Bethel, Maine: A Brief History

The town of Bethel had a tumultuous birth, caught in a land battle between France and Britain in the late seventeenth century. This hardy Maine town was originally called Sudbury Canada, and its rugged settlers weathered the hardships of nature and devastating Indian raids. With the growth of agriculture, more and more families began settling the rich intervales along the Androscoggin River until, in 1796, they were incorporated as the town of Bethel, Maine. In this detailed and comprehensive history, Stanley Russell Howe outlines the importance of the railroad to the town’s growth, its post-Civil War industrialization, the birth of Gould Academy and the rise of modern tourism spawned by Sunday River Ski Resort. From the famous Indian healer Molly Ockett to Dr. True, first historian of Bethel, the characters from Bethel’s past are sure to inspire the residents of today.