Western Maine Foothills Region

In summary, Rumford poet, Thomas Fallon’s poem “Pennacook Falls”, tells the story of our great Androscoggin, without which there would be no Rumford:

PENNACOOK FALLS

in the spring, sun high in the sky,
water rushing over granite rock,
the Androscoggin River flowing high
with melting winter snows
from fields, from dark forests,
water crashing to granite rock,
spray leaping high in the air, rainbow
rising in the spray – a sight to behold! –
unbelievable
the power of the water, the great river crashing
to granite rock,
white water exploding from granite rock –
unbelievable,
the power of life!

Tom Fallon

Sources for Summary of the History of Rumford:

A Gazeteer of the State of Maine with Numerous Illustrations, by George Jones Varney, 1836-1901, B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill, Boston, MA., 1881;

History of Rumford, Oxford County, Maine From Its First Settlement in 1779 to the Present Time, by William B. Lapham, Press of the Maine Farmer, Boston, MA. 1890;

Hugh J. Chisholm’s Magic Town, 1882-1912, by Peter McKenna (Master’s Thesis);

The Oxford Story, A History of the Oxford Paper Company, 1847-1958 by John J. Leane and Elliott E. “Bud” Burns, The Oxford Paper Company, 1958;

A History of Rumford, Maine 1774-1972 by John J. Leane and 1972-2000 by Elliott E. “Bud” Burns, Rumford Historical Society, Rumford Publishing Co, Inc., 1972 and Josten’s Printing and Publishing, Topeka, KS, 2000;

Rumford Stories, by Linda Farr Macgregor and Photo Portraits by Mark Silber, Rumford Public Library and Rumford Historical Society, Rumford, ME., 2000;

Historic Rumford Falls, Illustrated Walking Tour, by Curtis Rice, 2011.

A Poem, “A Town in Maine” by Ethel West, with permission from her daughters, Elizabeth West Poland and Marilyn West Curtis;

A Poem, “Pennacook Falls” by Tom Fallon, with permission by author, copyright 2007 TC Fallon.