Rumford, Maine Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Rumford, Maine

Town

Congress Street in downtown Rumford

Seal

Location of Rumford, Maine

Country

United States

Settled

1782

Incorporated (town)

February 21, 1800

Area

• Total

69.85 sq mi (180.91 km²)

• Land

68.55 sq mi (177.54 km²)

• Water

1.30 sq mi (3.37 km²)

Population

(2020)

• Total

5,858

• Density

85/sq mi (33.0/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP Code

04276

Area code(s)

207

Rumford is a town located in Oxford County, Maine, United States. It's part of the wider Lewiston-Auburn metropolitan area. In 2020, about 5,858 people lived here. Rumford is known for the ND Paper Inc's Rumford Mill and the Black Mountain of Maine ski resort.

Discovering Rumford's Past
- The Rise of Paper Mills
  - Strathglass Park: A Special Neighborhood
- Preserving Rumford's Story
  - The Sinking of "The Don"
Rumford's Location and Landscape
- Rumford's Weather
People of Rumford
Learning in Rumford
Famous People from Rumford
Images for kids
See also

Discovering Rumford's Past

Bird's-eye view of Rumford Falls in 1905

Rumford was first called New Pennacook Plantation. It was given to Timothy Walker, Jr. and his friends from Concord, New Hampshire in 1779. Many early settlers came from Concord. Both Pennacook and Rumford are old names for Concord. The very first settlers, Jonathan Keyes and his son Francis, arrived in 1782 from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. The town officially became Rumford in 1800. Later, it added land from nearby Peru and Franklin Plantation.

Rumford is in the foothills of the White Mountains. It's famous for Pennacook Falls, which is a huge waterfall on the Androscoggin River. The river drops about 177 feet (54 meters) over solid granite. Long ago, St. Francis Indians hunted and fished here. Salmon used to lay their eggs in the pool below the Upper Falls. This area was also a place for Indians to trade furs. Early settlers built sawmills and gristmills using the river's power. For its first 100 years, Rumford was mostly a farming community.

The Rise of Paper Mills

In 1882, a businessman named Hugh J. Chisholm saw how powerful the falls were. He realized they could be used to make paper. Chisholm built the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway. This connected Rumford to the national train system in 1892. The first paper mill opened in 1893. This brought many new people and money to the small town. The Oxford Paper Company, owned by Chisholm, became very important to Rumford's riverfront and economy.

Much of the mill town was built between 1890 and 1920. Rumford still has many beautiful Victorian and Edwardian architecture buildings.

Strathglass Park: A Special Neighborhood

One of the most famous places is Strathglass Park. It was one of the best company housing areas in the country at that time. Hugh Chisholm wanted to avoid the crowded living conditions found in other mill towns. In 1900, he asked architect Cass Gilbert to design a 30-acre (12-hectare) area. Chisholm wanted strong, beautiful homes with comfort and style.

The park was named after Clan Chisholm's home in Scotland. In 1901, Gilbert designed 51 duplexes (houses with two separate living spaces). Chisholm started The Rumford Realty Company to build this oval-shaped neighborhood. It had a grand granite entrance. The park featured nice lawns and wide, tree-lined streets. The Oxford Paper Company took care of all the maintenance. Tenants paid a small rent of $9.00 per month. They also paid $1.00 for electricity.

In 1948, the Rumford Realty Company ended. The duplex buildings were then sold to the people living in them. Strathglass Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This recognized its special architecture and social importance.

Preserving Rumford's Story

The Rumford Historical Society works to keep the town's history alive. It was started in 1961 by Louis Thibodeau, Minerva Anderson, and Jonathan Mackenzie. The society helps preserve the rich history of this mill town. It also encourages everyone in the community to get involved.

The Sinking of "The Don"

In June 1941, a boat called "The Don" sank off the coast of Harpswell, Maine. Thirty-four people from Rumford were on board. This was the largest loss of life in the town's history. The reason for the sinking was never fully known.

Rumford's Location and Landscape

According to the United States Census Bureau, Rumford covers about 69.85 square miles (180.91 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The Concord, Ellis, and Swift rivers all flow into the Androscoggin River here. In the northern part of town, you can find Black Mountain, which is 2,133 feet (650 meters) high. Rumford Whitecap is also nearby, reaching 2,197 feet (670 meters).

Rumford's Weather

Rumford has a humid continental climate. This means it has big changes in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold.

Climate data for Rumford, Maine
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	27 (−3)	29 (−2)	39 (4)	51 (11)	65 (18)	74 (23)	80 (27)	77 (25)	69 (21)	58 (14)	43 (6)	30 (−1)	53 (12)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	8 (−13)	9 (−13)	20 (−7)	32 (0)	42 (6)	51 (11)	57 (14)	54 (12)	47 (8)	37 (3)	27 (−3)	14 (−10)	33 (1)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.9 (74)	2.6 (66)	3.4 (86)	3.2 (81)	3.3 (84)	3.4 (86)	3.6 (91)	3.2 (81)	3.6 (91)	3.2 (81)	3.5 (89)	3.1 (79)	39.1 (990)
Source: Weatherbase

People of Rumford

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1800	262	—
1810	629	140.1%
1820	871	38.5%
1830	1,126	29.3%
1840	1,444	28.2%
1850	1,375	−4.8%
1860	1,375	0.0%
1870	1,212	−11.9%
1880	1,006	−17.0%
1890	898	−10.7%
1900	3,770	319.8%
1910	6,777	79.8%
1920	8,576	26.5%
1930	10,340	20.6%
1940	10,230	−1.1%
1950	9,954	−2.7%
1960	10,005	0.5%
1970	9,363	−6.4%
1980	8,240	−12.0%
1990	7,078	−14.1%
2000	6,472	−8.6%
2010	5,841	−9.7%
2020	5,858	0.3%
sources:

In 2010, there were 5,841 people living in Rumford. There were 2,674 households. About 24.2% of households had children under 18. The average age in town was 45.5 years old.