Cumberland, Maine, USA (Cumberland Center)
1886 - Cumberland

Cumberland occupies the middle point in the shore line of Cumberland County. Its greatest length is from north-west to southeast, and is about three times its breadth. Yarmouth and North Yarmouth bound it on the north-east, Gray on the north-west, Falmouth on the south-west, and on the south-east Broad Cove and Casco Bay. To its jurisdiction belong Great Chebeague Island, Smooth Clapboard, Crow, Goose, Hope, Sand, Bangs, Sturdivaut, Stave, Ministerial, Bates', Broken Cave Islands and part of Groch Island. The first mentioned island is the largest, having about 600 inhabitants, and upwards of 100 dwellings, a post-office, a Baptist and a Methodist church, two or more schoolhouses, a fish-oil factory, etc. The principal occupation of the inhabitants is fishing.

The surface of the town is agreeably varied, without considerable elevations or depressions. Mill Hills are the greatest elevations. The rock is granite, and the soil clay with sandy and clay subsoil. It is an excellent farming town, and its agricultural fairs are always creditable. The principal collection of houses is at Cumberland Centre, which occupies an elevated site, and is a salubrious and pleasant village. It is also a place of much mental culture, having a Congregational church, and an excellent academy called Greely Institute. The institute is supported by a permanent fund left by the benefactor for whom it was named; and all youths in the town between the ages of twelve and twenty-one years are entitled to its instructions without cost. The institute has a good library, and it is also the Place where many excellent lectures and other intellectual entertainments are afforded to the people. Cumberland is notable for the many distinguished persons,-ministers, missionaries, authors and teachers, who were born or have lived there. At the Foreside there are some fine residences, and many attractive homes.

The Androscoggin and the Kennebec lines of the Maine Central Railroad form a junction near the station, a short distance from the Centre. The Grand Trunk Railway crosses the town near the sea, having a station at Poland Corners. The manufactories consist of a carriage-factory at the Centre, a grist-mill and two saw and stave. mills at West Cumberland, etc. A large, old-fashioned wooden-build. ing constitutes a town-hall, convenient for many puiposes. The public and private property is generally in good repair, and the town has a thrifty look to the traveler. Along many of the public roads are shade-trees-maple and elm-from ten to one hundred years old. Cumberland was formerly a part of North Yarmouth, and the history of that town embraces the chief part of the history of Cumberland, also. It was set off and incorporated in 1821.

Besides the churches already mentioned, the town has a Universalist church and two Methodist churches. Cumberland has nine public schoolhouses, valued at $28,500. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $511,920. In 1880 it was $556,460. The rate of taxation in 1880 was 15 mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 1,626. In the census of 1880 it was 1,619.

A Gazetteer of the State of Maine By Geo. J. Varney Published by B. B. Russell, Boston 1886

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