham on the north-west, Sweden and Lovell on the south-west, and Harrison and Bridgton in Cumberland County, on the south-east. Crooked River enters the town on the north-west side and leaves it at the south-eastern angle in its course completely exemplifying its name. Extending across the southern portion of the town is a range of ponds, bearing the names of Long, Thomas, Bear and Moose. At the western angle, lies Kezar Pond, Island Pond, lies near the southern angle, Pappoose Pond near Crooked River in the north-eastern part, Bog Pond a little south-east of Thomas Pond, Chapin Pond at the north of Kezar, and Duck Pond on the south-western side of the town. These vary in size from 484 to 50 acres, in the order in which they are mentioned. In the southern part of the town is a range of three considerable eminences, of which the highest have the names of Bear and Hawk mountains. In the western part of the town Beek Hill stands solitary and beautiful. On the outlet of Bear Pond, and near Hawk Mountain, are a saw mill, grist mill, a clothes pin factory, and a hotel. Waterford post-office and the town-house are at “ Waterford Flat,” on the western side of Thomas Pond. South Waterford post-office (“Waterford City,”) is on the stream connecting Thomas and Bear ponds. East Waterford post-office (“Rice’s Junction"), is between Crooked River and Long Pond, on the outlet of the latter. North Waterford is situated on Crooked River near the north-western side of the town.
At Waterford Flat are a tannery and Shattuck’s Hygienic Institution; at North Waterford are a lumber mill, a sash mill, a grist mill and a tannery; at South Waterford are a lumber and grist mill, a stave-mill, a salt box, dry bucket and carriage factories.
The surface of the town is uneven and has much beautiful scenery, especially about the southern ponds. The roads are excellent, and nowhere are more enjoyable drives to he found than in this town. It is 13 miles from the Grand Trunk Railroad station at South Paris, on a stage-line from that place to Fryeburg.
Waterford was surveyed in 1774. The first settler was David McWayne, who took up his residence here alone in 1775. So fond was he of utter solitude that he appeared very much annoyed when, three years later, a clearing was commenced on what is now known as Paris Hill, 12 or 15 miles away; Eleazer Hamlin, father of Dr. Cyrus, and grand-father of Hom. Hannibal Hamlin was an early settler, as were also his three brothers. Five or six Brown brothers, and the four families of Jewett, Saunders, Chaplin and Greene also came early. Prof. William W. Greene, M.D., distinguished as a surgeon, was a native of Waterford. The titles to the lands were principally from Jonathan Houghton, Henry Gardiner, David Sampson, Jonathan Whitcomb, chief proprietors.
The town was incorporated March 2, 1797. An Orthodox minister was settled in 1799, and a militia company formed in the same year. At present there are two Congregational churches and one Methodist church in the town. The number of public schoolhouses is fourteen; and the school-property is valued at $7,O00. The population in 1870 was 1,286; polls, 333. In 1880 it was 1,161, with 349 polls. The valuation in 1870 was $403,651. In 1880 it was $338,987
February 23 at 10:05am · Delete Post
Mark Babitz
History of Sebago, Maine
From
A Gazetteer of the
State of Maine
By Geo. J. Varney
Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill,
Boston 1886
Sebago is situated on the north-western shore of Lake Sebago and in the western part of Cumberland County. Bridgton and and Naples lie on the north-east, Baldwin lies on the south, and Denmark and Hiram, in Oxtbrd County, lie on the west. The early history of Sebago is blended with that of Baldwin; the territory having been granted with the latter by Massachusetts, in 1774, to Whittemore, Lawrence, and their associates,-the survivors of John Fitch and Company. In 1826 this territory was divided,-the northern part being incorporated under the name of Sebago. About 1000 acres from Denmark was annexed in 1830; and 400 acres have since been added from Baldwin; but in forming Naples, in 1834, 4,700 acres were taken from Sehago. The surface of the town is very uneven, and generally rocky. It was a severe task to clear up a farm in this rough region; but the soil was strong and repaid the industrious with abundant crops. The building and maintaining of roads among the rocky hills amid the construction of bridges over its rapid streams has always been a severe tax upon the inhabitants; but the work has been well performed. The highest eminences in Sebago are Saddleback Mountain, on the southern border, Peaked Mountain, in the eastern part, and Tiger mountain in the north-eastern. Brown's and Perley ponds,-the largest three-fourths of a mile in length-lie within town limits. On its borders are Sebago Lake, Peabody, Great Hancock, Hancock, and South-East ponds. The principal streams are North-West River, Mill Brook and Sandy Beach Brook. The chief settlement is on Mill Brook, near the centre of the town,-constituting Sebago village. The principal manufactures are long and short lumber, shooks and boots and shoes.
The town has Congregatiunalist, Baptist, Gen. Baptist, and Union churches. Sebago has nine public schoolhouses, valued at $1,600. The estates in 1870 were valued at $175,550. In 1880 they were valued at $183,095. The population at the same date was 803. The census of 1880 increases it to 808.
February 23 at 10:08am · Delete Post
Mark Babitz
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