Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

HARTFORD.    275

It lies between Bridgeton on fhe west and Otisfield on the east. Naples
bounds it on the south, and on the north lie Waterford and Norway,
both in Oxford County. Crooked River forms the eastern line for
almost the entire length of the town. Long Pond, which separates it
from Harrison, furnishes transportation by means of steamer to the
station of the Portland and Ogdensburg Railway, at the southern ex-
tremity of Lake Sebago. The length of the town from north to south
is about ten miles—twice its width.

The business centres are at Harrison Village, on Lake Sebago, and
Bolster’s Mills* on Crooked River. The former is the northern landing
for the steamers and draws the trade from a tvide extent of back
country. Separated from Long Pond only by the territory of the
village is Anonymous Pond, about a square mile in area, and furnish-
ing power for the factory of the Eastern Wire Co., whose product is
valued at about $50,000 per annum. Bolster’s Mills, the other village,
is situated on Crooked River, and nearly midway of the eastern side
of the town. There is here a saw-mill and a grist-mill, carding-mill,
tannery, etc.

Harrison was incorporated in 1805, deriving its name from Harri-
son Gray Otis, of Boston, who was a large proprietor in the township.

Though quite a manufacturing and commercial town, Harrison has
many fine farms, and her agricultural product compares well with that
of the neighboring towns. The leading denominations have churches
in the town or at its border. Harrison has nine schoolhouses, val-
ued at $1,800. The estates were valued in 1870 at $304,635. In 1880
their value was set at $315,826. The population at the same date was
1,219. By the census of 1880 it was given at 1,168.

Hartford is situated in the eastern part of Oxford County, 15
miles north-east of Paris. It is bounded on the north by Canton and
Peru, west by Sumner, south by Buckfield, and east by Livermore and
Turner, in Androscoggin County. The town is about 9 miles long, north
and south, and near 5 miles in average width. The west branch of
Twenty Mile River forms the boundary line on the west. The surface
is quite uneven, except in limited tracts. There are eight considerable
hills in the town, among which Holmes’s Hill, the Pinnacle, Great
Bear and Little Bear mountains are the chief. Whitney Pond lies
on the north-east line of the town, and Bear Pond on the south-east,—
each being about one square mile in area. Others within the town are
Bungermuck, Swan, North-east, and Bates ponds. The Rumford
Falls and Buckfield Railroad runs through the midst of the town,
having a station near East Sumner and one at Hartford Centre. The
water-powers are on Bungermuck Stream, at Hartford Centre, and the
west branch of Twenty Mile River, near East Sumner. The manu-
factures consist of rakes, trunk-cleats, salt-boxes, leather, etc. The
¹    principal village is Hartford Centre, where there is a post-office and

railway station. Here are also the town-hall and Atheneum Hall, where
profitable entertainments are frequently held. Apple orchards are
numerous in the town, and the land is largely devoted to grazing.
The buildings in general indicate thrift. ,

The first settlements were made in this town soon after the
Revolution, and it was incorporated in 1798. It was previously the
yj;:    plantation of West Butterfield.