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

LITTLETON.

tance. Monmouth forms the western boundary for the northern part,
and Wales in Androscoggin County for the southern part. Bowdoin
and Richmond in Sagadahoc County lie on the south and east. Pleas-
ant Pond connected with the Cobbossee Contee, separates it from the
latter. The Purgatory Ponds lie on the north-west side, adjoining
Monmouth, furnishing water-power for several mills. These are at
Litchfield, Village, or Purgatory Mills, and comprise an excellent grist-
mill and a hoe and fork factory. The post-offices are Litchfield, South
Litchfield Litchfield Plains and Litchfield Corner. The surface of the
town is uneven, but not greatly broken. The highest eminences are
Oak Hill and Neal’s and Lent’s hills. From their tops may be seen
some charming views. The Purgatory Ponds in the western part of
the town are the members of a chain of nine ponds, whose outlet is
into the Cobbossee Contee. Loon Pond is a beautiful sheet of water.
There are several attractive glens and cascades in the town.

The soil'is well suited to agriculture, and yields good crops of hay,
potatoes, corn, wheat, etc. Much attention has been given to fruit
culture, also. The annual fairs held at Litchfield Plains are among
the best town shows in the State. Litchfield Corner is the seat of
Litchfield Academy, founded in 1845, where many excellent teachers
have been educated. There is also a public schoolhouse and several
fine residences.

The plantation name of the township was Smithfield, from two
brothers named Smith, who, together with a Mr. Tibbetts, were the
first settlers. Others of the early settlers were the Emersons, Met-
calfs, Hutchinsons, Lords, Potters, Neals, Owens, Dennises, Snows,
Rogers, Jewells, Robinsons, and John and Daniel True, whose descend-
ants have ever been prominent in the town. The land titles are from
the Plymouth Company. The town was incorporated under its pres-
ent name in 1795. In 1859 a portion of the territory was set off and
annexed to West Gardiner.

There are in town church edifices of the Congregationalist, Baptists,
and Free Baptists, two each of the two last. Litchfield has fifteen
public schoolhouses, valued at $5,000. The valuation of estates in
1870 was $496,908. In 1880 it was $454,330. The rate of taxation in
1880 was 15 mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 1,506.
According to the census of 1880 it had fallen off to 1,310.

Littleton, in Aroostook County, joins Houlton on the
north of that town. It is bounded on other sides by Monticello on the
north, letter B. Township on the west, and Wilmot, in New Bruns-
wick, on the east. The area is 22,040 acres. The northern half was
granted to Framingham Academy by the Massachusetts Legislature in
1801, and was surveyed in the following year. The southern half is
the northern part of a township granted to Williams College in 1800,
the southern half of which now forms the northern half of Houlton.
It was located in 1801 by Park Holland. Though settlements began
so early, it did not until 1856 contain a sufficient number of inhabit-
ants to obtain the act of incorporation, which it then first received.
The most of the lots are now occupied. Littleton post-office is near
the centre of the town. The stage-line from Houlton to Upper Aroos-
took passes this point.

The surface of the town is diversified by swells and forest tracts.

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