This site was initially created to address historic preservation in the area referred to as Rumford Falls. However, as interest has grown, so has the focus of the site. We will now be addressing the historic character of the entire town to include all villages.
Over the years, working in the mill, I never thought of the town as a "mill town". It was simply a town of people. I think those who like to categorize things, putting things in a place of high and low, labeled Rumford as a mill town. Although some today also label the town a "blue collar" town, denoting its inferiority to "white collar" Cape Elizabeth and others, I never thought that the "mill town" label for the town meant that it was inferior to other towns which did not have a mill employing the majority of its citizens. That was because I worked with some very good people, mill workers, and knew many good people in the town, who simply were not inferior to anyone no matter what their occupation. I do think those who worked in the mill took some pride in living in a "mill town" as well for their high wages, brought about by the labor union that was finally organized in the Forties, created a good and stable economy for businesses and other professionals. Hooray for our mill town Rumford!
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Over the years, working in the mill, I never thought of the town as a "mill town". It was simply a town of people. I think those who like to categorize things, putting things in a place of high and low, labeled Rumford as a mill town. Although some today also label the town a "blue collar" town, denoting its inferiority to "white collar" Cape Elizabeth and others, I never thought that the "mill town" label for the town meant that it was inferior to other towns which did not have a mill employing the majority of its citizens. That was because I worked with some very good people, mill workers, and knew many good people in the town, who simply were not inferior to anyone no matter what their occupation. I do think those who worked in the mill took some pride in living in a "mill town" as well for their high wages, brought about by the labor union that was finally organized in the Forties, created a good and stable economy for businesses and other professionals. Hooray for our mill town Rumford!
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