Maine is full of beautiful scenery. From mountains to lakes to the ocean coast, there is something for every explorer. Rumford, Maine is not your typical tourist destination. Locals tend to steer clear because of the smell of the paper mill, but behind that smell is some really fascinating information that history buffs will definitely appreciate.
In 1901, the Rumford Mill was established by Hugh J. Chisholm.
The Oxford Paper Company utilized this mill and they were the only postcard manufacturers for the United States Postal Service. The mill had four paper machines and would produce approximately three million postcards a day.
By the 1930s, the Rumford Mill was well-known in the paper industry for the superb quality of its coated paper.
The Rumford Mill became the top contractor for books with coated paper and magazine covers. At that time, it was the biggest maker of book paper, making an estimated 350 tons of paper every year.
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By glossing over the wood that was used to make the paper, it created a smooth, white product that was perfect for magazine covers.
By the late 1900s, the Rumford Mill produced paper for popular magazines such as National Geographic, Vogue, Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest, and more.
Paper mills were typically dusty work spaces and workers would often breathe in this dust, which contained asbestos. This caused damage to the lungs of many workers through scarring and tissue damage.
Along with poor work conditions, the Rumford Mill also had an unfortunate environmental impact.
Debris and pollutants from the mill easily made their way to surrounding bodies of water, including the Androscoggin River. This harmed the ecosystem as well as the people who lived near the river. Nowadays, more precautions are taken so that water emissions are greatly reduced.
The Rumford Mill is still operating, now under ND Paper LLC.
The mill produces a whopping 460,000 tons of kraft pulp and 565,000 tons of paper per year via three paper machines and two kraft pulp lines.
Although the smoky atmosphere may kill the view a bit, there is nothing like taking in the scenery of the Androscoggin River, the dam, and the majestic paper mill in the background. Drive around, take some photos, and if you’re up for some more adventure after your history lesson, check out the Riverside Walking Trail and Overlook for a stunning waterfall in downtown Rumford, Maine.
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