Raymond in Curnberland County is situated on the northeastern shore of Lake Sebago, sending a long curving cape into the lake. At the end of the cape is Fry’s Island. The body of water enclosed by the cape and island is called Jordan Bay. Gray bounds Raymond on the south-east, Casco, on the north-west, New Gloucester and Poland in Androscoggin County on the north-east. The surface of the town is uneven. Rattlesnake Mountain is the highest elevation of land. The soil is hard, gravelly, and many parts quite stony. The town has been noted for its abundance of white oak. There are five ponds partly or wholly within the town,—Nubble, at the north-east corner, Little Rattlesnake west of it, Great Rattlesnake, near the western border, Panther Pond in the south-western part, and Thomas Pond at the south-west corner. The centres of business are North Raymond, East Raymond, and Raymond village, the last being the principal one. On Panther River, at the latter place are lumber, stave, grain and plaster mills, and a children’s sled factory. At Dry Mills P. 0., is a sugar-shook mill; at each East Raymond and South Casco P. 0., are a sugar-shook and stave-mill. Raymond is 20 miles north of Portland, on the stage line to Bridgton; also on the stage line from East Raymond to Gray station on the Maine Central Railroad. Raymond was the home of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the distinguished novelist, during his boyhood. This township was granted by Massachusetts to Captain William Raymond and Company, in 1767, in consideration of their services in the expedition to Canada, under Sir William Phips. It also comprised the territory of Casco, until the incorporation of that town in 1841. Captain Joseph Dingley commenced the settlement of Raymond in 1771; but few families came until after the Revolution. It was incorporated in 1803, taking its name from Captain Raymond. It was first represented in General Court in 1810, by Samuel Leach. The first church was Free Baptist, gathered in 1792. The town has now also a Methodist and a Congregational church. Raymond has eleven public schoolhouses, valued at $3,200. The valuation of ,estates in the town in 1870 was $229,121. In 1880 it was $227,213. The population in 1870 was 1,120. By the census of 1880, it was 1,132.

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