Harrison dates to 1805, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 82% of U.S. towns · #73 of 143 in Maine. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Deertrees Theatre, the Scribner Homestead and the Lakeside Grange #63. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1896 on, and the census since 1810.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Harrison is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #73 of 143 in Maine. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Harrison’s overall grade.
Maine towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Maine town has 15.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Harrison’s 19.9 sits near the middle of its state (57% of Maine towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1805.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.9 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Harrison’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The Massachusetts General Court granted Otis Field Plantation in 1771 to James Otis and other heirs of Captain John Gorham and his company for their service in the 1690 Battle of Quebec. It replaced a 1736 grant which had been ruled invalid. In 1797, the plantation was incorporated as Otisfield. On March 8, 1805, Harrison was set off and incorporated from portions of Otisfield and Bridgton. It was named after a principal landowner, Harrison Gray Otis of Boston, the heir of James Otis.
Passages that mention Harrison, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Centennial history of Harrison, Maine1909 · page 37Read the page →
Read the text
The Act to incorporate the town of Harrison is found in the laws of Massachusetts, Chapter XXXIV, 1805, and is entitled: "An Act to incorporate the northwesterly part of the town of Otisfield, and the easterly part of the town of Bridgton, in the County of Cumberland, into a separate town by the name of Harrison."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Centennial history of Harrison, Maine1909 · page I33Read the page →
Read the text
lature : "To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Maine in Legislature assembled : — The undersigned, legal voters of the Town of Harrison, beg leave to remonstrate against the petition of Ira Crocker and others praying for the incorporation of a new town to include a part of the towns of Bridgton and Harrison, as far forth as the same, if granted, would affect the Town of
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Harrison, 1805 to 2010
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1805, according to Wikidata. Harrison’s post office opened in 1829, and the census of 1810 counted 439 people here.
How does Harrison rank for history?
Harrison is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #73 of 143 in Maine. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Harrison?
Three places: the Deertrees Theatre (listed 1989), the Scribner Homestead (2001) and the Lakeside Grange #63 (2005).
How old are the homes in Harrison?
20% of Harrison’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.9 points), against a typical 19% for a Maine town; the median home was built in 1980.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
c. 1905
c. 1910
1912