On the recordApril 11, 2016
Mr. President, today I wish to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the town of Kingfield, ME. Known today as a gateway to the rugged and beautiful Longfellow Mountains, Kingfield was built with a spirit of determination and resiliency that still guides the community today. Kingfield's incorporation on January 24, 1816, was but one milestone on a long journey of progress. For thousands of years, the mountains and river valleys of western Maine were the hunting grounds of the Abenaki Tribe. The reverence the Abenaki had for the natural beauty and resources of the region is upheld by the people of Kingfield today. The town's namesake is a central figure in Maine history. In 1807, merchant and shipbuilder William King and his partners purchased lands in the wilderness and began attracting settlers. In 1820, Maine achieved statehood, and William King, by then a respected statesman and decorated military officer, became its first Governor. The early settlers were drawn by fertile soil, vast forests, and fast-moving waters, which they turned into productive farms and busy mills. Roads and a railway were built, and the wealth produced by hard work and determination was invested in schools and churches to create a true community. Among the earliest settlers was Salomon Stanley, whose descendants became the business, social, and religious leaders of the town.…
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