It lies 35 miles N. W. from Machi- as, and about 40 E. from Bangor.
Bedford, N. II.
This is a pleasant town in Hills- borough county. It is 8 miles N. E. from Amherst, 20 S. by E. from Concord. Merrimack and Piscata- quoag are the only rivers in this town. The latter passes through its N. E. corner, where there is the pleasant and flourishing village of Piscataquoag. This town has con- siderable very productive intervale land. It has been noted for the cultivation of hops and for its fine domestic manufactures. On the W. line of Bedford, are a remarkable | gulf and precipice, which are ob- jects of curiosity. A considerable brook passes over the precipice, and falls about 200 feet within the dis- tance of 100 yards. Here are found several excavations in solid stone, which are sufficiently large to con- tain many persons. In mineralogy, this town affords a great variety of specimens. Iron ore is found in different places, and in several vari- eties. Sulphuret of iron, imbedded in common granite, and red oxide of iron, combined with alumine, are common. Black lead, pyritous cop- per, schorl, hornblende, epidote, talc, mica, black, yellow and green gneiss, crystallized quartz, &c. are found here. The first child born in town tvas Silas Barron, son of Capt. Moses Barron, in 1741. The town wa3 incorporated, May 19, 1750. Bedford was the residence of many Indians in former times. Nehr Goffe’s falls is a spot of ground, about ten rods long and four wide, which is supposed to have been an Indian burial place. Population, 1830, 1,554.
Bedford, Mass.
This is a pleasant town in Middle- sex county, and the source of Shaw- sheen river. This town was for- merly parts of Concord and Billeri- ca, and was incorporated in 1729. |
Population, 1837, 858. It lies 15 miles N. W. from Boston, and 5N E. from Concord. Bedford is bound ed N. by Concord river. It has some manufactures ; principally of boots and shoes.
Beleliertown, Mass.,
A beautiful town in Hampshire county, originally called “Cold Spring,” 75 miles W. from Boston, 11E. from Northampton* and 27 E. from Pittsfield. Population, 1837, 2,598. First settled, 1732. Incor- porated, 1761. The soil of the town is of an excellent quality, and well improved. Large quantities of wool'is‘grown in this town. It is separated from Ware by Swift river, on the N. The principal manufacture is that of pleasure wagons, of which about 600 are an* nuaily made. Mr. A. Shumway, of this place, has driven the stage be- tween Belchertown and Northamp- ton 25 successive years. In that period he made 15,000 trips, travel- led 218,400 miles, and carried at least 124,000 passengers; yet, al- though his hours of travelling were early in the morning and late in the evening, he neveF broke a limb, overturned his coach, or met with any serious accident whatever, dur- ing his whole career.
Belfast, Me.,
Is the chief town of Waldo coun- ty, and a port of entry, and is beau- tifully situated on Belfast bay, on the W. side of Penobscot river. It lies 40 miles E. from Augusta, 30 S. from Bangor, 30 N. from Thom- aston, and, across Belfast bay, 12 W. from Castine. The town was in- corporated in 1773, but not perma- nently settled until about the year
1785. There is considerable good land in Belfast. In 1837 it pro- duced 3,492 bushels of as good wheat as ever grew on the prairies of the “ boundless West.” The Paasaggassawakeag river passes near the centre of the town, and
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