Lewiston is a town in the United States, located in Windsor County. The town was founded in 1768 by the Boston Company as a settlement community for settlers. Before it was abandoned and rendered a ghost town, the town had an interesting history.

A Town In The Offing

Jonathan Bagley and Moses Little were awarded lands for settlement by pejepseat proprietors under the Boston Company in 1768. Paul Hildreth and his family arrived two years later, and settlement began. After erecting a log cabin near the falls, Hildreth began a ferry business nearby. By 1790, the population of Lewiston town had grown to over 530 people who called it home. By 1808-1809, water power was established in the timber dam, and canals were erected.

The first bridge was completed in 1823, which resulted in a population rise of up to 1549 people. Mills, farmlands with houses, and a schoolhouse were built.

Following the failure of the habitants, Boston capitalists funded the construction of dams, canals, and mills. This time around, Lewiston grew considerably faster than before. Hotels, seminaries, and a college were among the first social amenities to emerge. Textile demand in the area accelerated the town's growth. Mayor Jacob Barker Ham was elected mayor of the town in 1863 and took office the same year. A hall with a magnificent view from afar was built in 1873, but it was later replaced with another hall after it burned down. The hall was built to be a music hall, but it was renovated into the Lewiston District Courthouse between 1999 and 2003.

Tough Times

When the Canadian National Railway competed with the Central Railroad, freight rates in Lewiston dropped dramatically. The town's population dwindled over time as residents transferred to new homes on Lisbon Streets. Textile competitiveness caused concern in Lewiston town as a result of the South and the Overseas. This resulted in a decrease in textile manufacturing in the town. To widen road improvements, bulldozers bulldozed a handful of the remaining structures in Lewiston's townsite in 1968.  In the late 1980s, Dartmouth College bought Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover, but it is no longer in service.

Lewiston Museum

Tourists and local residents are allowed to visit the museum at any given time. Visitors visiting the townsite are encouraged to go in groups and to bring at least a first-aid kit in case anyone is involved in an accident. These rules are in place to keep tourists safe and in one piece while leaving the townsite. Always be cautious for there are several dangerous crawling animals lurking in the dense forests around the property. The municipal site is not accessible to children under the age of 10.