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

388    GAZETTEER    OF MAINE.

of superior quality. The stage-line from Houlton to Patten passes
through the town.

The Baptists have a society, and sustain preaching a portion of
the time. New Limerick has five public schoolhouses; and its
school property is valued at $1,000. The population in 1870 was 308.

In 1880 it was*590. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $43,450. In
1880 it was $100,720.

' ■ #

Newport lies on the western border of Penobscot County,

25 miles west-north-west of Bangor. Corinna bounds it on the north,

Stetson on the east, Plymouth on the south and Palmyra, in Somerset
County, on the west. The surface is pleasantly varied by hills and
valleys, but is without lofty elevations. Newport Pond lies nearly in
the centre of the town. It has an area of about 8 square miles, and a
circumference of about 15. This excellent reservoir receives the over-
flow of Stetson Pond, lying in the next town eastward, of two ponds
in Dexter, and of one in Corinna. Its own outlet forms the east branch
of the Sebastieook River. The dam might readily be raised so as to    p

give eight feet of storage on the pond, which would then afford 252
horse powers gross on the whole fall for ten hours a day, 312 days in
the year, or about 10,000 spindles. The natural fall at this place is 14
feet in 78 rods. No damage has ever been done by freshets. A good
quality of granite for building is abundant here. The principal centre    "

of business is Newport village on the outlet of the pond, in the south-
western part of the town. Other centres are East and North Newport    -g,

and Wedgewood Corners. Newport village, and East Newport have    .

stations on the Maine Central Railroad, which also sends a branch
from Newport village to Dexter.

The manufactures at the village consist of lumber (2 mills), car-
riages, meaj and flour, marble, granite and slate work, iron work, boots
and shoes, etc.

The soil of this town is fertile, and tbe main business of the inhab-
itants is agricultural. The buildings generally in tbe rural parts of the
town, as well as in the villages, show tokens of thrift. The place is
likely to have a greater growth in years to come.

The settlement of this town was commenced about the year 1808.

Among the earliest settlers were William Martin, Isaac Lawrence,

Nathaniel Burrill, John Whiting, Daniel Bjcknell, John Ireland and
Elam Pratt, most of whom came from Bloomfield and purchased the
land upon which to settle, of Benjamin Shepard, of that town. The
settlement was called East Pond Plantation until its incorporation
under its present name, June 14, 1814.

The denominations which have societies here are the Methodists
and the Christian. All hold their meetings in the Union church.

There is in tbe village a circulating library of 500 volumes. The
number of public schoolhouses is ten, valued, with their appurtenances,
at $8,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $540,927. In 1880
it was $378,168. The population in 1870 was 1,559. In 1880 it was
1,451.

New Portland lies on the western border of Somerset
County, 20 miles north-west of Skowhegan. Lexington bounds it on
the north, Anson on the south, Embden on the east, and Freeman, in