Bethel, Maine
Encyclopedia
Bethel is a town
in Oxford County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 2,411 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of West Bethel and South Bethel. The town is home to Gould Academy
, a private preparatory school
, and is near the Sunday River ski resort
.
village was once located on the north side of the Androscoggin River
, but had been abandoned before its subsequent English
settlement. In 1769, the township was granted as Sudbury-Canada by the Massachusetts General Court
to Josiah Richardson of Sudbury
, Massachusetts
and others (or their heirs) for services at the Battle of Quebec
in 1690. It was first settled in 1774 when Nathaniel Segar of Newton
, Massachusetts
started clearing the land.
The Revolutionary War
, however, delayed many grantees from taking up their claims. Only 10 families resided at Sudbury-Canada when it was plundered on August 3, 1781 during the last Indian attack in Maine. Two inhabitants, Benjamin Clark and Nathaniel Segar, were abducted and held captive in Quebec
until the war's conclusion, after which the community grew rapidly. On June 10, 1796, Sudbury-Canada Plantation was incorporated as Bethel
, the name taken from the Book of Genesis and meaning "House of God."
In 1802, a trade road (now Route 26
) was completed from Portland
to Errol
, New Hampshire
, passing through Bethel and bringing growth. More settlers and businesses arrived. Crops were planted on fertile intervales and meadow
s formerly cultivated by Indians. Bethel became one of the best farming towns in the state, especially for hay
and potato
es. In winter, farmers found work logging
, with the lumber
cut at sawmill
s operated by water power from streams. Other manufacturers produced flour
, leather
and harness
es, furniture
, boot
s and shoe
s, carriage
s, and marble
and granite
work. The Bethel House, a large hotel, was built in 1833.
On March 10, 1851, the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad opened to Bethel, carrying freight and summer tourists eager to escape the noise, heat and pollution of cities. Between the Civil War
and World War I
, Bethel was a fashionable summer resort. Several hotels were built facing the common or on Bethel Hill. Begun in 1863, The Prospect Hotel was the largest, with a cupola
from which guests could observe the mountains. Tally-ho
coaches
provided tours through wilderness
landscapes of the White Mountains
and Maine. Dr. John G. Gehring's famed clinic for nervous disorders attracted many wealthy patients. Between 1897 and 1926, important figures in the music world performed at the Maine Music Festivals organized by William Rogers Chapman. But with the advent of the automobile
, tourists were no longer restricted by the limits of train service, but were free to explore. Consequently, many big hotels built near the tracks lost patrons, declined and were eventually torn down. The Prospect Hotel was largely destroyed by fire in 1911. The National Training Laboratories
was established at Bethel by psychologist
Kurt Lewin
in 1947, but its headquarters moved to Alexandria
, Virginia
in 2005. Nevertheless, the town remains popular with tourists for its beautiful natural setting and historic charm.
, the town has a total area of 65.9 square miles (170.7 km²), of which, 64.8 square miles (167.8 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (1.70%) is water. Located among the Oxford Hills, Bethel is drained by the Androscoggin River
.
of 2000, there were 2,411 people, 1,034 households, and 677 families residing in the town. The population density
was 37.2 people per square mile (14.4/km²). There were 1,448 housing units at an average density of 22.3 per square mile (8.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.09% White, 0.21% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.12% from other races
, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.
There were 1,034 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,803, and the median income for a family was $38,669. Males had a median income of $31,569 versus $18,859 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,458. About 8.0% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Oxford County
Oxford County, Maine
Oxford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine with a population of 57,833 as of the 2010 U.S. census. Its county seat is Paris.Part of Oxford County is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, metropolitan New England City and Town Area while a different part of Oxford County is...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,411 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of West Bethel and South Bethel. The town is home to Gould Academy
Gould Academy
Gould Academy is a private, co-ed, college preparatory boarding and day school located in the small town of Bethel, Maine, United States. Founded in 1835, the school offers skiing and snowboarding programs, although unlike specialized "ski academies" it remains first and foremost a college-prep...
, a private preparatory school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
, and is near the Sunday River ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
.
History
An Abenaki IndianIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
village was once located on the north side of the Androscoggin River
Androscoggin River
The Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
, but had been abandoned before its subsequent English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
settlement. In 1769, the township was granted as Sudbury-Canada by the Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
to Josiah Richardson of Sudbury
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, population 17,659. The town was incorporated in 1639, with the original boundaries including what is now Wayland. Wayland split from Sudbury in 1780. When first incorporated, it included and parts of Framingham, Marlborough, Stow...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and others (or their heirs) for services at the Battle of Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1690)
The Battle of Quebec was fought in October 1690 between the colonies of New France and Massachusetts Bay, then ruled by the kingdoms of France and England, respectively. It was the first time Quebec's defences were tested....
in 1690. It was first settled in 1774 when Nathaniel Segar of Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
started clearing the land.
The Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, however, delayed many grantees from taking up their claims. Only 10 families resided at Sudbury-Canada when it was plundered on August 3, 1781 during the last Indian attack in Maine. Two inhabitants, Benjamin Clark and Nathaniel Segar, were abducted and held captive in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
until the war's conclusion, after which the community grew rapidly. On June 10, 1796, Sudbury-Canada Plantation was incorporated as Bethel
Bethel
Bethel was a border city described in the Hebrew Bible as being located between Benjamin and Ephraim...
, the name taken from the Book of Genesis and meaning "House of God."
In 1802, a trade road (now Route 26
Maine State Route 26
State Route 26 is a 96.7 mile-long state highway in southwestern Maine. It was first commissioned in 1925, as part of the New England road marking system. Route 26 in Maine, as well as New Hampshire and the short stub in Vermont, covers the route of the old New England Interstate Route 26...
) was completed from Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
to Errol
Errol, New Hampshire
Errol is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 291 at the 2010 census. It is located north of the White Mountains along Route 16 at the intersection of Route 26...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, passing through Bethel and bringing growth. More settlers and businesses arrived. Crops were planted on fertile intervales and meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s formerly cultivated by Indians. Bethel became one of the best farming towns in the state, especially for hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
and potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es. In winter, farmers found work logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, with the lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
cut at sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s operated by water power from streams. Other manufacturers produced flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
, leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
and harness
Harness
A harness is a looped restraint or support. It can also be referred to as an "hitcharness", especially by the Jordanian Armed Forces. Specifically, it may refer to one of the following harness types:* Bondage harness* Child harness* Climbing harness...
es, furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, boot
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
s and shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
s, carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s, and marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
and granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
work. The Bethel House, a large hotel, was built in 1833.
On March 10, 1851, the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad opened to Bethel, carrying freight and summer tourists eager to escape the noise, heat and pollution of cities. Between the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Bethel was a fashionable summer resort. Several hotels were built facing the common or on Bethel Hill. Begun in 1863, The Prospect Hotel was the largest, with a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
from which guests could observe the mountains. Tally-ho
Tally-ho
The phrase tally-ho is a largely British phrase, used in foxhunting, shouted when a rider sees the fox.-Etymology:Tally-ho dates from around 1772, and is probably derived from the French taïaut, a cry used to excite hounds when hunting deer...
coaches
Coach (carriage)
A coach was originally a large, usually closed, four-wheeled carriage with two or more horses harnessed as a team, controlled by a coachman and/or one or more postilions. It had doors in the sides, with generally a front and a back seat inside and, for the driver, a small, usually elevated seat in...
provided tours through wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
landscapes of the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
and Maine. Dr. John G. Gehring's famed clinic for nervous disorders attracted many wealthy patients. Between 1897 and 1926, important figures in the music world performed at the Maine Music Festivals organized by William Rogers Chapman. But with the advent of the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, tourists were no longer restricted by the limits of train service, but were free to explore. Consequently, many big hotels built near the tracks lost patrons, declined and were eventually torn down. The Prospect Hotel was largely destroyed by fire in 1911. The National Training Laboratories
National Training Laboratories
Kurt Lewin founded the National Training Laboratories, known as NTL, an American non-profit behavioral psychology center, in 1947. NTL became a major influence in modern corporate training programs, and in particular developed the T-Group methodology that remains in place today...
was established at Bethel by psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
Kurt Lewin
Kurt Lewin
Kurt Zadek Lewin was a German-American psychologist, known as one of the modern pioneers of social, organizational, and applied psychology....
in 1947, but its headquarters moved to Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 2005. Nevertheless, the town remains popular with tourists for its beautiful natural setting and historic charm.
Notable people
- Henry J. BeanHenry J. BeanHenry J. Bean was an American politician and judge in Oregon. He was the 24th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. He served in that role twice during the 1930s. At his death on the bench he was the longest serving justice in the state’s history...
, judge and state congressmen in Oregon. - Luther C. CarterLuther C. CarterLuther Cullen Carter was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in Bethel, Maine, Carter moved to New York City and engaged in mercantile pursuits.He served as member of the Board of Education of New York City in 1853....
, congressman. - Simon DumontSimon DumontSimon Francis Dumont is a U.S. freestyle skier.-Skiing:Dumont is notable as one of the best freestyle skiers in the world today. He is known for his amplitude in half-pipe competitions, airing easily up to 20 feet out of the pipe, and doing superman double fronts...
, Freeskier. - Cuvier Grover, Civil War era general.
- La Fayette GroverLa Fayette GroverLa Fayette Grover was a Democratic politician and lawyer from the US state of Oregon. He was the fourth Governor of Oregon, serving from 1870 to 1877...
, senator and 4th governor of Oregon. - Moses Mason, physician, congressman
- Patty Bartlett SessionsPatty Bartlett SessionsPatty Bartlett Sessions was a Mormon midwife. She was one of the wives of Joseph Smith, Jr. while still married to her first husband, David Sessions. She was the mother of Perrigrine Sessions, founder of Bountiful, Utah...
, Mormon midwife and wife of Joseph Smith, Jr.. - Philip Hunter Timberlake, noted entomologist.
- James S. WileyJames S. WileyJames Sullivan Wiley was a U.S. Representative from Maine.Born in Mercer, Maine, Wiley moved to Bethel, Maine, in 1826.He attended Gould's Academy and was graduated from Colby College, Waterville, Maine, in 1836....
, congressman.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 65.9 square miles (170.7 km²), of which, 64.8 square miles (167.8 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (1.70%) is water. Located among the Oxford Hills, Bethel is drained by the Androscoggin River
Androscoggin River
The Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,411 people, 1,034 households, and 677 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 37.2 people per square mile (14.4/km²). There were 1,448 housing units at an average density of 22.3 per square mile (8.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.09% White, 0.21% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.
There were 1,034 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,803, and the median income for a family was $38,669. Males had a median income of $31,569 versus $18,859 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $17,458. About 8.0% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- Maine School Administrative District 44Maine School Administrative District 44Maine School Administrative District 44 is a school district containing the towns of Andover, Bethel, Gilead, Greenwood, Newry, and Woodstock, in Oxford County, Maine.The school district is composed of the following schools:...
(MSAD 44)- Crescent Park Elementary School
- Telstar Regional Middle/High SchoolTelstar Regional Middle/High SchoolTelstar Regional Middle/High School is a middle/high school located in Bethel, Maine, in the United States as part of Maine School Administrative District 44...
- Gould AcademyGould AcademyGould Academy is a private, co-ed, college preparatory boarding and day school located in the small town of Bethel, Maine, United States. Founded in 1835, the school offers skiing and snowboarding programs, although unlike specialized "ski academies" it remains first and foremost a college-prep...
, a private coeducational preparatory school
Sites of interest
- Bethel Historical Society & Museum
- Dr. Moses Mason House (1813)
- O'Neil Robinson House (1823)