Editing Harrington, Maine (section)

==History==

Originally called Plantation Number 5, it was one of six townships east of the [[Union River (Maine)|Union River]] granted in 1762 by the [[Massachusetts General Court]] to an association of petitioners. First settled about 1765, it had a population of 177 on June 17, 1797, when incorporated as Harrington.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://maine.gov/local/washington/harrington/ |title=Maine.gov -- Harrington, Maine |access-date=June 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627131602/http://maine.gov/local/washington/harrington/ |archive-date=June 27, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Farmers grew [[wheat]] and [[potato]]es in the town's [[sandy loam]]. Harrington developed a considerable trade in [[lumber]], and by 1859 contained two [[sawmill]]s, three [[roof shingle|shingle]] mills and two [[lath]] mills. There was a [[gristmill]], two [[brickmaking|brickyards]], a [[Tanning (leather)|tannery]], and eighteen [[shipbuilding|shipbuilders]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&dq=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA154 A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1859]</ref> In 1886, industries also included a [[sail]]maker, and a [[boot]] and [[shoemaking|shoe]] manufacturer.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120710015939/http://history.rays-place.com/me/harrington-me.htm George J. Varney, ''History of Harrington, Maine;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1886]</ref> [[Gallison Memorial Library]] still operates a limited schedule in Harrington.