1892 Map of Buxton

About this map

The Saco River serves as the industrial and geographic spine of this Maine landscape, powering a string of riverfront settlements including West Buxton, Bar Mills, Salmon Falls, and Union Falls. In the late nineteenth century, this waterway was essential for the timber and milling trades, evidenced by the clustered hamlets of Nasons Mills, Clarks Mills, and Goodwins Mills. In the southwest corner, the spiritual and agricultural enclave of Shaker Village sits near the shores of Shaker Pond, representing a distinct communal settlement pattern of the era. The region is well-connected by heavy rail, with the Maine Central and Boston and Maine railroads threading through the valleys. Upland terrain like Ossipee Hill and Crockett Hill rises above a network of smaller water bodies such as Watchic Pond and Little Ossipee Pond, where rural life centered on town hubs like Buxton Center and Hollis Center.