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

MEDFORD.    .    359

by members of Maysville Grange. The people take pride in the ex-
cellent roads of the town. A bridge across tbe Aroostook here is 420
feet in length.

The town has 12 schoolhouses, all in good condition. The value of
school property is $8,500. The valuation of estates in 1870 was
$140,057. hi 1880 it was $224,288. The rate of taxation in tbe latter
year was 16 mills on tbe dollar. The population in 1870 was 758. In
1880 it was 1,141.

Mechanic Falls is a manufacturing village and post-
office in Androscoggin County, lying on the Little Androscoggin River
in the adjacent towns of Minot and Poland.

Meddyhemps lies in the eastern part of Washington
County, 10 miles south-west of Calais, and 35 miles N.N.E. of Machias.
It is bounded by Alexander and Baring on the north, on the east by
the latter, south by Charlotte and Cooper, and west by the latter.
About one third of Meddybemps Lake lies in the town, extending to
the centre. The area of this sheet of water is 15 square miles. It
has its outlet at this point, constituting Denny’s River. On this stream
and about the southern extremity of the lake Meddybemps Village is
situated. The Fall on the outlet here is 20 feet in one eighth of
a mile. The mills upon it consist of one shingle-machine, one lath and
stave mill, and one grist-mill. About thirty years since a good
beginning was made in ornamenting the village by setting out a few
elms. The surface of tbe town is variable in elevation, but the highest
hills do not exceed 200 feet. The underlying rock is granitic in
character. The soil is a gravelly loam. Hay and potatoes are the
crops chiefly cultivated. Spruce, pine, birch and maple are still abun-
dant in the forests. The town sent 40 men to the defence of the Union
in the late war, losing 7.

Meddybemps was incorporated, February, 20, 1841. It was formed
from portions of Cooper, Charlotte and Baring. The Baptists have a
church-edifice here; and the Methodists have a society, and sustain
meetings. There are two public schoolhouses in the town. The entire
school property is valued at $1,000. The valuation of estates in 1870
was $24,080. In 1880 it was $25,833. The rate of taxation in tbe
latter year was 26 mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was
200. In 1880 it was 172.

Medford is one of the two extreme south-eastern towns of
Piscataquis County. It has an un incorporated township on the north,
Milo on the west, Maxfield on the east, and La Grange on the south,
both the latter being in Penobscot County. The Piscataquis River
passes through tbe midst of the town. Where the Schoodic stream falls
into the Piscataquis, General Boyd, in 1820, erected the largest saw-mill
then upon the Penobscot or any of its branches. In 1832 it was taken
down, and another was built, and taken down ; but still another was
erected on this side. In 1835 a saw and a grist-mill were built on Cold
Brook, which flows into the Piscataquis from tbe south; and around
these the village of Medford has sprung up.

The settlement of the township preceded any grant. James Grovei