The town of Bethel had a tumultuous birth, caught in a land battle between France and Britain in the late seventeenth century. This hardy Maine town was originally Sudbury, Canada, and its rugged settlers weathered the hardships of nature and a devastating Indian raid. With the growth of agriculture, more and more families began settling the rich intervales along the Androscoggin River until, in 1796, this isolated community was incorporated as Bethel, Maine. In this detailed and comprehensive history, Stanley Russell Howe outlines the birth of Gould Academy, the importance of the railroad to the town's growth, its post-Civil War industrialization and the rise of modern tourism spawned by Sunday River Ski Resort. From the famous Indian healer Molly Ockett to Dr. True, first historian of Bethel, the characters from the town's past are sure to intrigue and inspire both residents and visitors.