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==History== [[File:WellsMainePoliceDeptColorGuard.jpg|thumb|Wells Police Department color guard marching in the town's 350th anniversary parade.]] Edmund Littlefield, an immigrant from the wool regions of Titchfield, [[England]], built the first gristmill and later a woolen mill on the Webhannet River, becoming known as "The Father of Wells," where a monument commemorates his contribution. In 1622, the [[Plymouth Company]] in England awarded to Sir [[Ferdinando Gorges]], Lord Proprietor of Maine, territory which included the Plantation of Wells. His young cousin, Thomas Gorges, acting as deputy and agent, in 1641 granted to Rev. [[John Wheelwright]] and other settlers from [[Exeter, New Hampshire|Exeter]], [[New Hampshire]] the right to populate the land from northeast of the Ogunquit River to southwest of the [[Kennebunk River]]. Following the death of the elder Gorges in 1647, the [[Massachusetts Bay Colony]] laid claim to Maine. On July 5, 1653, Wells was incorporated, the third town in Maine to do so, and named after [[Wells, Somerset|Wells, England]], a small [[cathedral city]] in the county of [[Somerset]]. After the [[Restoration (England)|restoration of Charles II]] and a meeting in Wells of the trustees of the late Ferdinando Gorges, the British authorities gave a general outline for the local civil and military administration on December 7, 1661.<ref>"America and West Indies: December 1661." ''Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies'': Volume 5, 1661-1668. Ed. W Noel Sainsbury. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1880. 61β66. [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol5/pp61-66 British History Online] Retrieved March 4, 2019.</ref> Wells included [[Kennebunk, Maine|Kennebunk]], which was set off the year Maine became a state in 1820, and [[Ogunquit, Maine|Ogunquit]], designated a village within Wells by the [[Maine Legislature|legislature]] in 1913, then set off in 1980.<ref name="Coolidge">{{Cite book | last = Coolidge | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield | title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge | year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| pages = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n387 349]β353| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859. }}</ref> Wells was the resilient northeastern [[frontier]] of [[English people|English]] colonial settlement. Except for a few forts and garrisons, early attempts to colonize Maine above Wells were abandoned because of attacks by [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], who resented the encroachment on their territory. Wells endured three major attacks, most famously the [[Raid on Wells]] in 1692. The region became less dangerous, however, after the [[Siege of Louisbourg (1745)|Battle of Louisburg]] in 1745.<ref name="Coolidge"/> Many early Wells settlers joined the [[Continental Army]]; some became [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] heroes, including Captains Samuel Gooch, [[Nathaniel Littlefield|Nathanial Littlefield]], and Jeremiah Storer. Ocean View Cemetery on Post Road contains a [[American Civil War|Civil War]] monument and plot honoring its service members. Visitors can walk to Founder's Park just off of Post Road onto Sanford Road, which includes a light walking trail, picnic area, and the first settlement home. Monuments list the names of Wells' founding families. The town developed as a [[farming]] community, producing [[hay]] and [[vegetables]]. Other industries included [[shipbuilding]] and [[fishery|fisheries]]. In the 19th century, with the arrival of the [[railroad]], the town's sandy beaches attracted tourists. Many inns and hotels were built along the seashore. Today, tourism remains important to the economy.<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Welcome to Wells |work=Wells Chamber of Commerce |year= |url=https://www.wellschamber.org/ |place=Wells |publisher=Wells Chamber of Commerce}} </ref> Wells celebrated its 350th anniversary in 2003.<ref name="350_yccs1">{{cite news|last=Hagan|first=Jennifer|title=Kids Circus fitting finale for celebration|url=http://archive.seacoastonline.com/2003news/yorkstar/ys1_1a.htm|access-date=July 27, 2010|newspaper=York County Coast Star|date=January 1, 2004}}</ref> The year-long celebration included a New Year's Eve party with fireworks, parade, a visit by the traveling Russian circus, concerts, historical reenactments, and more. The town commissioned a member of the celebration committee, Kristi Borst, to design a town flag. Her design portrays historic aspects of the Town's settlement and agriculture as well as the 2003 Town Hall and focus on tourism represented by a train. Also included is the motto she penned for the project: "Proud of our Past, Ready for our Future".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wellstown.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B87C911C6-5DB5-4931-A99E-8DE1D2CC5C40%7D |title=Hope M. Shelley, "A History of Wells, Maine |access-date=January 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929105510/http://www.wellstown.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B87C911C6-5DB5-4931-A99E-8DE1D2CC5C40%7D |archive-date=September 29, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
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