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

ADDIS ON.    65

In regard to scenery, the town is diversified with hill and hollow,
and woods of oak, beech and maple. West of the centre of the town is
a remarkable valley surrounded by hills, and known as “ The Hopper.”
The carriage roads are good, but there is no railroad in town ; the
nearest station being that in East Lebanon, on the Portland and
Rochester Railroad. The business centres named in the order of their
importance are, Acton Corners, Milton Mills, North Acton and South
Acton.    The number of acres of land in    the    town is 18,127. Little

Ossipee    River and Balch    Pond form    the    northern boundary.

Mousam River takes its rise    from Square    and    Mousam ponds, at the

eastern    border of the town.    It has also    the    Hubbard, Bracket and

Ricker streams. Its chief water powers are on the Little Ossipee
river,—where are a saw and grist mill, and a felt mill—and at the head
of Salmon Falls River, where there is a saw mill for general work.

The bed rock in the town is granite and mica schist. The Acton
mineral belt, from 2 to 4 miles in width, crosses the southern portion
of the town. The ores consist chiefly of argentiferous galenas. There
is also some zinc, arsenic and copper. Several companies are en-
gaged in mining these ores.

Acton has fourteen public school houses ; and the school property
is valued at $4,000. The number of acres of land in the town is 18,127.
The valuation of estates in 1870 was $329,189. In 1880 it was $363,105.
The population in 1870 was 1,007. In 1880, it was 1050.

AdcLiSOll is situated on the southern sea-coast of Washington
County, 18| niiles west by south-west of Machias. It is hounded on
the north by Columbia, east by Jonesboro and Jonesport, west by Har-
rington and south by the sea. Indian River separates it from the
towns on the east, and Pleasant Bay and River from those on the west.
Cape Split and Moose Neck from the southern points of the town, and
between these is Cape Split Harbor. Moose and Sheep are the prin-
cipal islands, the last lying at the south and the first at the mouth of
Indian River, and near the village of that name.

The rock is chiefly granitic, and the soil loamy. There is a quarry
of black granite, which is considerably wrought. Potatoes form the prin-
cipal crop. Spruce is the most numerous forest tree. Elm and balm
of gilead are found along the village streets or about the dwellings.
The Addison Mineral Spring has a local reputation.

The villages are Addison at the north-west at the head of Pleasant
River Bay, and Indian River on the eastern side. The Jonesport and
Columbia stage line furnishes communication by land. Each village
is about 11 miles from the landing of the Portland steamer at Mi'Il-
b ridge. The manufactures are lumber, carriages, sails, etc. There are
2 shipyards. Vessels of 300 tons can load within 20 rods of the mills.

Addison was settled soon after the close of the Revolutionary War,
and was organized as a plantation known as “Number Six west of
Machias.” It was incorporated as a town in 1796, being named in
honor the elegant English writer, Joseph Addison.

There are Baptist, Methodist and Universalist churches at Addison
village, and Baptist and Advent churches at Indian River. The town
has 12 public schoolhouses, which, with other school property, are
valued at $1,500. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $263,457, in
1880, it was $278,978. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 21