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

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RICHMOND.

keag River in the eastern. The European and North American Rail-
way passes through the south-eastern part of the town, where it has a
station. The plantation is 36 miles south by north-west from Houlton,
and 80 miles north-east of Bangor, on the military road. The stage-
line from Mattawamkeag to Haynesville passes through the north-
eastern part of the township. The settlements are in the western part
on this road, and along the railway where it is near the Mattawam-
keag.

The first settler was John Clifford, who removed here from Dover,
in 1830. There are two public schoolhouses, and the school-property
is valued at $225. The population in 1870 was 54. In 1880 it was
109. The valuation in 1880 was $45,451.

Richardson Lakes, see articles on Rangeley and Oxford
County.

Richmond, the most northerly town of Sagadahoc County,
is situated on the west bank of the Kennebec River, 17 miles south of
Augusta and 12 miles north of Bath by water. The Main Central
railroad passes through the town near the river, having a station at the
village in the south-east part of the town, and flag stations at Iceboro’
and the Camp-ground. Gardiner bounds it on the north, Bowdoinham
on the south, Dresden on the east and Litchfield on the west. In
dimensions, the town is ahout 5£ by 6 miles. The surface is rolling
with moderate hills. Preble, Wilson, and Mount Tom hills are the prin-
cipal elevations. Cobbossee Contee, or Pleasant Pond, with its southern
feeder, forms the western boundary of the town. The pond is about five
miles in length, but is scarcely more than half a mile wide at its widest
part. Abagadasset River rises in the north western part and runs south-
ward through the town. Mill Brook is the principal stream in the
eastern part of the town, discharging into the Kennebec at the village,
in south-eastern part of the town. Richmond Mineral Spring is highly
esteemed by some. The rock is generally granitic in its character.
The soil is largely clay, and rather hard to work. Hay and potatoes
constitute the chief crops for export. Oak, beech, birch, maple, elm,
spruce, fir and pine are all abundant. Elm, maple and willow are
numerous along the village streets. At tho village are the shoe factory
of Richmond Manufacturing Association, employing when full 600
hands, a brass foundry, a large saw and planing mill, four ship-yards, a
furniture factory, a sail-loft, bakery, edge-tool shops, etc. Here, also,
is a good library of above 2,500 volumes belonging to the Richmond
Library Association, but accessible to the public. Richmond has the
usual social and charitable institutions, and there is also a loan and
building association, which has aided to increase the buildings and
business of the town. There are one savings and two national banks.

In 1649, one Christopher Lawson purchased of the Indians a tract
of land on the western side of the Kenebec, extending from the mouth
of the stream falling into the river near the head of S\?^ran Island
(town of Perkins) to the mouth of the Cobbossee Contee, and back
from the Kennebec 10 miles. In 1650, this tract was sold by Lawson
to Clark and Lake. It is about equally divided between Richmond
and Gardiner. In 1719-20 a fortification bearing the name “ Fort
Richmond,” was erected within the present limits of Richmond Village,