I

BREWER.

Sweden and Waterford, in Oxford County, north-east by Harrison,
south-east by Naples and Sebago, and south-west by Denmark.
Long Pond separates it from Harrison, and extends nearly through
the town of Naples to Lake Sebago, with which it is connected by
Brandy Pond and a short stream called Songo River. Crotched, Upper
Moose, Wood’s, Ingalls, Otter and Beaver Ponds are wholly within
the town. Kezar Pond lies on the north-western line of the town, and
together with its feeder and outlet form the boundary between Bridgton
and Fryeburg. The principal streams are Steven’s Brook, the outlet
of Crotched Pond and Willett’s and Martin Brooks. The first furnishes
the power at Bridgton Village, where are situated the Cumberland,
Pondicherry and Forest woollen-mills, two grist-mills, two saw-mills,
a shovel-handle and sash and blind factory, a foundry, machine-shop,
hammer and cabinet-shops. There are on this stream ten or more
available powers, of which not less than eight are improved. Within
a distance of a mile and a half this stream makes a descent of about
150 feet. The village is busy, thrifty and intelligent. The houses are
neat, and generally have spacious grounds which are often ornamented
with trees, shrubbery and flowers. The village has church edifices of the
Congregationalist, Baptist, Methodist, and Universalist denominations.
The schools are graded from primary to high, and their standard is
well maintained.

At the little village called “ Pinhook ” or “ Sandy Creek,” south of
the former, are a grist-mill, a saw-mill, carriage and boot and shoe
factories. The Baptist church at this place is very pleasantly situated.

South Bridgton consists principally of one pleasant street, on which
are a Congregational church, and an excellent public schoolhouse.
The manufactures are carriages and boots and shoes.

North Bridgton is a prettily laid out village at the northern extrem-
ity of Long Pond. This is the northern boat landing for the west
side of the pond. The manufactures are cabinet-work, leather, lumber,
meal, flour, boots aud shoes, etc. The public edifices are the neat
church of the Congregationalists, and the well-known Bridgton
Academy, which continues to flourish, though so many schools of its
kind have ceased to exist. West Bridgton, at the north-western corner
of the town, has a schoolhouse and post-office.

The scenery in this town is delightful, both within and about the
town ; and the pleasure and comfort and safety of inland sailing may
here be enjoyed to the full; the boats running from Harrison, at the
'extreme north of Long Pond, to all points on Lake Sebago. It is now
probable that by the summer of 1881, a narrow-gauge railway will con-
nect Bridgton directly with Portland, which must prove a means of
much advantage and pleasure to the town and its visitors. Bridgeton
was granted in 1761, by Massachusetts, to Moody Bridges and others,
being divided into eighty-six shares. Sixty-one of these were held by
individual proprietors; one was set apart for the support of the minis-
try ; one, for the first settled minister; one, for Harvard College; one,
for the support of schools; one, for the first settler in the township.
In 1767 the proprietors named their town Bridgton, in honor of Moody
Bridges, one of their number. It had previously been called Pondi-
cherry. This is the name of a town in Ireland, but is said to have
been humorously given to a tract lying between Long Pond and Pleas-
ant Mountain on account of its numerous ponds and abundance of wild