Editing Byron, Maine (section)

==History==

{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2010}}
It was settled as Township No. 8, then incorporated on January 24, 1833, as Byron, named for the [[English people|English]] poet [[Lord Byron]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wolfson |first=Susan J. |date=2017-01-06 |title=Entertaining Byron in America |url=http://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/bj.2017.4 |journal=The Byron Journal |language=en |volume=45 |issue=1 |pages=3–22 |doi=10.3828/bj.2017.4 |issn=0301-7257}}</ref> Nicknamed Hop City, [[agriculture]] was the principal occupation. Crops included [[wheat]], [[Maize|corn]], [[potato]]es and [[oat]]s. [[Lumbering]] was extensive in winter, with two [[sawmill]]s operating. The [[Rumford Branch|Rumford Falls & Rangeley Lakes Railroad]] was completed in 1896, carrying [[freight]], tourists and "rusticators" from [[Rumford, Maine|Rumford]] up the Swift River valley through Byron and Houghton to [[Mooselookmeguntic Lake]].

The Swift River is a popular place to either [[placer mining|pan]] for [[gold]] or [[Human swimming|swim]] at Coos Canyon, a {{convert|32|ft|m|adj=on|abbr=off|sp=us}} high [[Canyon|gorge]] where the water depth occasionally exceeds {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}. Just down river from the gorge is a small local beach, called Toby's Beach. And a 20-foot ledge, popular during the summer, for daring jumpers.

There is a camping area off state route [[Maine State Route 17|17]], across from Coos Canyon.

In March 2013, the town sought to require all homes in the town to possess at least one firearm,<ref name="Karkos">{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/08/news/lewiston-auburn/maine-town-of-byron-aims-for-mandatory-gun-possession/|title=Maine town of Byron aims for mandatory gun possession — Lewiston-Auburn — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine|last=Karkos|first=Terry|date=March 8, 2013|work=[[Bangor Daily News]]|access-date=March 8, 2013}}</ref> not unlike [[Kennesaw, Georgia#Gun law|Kennesaw, Georgia]]'s similar 1982-origin local ordinance.

Bryon is the home of Anthony Boucher, NCAA Division III Cross Country Runner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marinersports.org/sports/mxc/2017-18/bios/boucher_anthony_smhg?view=bio|title = Anthony Boucher}}</ref>