 Alna, in Lincoln County, was probably settled around 1760 and was incorporated as New Milford on June 25, 1794, changing its name to Alna on February 28, 1811.
According to Chadbourne, The inhabitants of the town felt that this [New Milford] was not a satisfactory name, so in 1811, through the exertions of Josiah Stebbins and others, a special town meeting was called for the purpose of selecting a more truly descriptive name. The name Alna was chosen, from the Latin word alnus for alder, since there were many beautiful alder trees growing along the banks of the Sheepscot River.
During its early history, it annexed land from Newcastle (1795), Jefferson (1816), and Whitefield and Jefferson (1824). Later, Alna ceded land to Wiscasset (1839) and Dresden (1841).
The village of Head Tide, birthplace of poet Edwin Arlington Robinson, has been described as a small, picturesque river community with many excellent examples of well-preserved 19th century buildings. They include Robinson's birthplace and the Old Alna Meetinghouse built in 1789.
From Maine: An Encyclopedia (www.themaineencyclopedia.com)
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