Poland, Maine 115861 223368710 2008-07-03T19:45:59Z Thijs!bot 1392310 robot Adding: [[de:Poland (Maine)]] {{Infobox Settlement |official_name = Poland, Maine |settlement_type = [[New England town|Town]] |nickname = |motto = <!-- Images --> |image_skyline = The Poland Spring House, Poland, ME.jpg |imagesize = |image_caption = The Poland Spring House |image_flag = |image_seal = <!-- Maps --> |image_map = Androscoggin County Maine Incorporated Areas Poland Highlighted.png |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = Location of Poland (in yellow) in Androscoggin County and the state of Maine |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = <!-- Location --> |subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]] |subdivision_name = [[United States]] |subdivision_type1 = [[Political divisions of the United States|State]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Maine]] |subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Maine|County]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Androscoggin County, Maine|Androscoggin]] |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 = |leader_name1 = |established_title = Incorporated |established_date = 1795 <!-- Area --> |unit_pref = Imperial |area_footnotes = |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = 122.2 |area_land_km2 = 109.6 |area_water_km2 = 12.6 |area_total_sq_mi = 47.2 |area_land_sq_mi = 42.3 |area_water_sq_mi = 4.9 <!-- Population --> |population_as_of = [[United States Census, 2000|2000]] |population_footnotes = |population_total = 4866 |population_density_km2 = 44.4 |population_density_sq_mi = 115.0 <!-- General information --> |timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]] |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 114 |elevation_ft = 374 |latd = 44 |latm = 2 |lats = 57 |latNS = N |longd = 70 |longm = 23 |longs = 27 |longEW = W <!-- Area/postal codes & others --> |postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]] |postal_code = 04274 |area_code = [[Area code 207|207]] |blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] |blank_info = 23-60020 |blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID |blank1_info = 0582680 |website = |footnotes = }} '''Poland''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Androscoggin County, Maine|Androscoggin County]], [[Maine]], [[United States]]. The population was 4,866 at the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 census]]. Home to Range Ponds State Park, Poland is a historic resort area. It is included in both the [[Lewiston, Maine|Lewiston]]-[[Auburn, Maine|Auburn]], Maine [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]] and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan [[New England City and Town Area]]. ==History== [[Image:Looking North at Poland, ME.jpg|thumb|left|Poland, looking north, in c. 1905]] It was granted by the [[Massachusetts General Court]] in 1765 to officers and soldiers who served with [[William Phipps|Sir William Phipps]] in the 1690 [[Battle of Quebec (1690)|Battle of Quebec]]. It replaced a 1736 grant made to them called Bakerstown (now [[Salisbury, New Hampshire]]) which was ruled invalid in 1741 at the separation of [[New Hampshire]] from [[Massachusetts]]. The new plantation was also called Bakerstown (after Captain Thomas Baker), and included present-day Poland, [[Minot, Maine|Minot]], [[Mechanic Falls, Maine|Mechanic Falls]] and the greater part of [[Auburn, Maine|Auburn]]. Settled in 1767 by Nathaniel Bailey and Daniel Lane, Bakerstown Plantation would be incorporated as Poland on [[February 17]], [[1795]]. It was named after [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indian]] Chief Poland, who was killed with two of his warriors on [[May 14]], [[1756]] during the last Indian raid against New Marblehead Plantation (now [[Windham, Maine|Windham]]). At the beginning, Poland was an [[agriculture|agricultural]] town, with {{convert|600|acre|km2}} of the best land [[farming|farmed]] by the [[Shakers]] who settled at Poland Hill above the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in [[New Gloucester, Maine|New Gloucester]]. Called the North Family of Shakers, the village was founded by members who removed from [[Gorham, Maine|Gorham]] in 1819. It lasted until 1887. Industry was attracted to Poland's [[water power]] sites. In 1859, when the population was 2,660, it had 4 [[sawmill]]s, a [[gristmill]], a [[tanning|tannery]] and a [[carriage]] factory. The [[St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad]] passed through the northeastern corner of the town, spurring development and bringing tourists drawn to its scenic ponds and gentle hills. By 1893, when Mechanic Falls was set off as a separate town, Poland had evolved into a [[Gilded Age]] resort. In 1797, The Wentworth Ricker Inn in South Poland opened at the homestead Jabez Ricker acquired from a 1794 land swap with Alfred Shaker Village in [[Alfred, Maine|Alfred]]. But when the [[railroad]] replaced [[stagecoach|stage]] travel, patronage declined and the inn closed. Then a grandson, Hiram Ricker, began proclaiming that the [[mineral spring]] on his family's property had cured his [[dyspepsia]]. People began arriving to sample the spring's curative waters, which flow 8 gallons a minute. Reopened in 1861, the inn was enlarged and renamed The Mansion House. But even that could not handle the crowds, so in 1875 the family built what was dubbed Ricker's Folly. On [[July 4]], [[1876]], The Poland Spring House opened atop Ricker's Hill, an elevation of 800 feet (244 m) [[above sea level]] with magnificent views to the [[White Mountains (New Hampshire)|White Mountains]]. The hotel would be augmented over the years by architects [[John Calvin Stevens]], Albert Winslow Cobb and Harry Wilkerson. It became a self-contained and exclusive [[spa]], with guards at [[gatehouse]]s instructed to turn away sightseers. With luxurious accommodations for 450 guests, the hotel attracted the rich and famous. Patrons included [[Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)|Gen. Benjamin Butler]], [[James G. Blaine|Sen. James G. Blaine]], [[Joan Crawford]], [[Jimmy Durante]], [[Jack Paar]] and [[Robert Goulet]]. But following [[World War II]], the era of grand hotels waned. When the Rickers sold The Poland Spring House, its new owners allowed the sprawling facilities to deteriorate. On [[July 3]], [[1975]], the vacant hotel burned. Today, the famous water is bottled by [[Poland Spring]]. ==Notable residents== * [[John Nevins Andrews]], minister * [[David Dunn]], governor * [[Bert M. Fernald]], senator & governor ==Geography== According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 47.2&nbsp;square miles (122.1&nbsp;km²), of which, 42.3&nbsp;square miles (109.6&nbsp;km²) of it is land and 4.8&nbsp;square miles (12.6&nbsp;km²) of it (10.28%) is water. Poland is drained by the Little Androscoggin River. The town is crossed by state routes [[Maine State Route 11|11]], [[Maine State Route 26|26]] and 122. It is bordered by the towns of [[Mechanic Falls, Maine|Mechanic Falls]] to the north, [[Minot, Maine|Minot]] to the northeast, [[Auburn, Maine|Auburn]] to the east, [[New Gloucester, Maine|New Gloucester]] to the southeast, [[Casco, Maine|Casco]] and [[Raymond, Maine|Raymond]] to the southwest, and [[Otisfield, Maine|Otisfield]] and [[Oxford, Maine|Oxford]] to the northwest. ==Demographics== [[Image:Residence of Gov. Bert M. Fernald, West Poland, ME.jpg|thumb|left|Home of Gov. Fernald in c. 1910]] As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 4,866 people, 1,845 households, and 1,437 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was 115.0 people per square mile (44.4/km²). There were 2,316 housing units at an average density of 54.7/sq&nbsp;mi (21.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.54% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.33% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.12% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.14% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.02% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.76% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.31% of the population. There were 1,845 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 2.92. [[Image:The Mansion House, South Poland, ME.jpg|thumb|right|The Mansion House in 1915]] In the town the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $47,824, and the median income for a family was $55,427. Males had a median income of $33,284 versus $23,926 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $22,346. About 1.8% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over. ==Education== Poland Regional High School is part of [[Maine School Union 29]], which serves the towns of [[Mechanic Falls, Maine|Mechanic Falls]], [[Minot, Maine|Minot]], and Poland. Connecting to the high school is [[Bruce M. Whittier]]. This school serves Poland with 7th through 8th grade. The school's athletic teams compete in Maine class "B" athletics. The school's [[mascot]] is the knight and the [[school colors]] are blue and silver. ==Popular Culture== Two episodes of the popular 1960s television series ''[[Route 66]]'' were filmed in Poland: "Come out, Come out, Wherever you are" (1963) starring [[Lon Chaney, Jr.]]; and "Same Picture, Different Frame" (1963) starring [[Joan Crawford]], [[Tom Bosley]], and [[Patrick O'Neal]]<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0690480/ Route 66: Same Picture, Different Frame] and [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0690437/ Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are] both Retrieved June 28, 2008</ref> ==Sites of interest== * [http://www.polandtownoffice.org/Pages/PolandME_WebDocs/Corner Old Poland Corner Schoolhouse] * [http://www.polandspringps.org/ Poland Spring Preservation Society] * [http://www.state.me.us/cgi-bin/doc/parks/find_one_name.pl?park_id=11 Range Ponds State Park] ==References== {{reflist}} ==Further reading== * [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~susan/polandmaine.htm Early History of Poland, Maine] * [http://history.rays-place.com/me/poland-me.htm History of Poland, Maine (1886)] * [http://baharris.org/historicpolandspring/PolandSpringHouse/PSH_1.htm History of The Poland Spring House] * [http://www.shaker.lib.me.us/brochure2.html The Sabbathday Lake Shakers and the Rickers of the Poland Spring Hotel] * A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England'', 1859, H. O. Houghton, printers, Cambridge, Massachusetts * Bryant F. Tolles, Jr., ''The Grand Resort Hotels of the Wite Mountains'', 1998, David R. Godine, publishers, Boston, Massachusetts ==External links== * [http://www.polandtownoffice.org Town of Poland, Maine] * [http://www.rm.lib.me.us/ Ricker Memorial Library] * [http://www.poland-hs.u29.k12.me.us/ Poland Regional High School] * [http://maine.gov/local/androscoggin/poland/ Maine.gov -- Poland, Maine] {{Androscoggin County, Maine}} {{coor title dms|44|03|38|N|70|23|37|W|type:city_region:US-ME}} [[Category:Towns in Maine]] [[Category:Androscoggin County, Maine]] [[de:Poland (Maine)]] [[vo:Poland (Maine)]]