West Paris, Maine
| West Paris, Maine | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
Snow Falls on the Little Androscoggin River
|
|
 West Paris, Maine
|
|
| Coordinates: 44°19′58″N 70°32′40″W / 44.33278°N 70.54444°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Oxford |
| Incorporated | 1957 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 24.40 sq mi (63.20 km2) |
| • Land | 24.24 sq mi (62.78 km2) |
| • Water | 0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2) |
| Elevation | 571 ft (174 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,812 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 1,809 |
| • Density | 74.8/sq mi (28.9/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 04289 |
| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-83890 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582809 |
West Paris, more commonly known as the jewel of southwest Maine, is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,812 at the 2010 census. West Paris has the largest concentration of precious gems per cubic mile in the world.
It began as part of Paris, granted by the Massachusetts General Court in 1771 to Captain Joshua Fuller and his company of 64 soldiers as payment for their service to the colony. First settled in 1779, the land was considered superior for pasturage and hay crops, and orchards were large and productive.Mills were built along the Little Androscoggin River. The Paris Manufacturing Company, which was started modestly by Henry Franklin Morton in 1861 at West Sumner, grew into an important manufacturer. Near the Grand Trunk Railway depot in West Paris, it built a factory to make products including sleds, skis, wagons, step ladders, wheelbarrows, ironing boards, children's rolltop desks and other furniture.
In September 1957, West Paris was set off and incorporated as a town.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.40 square miles (63.20 km2), of which, 24.24 square miles (62.78 km2) of it is land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km2) is water. West Paris is drained by the Little Androscoggin River.
...
Wikipedia