Poland is surrounded by five lakes and has been a resort area for over 200 years. Poland is just west of Auburn and can be accessed through Maine Routes 11, 26, and 122. The Town of Poland covers an area of 49.7 sq. miles and has a population of approximately 6000 year round residents with a school system that covers grades K-12. Home to the famous Poland Spring Inn & Resort and Poland Spring Water. The Town of Poland, Maine is located in Androscoggin County, settled in 1768 and incorporated on February 17, 1795 from Bakerstown Plantation. Moses Emery one of the area's earliest settlers and representative to the general court, procured the incorporation in 1795 and for that was given the privilege of naming the town. He had always had a peculiarity for an ancient melody called "Poland," found in most of the collections of ancient psalmody. The melody must have been running through his mind the day he considered names for the town, for it was Poland he chose. It is home to the famous Poland Spring House. As early as 1796 the Mansion House was opened as a hotel. When the grandson of the owner claimed it had cured him of a chronic dyspepsia, and the guests began praising the water, the local spring became a major attraction, as did its contents. The Poland Spring House was destroyed by fire on July 4, 1975. On this site now is the Poland Spring Inn & Resorts a popular vacation spot from May to October. The Poland Spring Water bottling plant is also located in close vicinity to the Resort. Many famous faces visited the orignal Inn such as JOAN CRAWFORD, MARTIN MILNER & GLEN CORBETT (ROUTE 66), JUDY GARLAND, JACK PARR, BETTY GRABLE, THE KENNEDY'S and many, many more. Also on this site is the Maine State Building which was built to represent the state at the Chicago World's Fair, known as the Columbian Exposition, in 1893. The building was disassembled, shipped back to Maine, and then reconstructed on its current site. It now serves as an art museum for the public sponsored by the Poland Spring Preservation Society. The All Souls Chapel which was donated many years ago by guests of the resort accompanies the State building and is used today for weddings by locals and visitors alike. On the outer edge of Poland heading towards the New Gloucester-Gray area on Route 26 lies one of the few remaining active Shaker Villages in the United States. |
