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

RUMFORD.

Roxbury is generally a gravelly loam, with some good low intervals.
A tract in the western part of the town, and another extending in
irregular form from the centre to the northern and eastern borders, are
comparatively level. Pine, poplar, birch and maple are the principal
forest trees. Much hay is raised here, finding a sale with the lumber-
men ; and considerable stock is kept also. The largest manufactory is
a shoe shop, where one case of shoes a day is made. The buildings
are not generally kept in the best repair, but the roads are of average
quality. The nearest railroad stations are in Woodstock and Bethel,—
several about 20 miles distant. The town is on the stage-line from
Mexico to Byron,

Roxbury—formerly No. 7—was incorporated March 17, 1835. The
town sent 16 men to aid in the war for the Union, of whom 3 were lost.
There are three public schoolhouses,—and the school property is
valued at $400. The population in 1870 was 162. In 1380 it was
175. The valuation in 1870 was $48,856. In 1880 it was $23,201.

Rumford lies in the northern part of the middle section of
Oxford County, having Andover, Roxbury and Mexico on the north-
west, north and north-east, Peru directly east, Bethel, and Milton and
Franklin plantations on the south and Newry on the west. The An-
droscoggin River runs north-eastward through the southern part of the
town, Ellis River comes down to it through the western part, Swift
River in the eastern part, and Concord River from the south enter the
Androscoggin at Rumford Point. In the southern half of the town
and in the extreme north are mountains; but between these the surface
is generally level. The most important elevations are White Cap (600
feet in height) and Black Mountain, at the north, and Mount Heming-
way at the extreme south. The northern mountains especially are noted
for their immense crop of blueberries. The rock in the town is chiefly
granite. The soil, in general, is sandy. Birch, maple, poplar and pine
trees constitute the forests. Wheat, corn, oats and potatoes are the
crops chiefly cultivated, and yield well. The principal village is Fast.
Rumford on the Androscoggin in the eastern part of the town.. ,There
are here three saw-mills manufacturing long and short lumber, a shovel*
handle factory, a grist-mill, a cheese and a starch factory, On or near
Concord River (Rumford Post-Office) are saw, grist and shingle-mills.
At this and other points are the other manufactories common to
villages. The public and private buildings are neat in their appearance,
and the public roads are generally very good. Other Post-Offices are
North, East, Rumford Centre and Point. The nearest railroad stations
are those in Bethel and Woodstock, The stage-route from Bryant’s
Pond on the Grand Trunk railroad to Andover is through this town.

About 3 miles above Rumford Point Village is a paint mine,—
formed by deposit from a spring of tbe ochreous red oxide of iron.
Near this is considerable deposit of iron ore. On the Alonzo Holt
farm, black lead or plumbago has been found in considerable quantities.
Lime stone abounds in several places, but more largely at Rumford’
Falls. These falls are in the Androscoggin River in the eastern part
of the town, and form the grandest cataract in New England. Here
the whole volume of the river leaps over abrupt and craggy ledges of
granite, dashing the spray far into the air. At present there are throe
or four pitches at this place, but anciently there must have been a do-