Ask most Americans if they have ever heard of Belgrade, and you will probably be told that Belgrade is the capital of Serbia, or the capital of the former Yugoslavia. Not many will be aware of Belgrade, Maine. The two Belgrades are, however, related to the extent that the town in Maine was named after the city in Europe. (According to the National Geographic Atlas of the World, Revised Sixth Edition, dated 1992, there are only five "Belgrades" in the entire world. Other than the ones in Serbia and Maine, they are in located in Minnesota, Montana and Nebraska. Oddly, all of the American Belgrades are in northern states.)
The relationship between Serbian Belgrade and the one in Maine came about because of the European travels of a John V. Davis, during the late 1700's. While in Europe, he had either visited Belgrade, or (more likely) had simply heard of the return of Christianity to the city, in 1774, after an absence of several hundred years, under Moslem rule. This was considered a great event in Europe, since it marked the first weakening of Turkish domination of eastern Europe.
However it happened, when the petition to create the new town in Maine was drawn up, it was Davis (a resident) who suggested it be named "Belgrade". Undoubtedly, also, the Austrian capture of the European city from the Turks (in 1789) was still very strong in his mind.
Coincidentally, 1774 marked the beginning of the known history of Belgrade, Maine. In that year a man named Philip Snow, who had hunted for some time I what is now Sidney, decided to look for new hunting grounds on the other side of the large lake to the west. He crossed the lade and landed about two miles north of what is now Belgrade Depot, and there he built a log cabin. He apparently intended this as just a base for his hunting trips, since he came alone, without any family. After about six years, Snow sold his cabin to Joseph Greely, and probably returned to his family, in Sidney. At some later date, but before Belgrade became a town, he returned to the west side of the lake with his wife and nine children. Later still, he and his family left the country. Snow Pond (now Lake Messalonskee) and Mt. Philip (just north of Belgrade Lakes) were both named in his honor.
Later in 1774, a few months after Snow had crossed the lake, two other settlers crossed to the west side of the lake to take up permanent residence. The first was Simeon Wyman, who arrived with his wife, Thankful, and six children. He settled on the southern slope of Belgrade Hill. His became the first farm to be cleared in the new area. Later, the Wyman's had a son, who was also named Simeon. He was the first white child to be born on the west side of the lake.
The second new arrival was twenty-four year old Joel Richardson. He was not married, and settled on the north slope of Belgrade Hill. Two years later, he married a Wyman daughter, named Sarah.
Another early arrival was Paul Yeaton. He was a Revolutionary War veteran, introducing a surname to the area which still survives. As the years passed, more settlers followed their lead. By 1790, the area had a population of 159 people. (While quite a few of the family names of these early settlers still exist in Belgrade, it is surprising how many have disappeared.) Six years after that first count, the population grew to about two hundred and fifty. At that time, this was considered to be a fairly large town.
An odd thing about all of this is that Belgrade history is very silent about contacts with the native Indian population. These Indians were the Abenakis. They were originally friendly towards the white settlers, but then the settlers apparently started to pillage and kidnap the natives and they became very distrustful. (One can understand why the history is so silent.) One exception to this is discussed later, with reference to the history of the Belgrade Town House. Today, there are no known records of any Indian legends or any interface with Indians, with that single exception.
Belgrade land titles originated with Charter Grants from English kings. Originally, Maine was simply a part of the Colony of New Plymouth. Then, in June1753, a group of Boston businessmen were incorporated as "the Proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase from the late Colony of New Plymouth". Although they were most active along the lower Kennebec River, some owned land in the Belgrade area. James Bowdoin, Treasurer of the "Proprietors" until 1790, owned lots here. Several current deeds trace back to his widow, Sarah, and other family members. This area later became known as the Washington Plantation of Lincoln County, and still a part of Massachusetts.
The residents of the area decided to petition the General Court of Massachusetts, asking that the town be separated from the Washington Plantation, and incorporated as the Town of Belgrade. The petition was received with favor and the incorporation papers were signed February 3, 1796, by Samuel Adams, then Governor of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, this very important historical document disappeared during a fire on February 4, 1943. It had been kept, along with other Town papers, in a concrete vault in the basement of the Central School. On that date, the school burned to the ground from unknown causes. It is thought that the document survived, possibly surfacing in the mid-1970's. It has not been seen since.
By this act of incorporation, however, Belgrade became the one hundred second Incorporated Town in Maine, and the thirteenth, in what is known today as Kennebec County.
Later, but still in 1796, a small part of Sidney was annexed to Belgrade, by consent of the General Court. This land lies between Belgrade Hill and Oakland, on the west side of Lake Messalonskee. Originally, Belgrade voters had agreed to accept the property, but then changed their minds in a second vote. The General Court, however, decided to go ahead with the original decision, against the new wishes of the citizens of Belgrade.
During those early years, a second acquisition of territory was made by Belgrade, and again, it was against the wishes of the citizens, who thought it would stretch the town out too far. This actually was a pretty good reason, considering the difficulty in travelling any distance, at that time. The residents of the Town of Dearborn, incorporated in 1812, and known until then as West Pond Plantation, didn't do well either in business or in farming, probably because the area was remote and the land was very rocky, and poor for farming. They petitioned the Maine Legislature to be divided and annexed to neighboring towns. An act was passed, in 1839, dividing Dearborn among the towns of Belgrade, Waterville and Smithfield. The land added to Belgrade was that lying to the north of the North Belgrade Stream, up to the present Smithfield border. It constitutes about one fifth of the area of Belgrade, and made the size of Belgrade what it is today. The act also added about three hundred people to Belgrade's population.
About two years later, the residents of a large part of Rome also petitioned the Maine Legislature to become part of Belgrade. This petition, however, was turned down.
The first Belgrade Town Meeting was held on March 8, 1796. During the rest of 1796, four more Town Meetings were needed to get the new town properly started. These Meetings were held in private dwellings or taverns, as space allowed, since Belgrade did not have a town hall. Finally, in 1815,two hundred dollars were set aside to build a "Town House". Construction was started, but it was not completed until 1834. Town Meetings were held there from that time until 1872.
In that year, the Town House was used to house a patient who had smallpox, no other facility being available. (The patient was the sole Indian mentioned in Belgrade history.) After that, it was decided to move the Town Meetings to a different location. They were then held in the Masonic Hall (later the Grange Hall, but now privately owned) until 1962. That year, the Meetings were moved to the James C. Hewitt Gymnasium of Central School. The meetings are held there to this day.
The old Town House still stands and is still in use, although it has seen many changes over the years. It is now used by the Cemetery Sexton as an office, as well as for equipment storage. The original entrance was at the east end of the building. Ten, in 1905, the town voted one hundred dollars to divide the House in half. The western half was designated a waiting room for cemetery visitors waiting for rides home. It is now the office. The eastern half is the present storage area. A small portico on the south side was added in 1938. The Town House is located on Route 135, just to the east of its' intersection with Route 27.
An example of what went on at the Town Meeting is what took place at the Meeting of March 1, 1876. The voters approved raising $3,000 "for the support of roads and bridges, allowing one shilling per hour on the highway, the difference between Horses and Oxen to be left to the Highway Surveyors". The same Meeting also raised $1,600 for the support of schools and $6,000 for support of the poor, as well as to defray all other necessary Town charges.
In addition, the voters approved selling "lots in the Graveyard to persons living out of Town and State" and voted the "the Selectmen reduce the valuation of Real Estate in the town on an average". (The sale of Graveyard lots, which was approved at the 1876 Meeting, was reversed in the mid-1900's.) The town clerk and constable at this meeting was a James C. Mosher. One can imagine the discussions that took place before each vote was taken. The length of the Meeting was not recorded.
Originally, Belgrade did not have a Town Office. The "office", in the early years, was simply a trunk containing town records. The trunk was kept by each First Selectman, in whose home meetings were held. Later, the Town Office was one room in the old Central School (destroyed by fire in 1943) and then a room in the school built to replace it.
In 1960, the Town Office moved to the back room of the Belgrade Lakes firehouse, and remained there for nine years. Finally, in1969, the Town Office was moved to its' present location at the southwest corner of the intersection of Routes 135 and 27. The Town Office is also used for various small meetings.
Residents of Belgrade, during the early 1800's, were apparently fairly well to do. There were a number of gristmills in town, which meant enough farms growing wheat, other grains and corn in sufficient quantity to support them (although little evidence of such farming exists today). Also, there were many mills in operation (although some were quite small) indicating a good deal of logging. Later, potatoes and apples became major crops. Today, only one truck farm survives. This is run by Frank Farnham, who still grows and sells his own vegetables, to the delight of both residents and summer visitors, at his farm stand on Route 27, in Belgrade Depot.
Over the years, Belgrade has had its' share of famous residents. The two most prominent were Lot M. and Anson P. Morrill, sons of Peaseley Morrill. Lot was born in 1803, and Anson in 1811, both in Belgrade. Both men became Governors of Maine and members of Congress, with Lot serving both as Senator and as Secretary of the Treasury. Another will known name was that of Justice of the New York Supreme Court Joseph F. Crater, who maintained a summer home in Belgrade, and who disappeared en route from Belgrade Lakes to New York City on August 6,1930. His disappearance is one of America's most famous unsolved mysteries.
Belgrade has several cemeteries, mentioned here because they contain the remains of so many of the early settlers. They are interesting places to visit, As a result. The oldest is the Pine Grove Cemetery, on the south side of Route 135. The earliest burial there was in 1803. Across the road, near the intersection with Route 27, is the Woodside Cemetery. The first burial there was in 1812, and in 1819, second-settler Joel Richardson was also buried there. Two other cemeteries exist, although neither is now active. One is the Quaker burying Ground, just to the East of Pine Grove, and the other is the Ellis Cemetery just off the West shore of Salmon (formerly Ellis) Lake. Through disuse, it became nearly inaccessible, but it has been cleaned up and is now again open to visitors. Peaseley Morrill was buried there in 1855.
Belgrade also boasts one of the few water Postal Routes certified y the U. S. Postal Service. (There are only four in the entire United Stated.) It was started about 1900, and is available to residents of homes on the Great Pond during the "Summer Season" (about five months, in all). The mail boat starts and ends its' run at the Great Pond Marina in Belgrade Lakes, making a complete circuit of the Great Pond. It carries sight-seeing passengers (for a fee) as well as mail.
The major industries in Belgrade today are two lumber mills (one in Belgrade Depot and the another in North Belgrade) and a supplier of gravel, cement and concrete building products, to homeowners and area contractors. In addition, tourism has become another "major industry". The population of the town more than doubles in the summer when camp property owners and their families arrive, and there are hundreds more that come only for a week or two to enjoy the fishing and other water sports.
Belgrade has lived through a very exciting two hundred years, as is evidenced by the attached reminiscences and the many photos of days gone by. We hope you enjoy browsing with us through the many years gone by, as we wonder what the next two hundred years will bring.
