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

GAZETTEER OF MAINE

Readfield is situated a little south-west of the centre of Kenne-
bec County, on the line of the Maine Central Railway between Lewiston
and Waterville. It is bounded on the east by the narrow town of
Manchester, which alone separates it from Augusta, north by Mount
Vernon and Belgrade, tvest by Fayette and Wayne, and south by
Winthrop. Maranocook Pond and Greely Pond with their connecting
stream divide the town a little west of the middle. Lovejoy’s Pond
occupies the southern half of the western line, and the eastern branch
of Crotched Pond a portion of the same line on its northern half. In
the south-eastern part of the town lies the larger portion of Carlton’s
Pond. There are post-offices at Readfield Corner, Kent’s Hill and
Readfield Depot. East Readfield, at the south-west of the town, has a
Methodist church and a schoolhouse, Avith a small collection of dwel-
lings, forming a pleasant street. Readfield Corner, a little west of the
centre of the town, on the stream which discharges the waters of
Greely Pond into Lake Maranocook, is the principal business place.
There is here a fall of 40 feet in 160 rods, furnishing the power for
the woolen factory of the Readfield Manufacturing Company, a sash
and blind factory, etc. Beside the railway, there is a daily stage-line
to Augusta, about 12 miles distant. In 1825 an educational institution
called the Maine Wesleyan Seminary was instituted on Kent’s Hill in
this town, under the auspices of the Methodists. In 1852 it became
also a college for young women. Both the seminary and college have •
taken higli rank among our literary institutions, and received a good
share of patronage. Kent’s Hill is said to have taken its name from a
family of early settlers. Another early settler was Joshua Bean, who
was a large landholder in the town. Others of these pioneers are
John Hubbard, Robert Page, Christopher Turner, Josiah Mitchell,
Joseph Williams, Dudley Haines, Josiah Hall, Peter Noyes, Warren
Kent, three brothers named Whittier, John Grey, Ichabod Simmons,
John Gage, Jeremiah Glidden, Pearly Hoyt and Peter Norton.
Jonathan G. Hunton, one of our State governors, resided and prac-
ticed law for a time in Readfield. Hon. Anson P. Morrill, formerly
governor of Maine, and later, a member of Congress, resides at Read-
field Corner, being largely interested in the manufactures.

Readfield was formerly a part of Winthrop, from which it was set
off and incorporated in 1791. The surface of the town is generally
undulating, and the soil productive. For stock-raising and dairying,
it is in the first rank in the State. The fairs of the Kennebec Agri-
cultural Society, when held here, are always successful.

There are three Methodist churches and a Universalist church in
the town. Readfield has nine public schoolhouses, valued at $6,000.
The valuation of estates in 1870 was $589,171. In 1880 it was $499,089.
The population in 1870 was 1456. By the census of 1880 it was 1,243.

Red Beach, a post-office and 3mall village in Calais, Wash-
ington County

Reed Plantation lies in the southern range of townships
in the eastern part of Androscoggin County. Bancroft Plantation
bounds it on the east, Greenwood on tbe north and Macwahoc Planta-
tion and Township 1, Range 3, on the west. The principal water-
courses are Wytopitlock Stream in the western part, and Mattawam-