DIXFIELD.    201

dramatic in their nature. The village has an excellent high-school.
The number of public schoolhouses is fourteen—valued, with their ap-
purtenances, at $14,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $1,006,-
966. In 1880 it was $963,029. The population in 1870 was 2,875. In
1880 it was 2,563.

Dickeyville, a post-office in Frenchville, Aroostook
County.

Dickvale, post-office in Peru, Oxford County.

Dirigo, post-office in China, Kennebec County.

Dixfield s situated on the north side of the Androscoggin
River, between this and the north-eastern border of Oxford County.
The length of the town, east and w^rest, is about 7£ miles, and north
and south, 5 miles. The surface is uneven, especially north-west of
the centre, where three large hills stand in a line, of which the south-
western one, consisting of two peaks known as the “ Sugar Loaves,”
is the highest. Near the Androscoggin, a little west of the middle of
the town, is a high hill called ^a The Bluff.” In the south-eastern part
of the town is a group of three mountains in a triangular position, of
which the highest are Burnt Mountain and Aunt Hepsey Brown’s
^    Mountain. Webb’s River forms the boundary line between this town

(k    and Mexico, on the west; Newton Brook comes down from the north

across the middle of the town to the Androscoggin, and Seven Mile
Brook crosses the north-eastern corner. Each of these streams has one
or more powers,—the town having a total of seven. Newton Brook
has three powers, two of which are occupied by saw-mills. On Seven
Mile Brook, at East Dixfield, are two powers, upon which are a saw-
mill, a mill for long and short lumber, and a grist-mill. The principal
power is at Dixfield Village, on Webb’s River, at the south-west cor-
ner of the town. On this power there are a saw-milh a box-factory
and a grist-mill. There is also a steam saw-mill at the village. East
Dixfield, and Dixfield Centre each have a cheese-factory. Other man-
ufactures in the town are carriages, tooth-picks and cigar-lighters, flies
and leaders, boots and shoes, marble work, etc.

This township was granted by Massachusetts to Jonathan Holman
and others. Ezra Newton with his wife and sister, spent the winter
of 1793 here. They are supposed to be the first white persons who
made their habitation in the town ; but they left on the return of
spring. John Marble came in during the same season with a yoke of
oxen ; but no permanent settlement was made until 1795, when Mar-
ble, with Gardner Brown, Amos Trask, Levi Newton, David Torrey
and John Gould came, accompanied by their families. At this time
the township had become the property of Dr. Elijah Dix, of Boston;
and for him at its incorporation, June 21, 1803, the town was named.
Dixfield Village is beautifully situated and built. It is 18 miles from
the railroad station at Bryant’s Pond, and 13 miles from the North
Jay station. The stage-line between the two places runs through
Dixfield, by way of the village. Each of the three villages mentioned
has a post-office. The denominations which have churches here are