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Our Rumford, ME real estate website provides a wealth of information for home buyers and home sellers. Below, you will find information on the history and culture of Rumford as well as links to more detailed information such as demographics and schools. You may view a virtual tour, search homes for sale, and access information on different types of properties such as condos, farms, foreclosures, and vacation homes. This website will give you everything you need to buy or sell a home in Rumford, ME.
Virtual Homes is a full-service residential real estate company dedicated to providing a wealth of real estate and local community information to home buyers and home sellers. Our agents are ready to assist you with all of your real estate needs.
Rumford ME Community Profile & History
Rumford, Maine is a scenic town in Oxford County. Originally called New Pennacook Plantation, the township was granted in 1779 to Timothy Walker, Jr. and associates of Concord, New Hampshire. Both Pennacook and Rumford are former names of Concord, from which many early settlers arrived. The first settlers, however, were Jonathan Keyes and his son Francis, who hailed from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and came to Rumford in 1782. Incorporated in 1800, Rumford bears the name of Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford. The town would later annex land from Peru and Franklin Plantation.
Located in the foothills of the White Mountains, Rumford is the site of Pennacook Falls, called by historian George J. Varney "the grandest cataract in New England," where the Androscoggin River drops 177 feet over solid granite. Bands of St. Francis Indians once hunted and fished here, where salmon spawn in the 13 acre pool below Upper Falls, a barrier that fish cannot pass. Indians also came here to trade furs brought from the Lakes Region. Sawmills and gristmills were built to harness water power from the falls, although Rumford would remain primarily agricultural during its first 100 years.
In 1882, industrialist Hugh Chisholm recognized the falls' potential for the manufacture of paper. The first paper mill began operation in 1893, drawing an infusion of people and money into the sleepy community of about 200 residents. Oxford Paper Company, owned by Chisholm, would dominate Rumford's riverfront and economy.
Much of the resultant mill town was built in the spurt of prosperity at the turn of the century, and Rumford retains significant Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Most notable is Strathglass Park, perhaps the finest company housing in the nation. Wishing to avoid the stacked slums endemic at Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts, Hugh Chisholm commissioned Cass Gilbert in 1900 to plan a 30 acre site in his company town, instructing the prominent architect that "We will build of brick and stone and slate, and we will provide not merely for a house, but for comfort, elegance and social gratification."
Named after the seat of Clan Chisholm at Strathglass Carries, Scotland, Gilbert in 1901 produced 5 designs for 51 duplexes, each with subtle differences. The same year, Chisholm founded The Rumford Realty Company to build the oval-shaped development, its entrance marked by an imposing granite gateway. With attractive lawns and broad, tree-lined streets, all maintenance was provided by the Oxford Paper Company. Even valet service was included. Tenants paid a rent of $9.00 per month, plus $1.00 per month to the Rumford Falls Power Company, also belonging to Chisholm. But in 1948, the incomplete development was no longer economically viable, and the houses were sold for between $3,400 and $3,900 per duplex. Recognized for unique architectural and social merit, in 1974 Strathglass Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Widely known as the home of Black Mountain Ski Resort, Rumford sits at the heart of a major tourist region, with excellent opportunities for recreation, leisure and sightseeing in the mountains, lakes, rivers and lush forests that dominate the natural landscape. Other nearby ski areas include Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Sunday River in Bethel, Saddleback Mountain in Rangley and Sugarloaf in Carabasset Valley.
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Different financing alternatives are available depending on whether you are purchasing a single family, condo, multi-family, or investment property. Understanding the pros and cons of each may help you decide which option is the best for you. Speak to our buyer agent professionals and mortgage partners to understand and evaluate your options.