Dixfield

     The town of Dixfield is situated in the eastern part of Oxford County. It is on the north bank of the   Androscoggin river which here separates it from the Town of Peru. It is joined by !he towns of Carthage , Jay  and Wilton. It is about 35 miles from the nearest city which is Lewiston. It has an area of about 36 square miles and has a population of about one thousand. During the last few years it has remained about stationary owing to depression in business. It increased some for a while after the mills were built but when people began to buildup and start business at Rumford Falls and after the railroad was built to that place so many went there from Dixfield and no new enterprise which would call people here, having been started, business has been rather dull. and the population has not increased much.
     It is connected by the bridge across the Androscoggin with the West Peru station and by Greene's ferry with the East Peru station. In this way it is connected by railroad with all the towns and cities along the Androscoggin and it is connected by stage with Carthage, Weld and Jay.
     The village of East Dixfield is located partly in Dixfield and partly in Wilton, the middle of the main street being the line between the two towns. The village is small and chiefly a farming community. There is but little manufacturing done. The principal buildings are, a steam saw and grist mill owned by S. W. Walker, the cheese factory over which is the grange hall; the schoolhouse, two churches, one a Union and the other a Baptist, three stores of which Mr. Fuller, Mr. Leland and E. A. & C. E. Butterfield are the proprietors.
There are several stores in Dixfield , owned by W.W. Waite, C. L. Dillingham, Charles S. Stanley, G. S. Holman, J. P. Johnston, Cox and Keene, W. G. Harlow, W. F. Putnam & Son, P. G. Barrett, Mrs. H. Holt, Misses Abbott and Harlow and H. O. Stanley.
     In this village the people are engaged mostly in making spool, toothpicks, and furniture and quite a number are engaged in the profitable?? Occupation of loafing around the stores. At East Dixfield they are engaged chiefly in farming as are these at the Centre and in the remainder of the town outside of the villages. I(n) fall and early winter a great many are hunting and in real winter throughout the town there is a large amount of lumbering done. J. S. Harlow employs men who cut yearly a large amount of Pine to be sent to Portland to be made into matches . He also cuts a large amount of birch to be hauled to the spool mills. Many of the farmers too, cut birch for toothpicks and spools. Then too, they get out railroad ties, telegraph poles, ship knees and much lumber for shingles and boxboards.
     Dixfield is one of the prettiest of the New England villages. The streets are nearly all lined with beautiful shade trees, the river is dotted with islands and even in high water three large islands can be seen.
Look down the river from the village in the summer and you will see one of the prettiest of sights. The trees are all covered (with) green ivy which, in the fall turns to a flaming yellow or scarlet. The water is dotted here and there with white which we soon see are the ducks swimming.
     At the north of the village are the Sugar Loaf mountains which many like to climb. At the central and southern part of the town the roads are noted for their steepness..

Note:

   Image of the original