Rumford?

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by CapeCodder

lol...well you're right...but it doesn't change the fact that not all people can deal with that scent.

I agree. Smelled that smell many times while in Rumford to shop or visit folks in the hospital. You can kind of get used to it, but I don't think it's ever going to be pleasant. When you open your door on a beautiful sunshiny day and take your first breath of what should be - and you expect to be - clean fresh air, and you get a lungful of paper mill smell instead ---ugh. And it does travel on the wind, you bet.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Boise Cascade sold out to Mead. Mead sold out to New Page. The mill is very shaky financially. There is a good work force and some paper machines are still good, but the mill needs to downsize and do what they do best.

The area is beautiful. I recommend buying outside of the city. Nearby towns will have lower taxes and if you buy up river and upwind from the mill you will rarely get "the smell".

[7th generation]

Rumford has always been special to me.
I went to school in town from 2nd grade through graduation. During these years there were large classes due to the mill employment that peaked at
3,200 employees.
The area is gorgeous. We have so many swimming holes and ponds that you could spend a summer and never hit the same one. Hiking trails are plentiful with the AT crossing in Andover and Newry. Winter sports: Black Mt. Ski Area right in Rumford was purchased 3 years ago by the Libra Foundation and they doubled the vertical feet skiable and built a new lodge. Snow tubing Black Mt. is great fun as it has the steepest run of any tube park in the area and there is night skiing at Black Mt. Rumford also boasts a beautiful skating rink.
15 miles from town is Mt. Abrams which is a fantastic ski area. Very family oriented and has a tube park and night skiing.
Sunday River Ski Area boasts the most skiable acres in Maine and of the top 3 on the east coast. They were just bought by Boyne and have invested 3 million this year alone. Last year ASC (previous owners), installed a snow making system that calculates temperature and humidity utilizing sensors on the mountain and are capable of filling Fenway Park, from the field to the top of the stadium, with snow. Boyne has brought with them new guns that are more efficient which really increases the snow making process.
Sunday River also has tubing and a nice skating rink.
The school system in Rumford is good as a lot of my friends' children go there.
There is a private high school in Bethel-Gould Academy and a public school system.
I have never heard of anyone leaving the Rumford area due to the smell from the mill.
I do business in Rumford and the economy is good. House prices are a lot less in Rumford compared to the surrounding towns. I live 12 miles from town and if you'd like to DM me I'd do my best to get you answers.
On the photo sticky all my photos are within a 20 mile radius of Rumford.

[Cynimom]

Rumford is a fine place to live and raise a family. The area is ripe for new business and the real estate prices are quite reasonable. I only notice the smell of the mill when I'm near the mill. Most of Rumford is "up river" so the smell doesn't bother too many people, unless you're living right next to the mill. Rumford is a large area so there are plenty of properties where you won't even know the mill is there. From Rumford it takes me appx. 45 minutes to Auburn and appx. an hour to Augusta unless I get behind a few "creepers" who don't go the speed limit.

[Maineah]

In Maine lingo Rumford is pronounced "Rumpfid".

[McMar]

I saw some gorgeous old brick townhomes in Rumford, on the Maine MLS. Real estate does seem very reasonable. 7th Gen's pictures are so beautiful - definitely makes one want to see the area.

[flybob63]

Originally Posted by CapeCodder

We just drove out to Rumford to look at some land for sale (for a hunting camp for my bro in law). It was dark by the time we got there. There was a huge creepy looking plant (paper mill?) that smelled pretty bad...it was along a river.
We couldn't get to the property (logging road wasn't plowed)...I wish we got to see it during the day. I just wonder how far that smell travels. I wish I could help you more...I'm a ME newbie too.

That smell, as much of a turn-off as it is, has improved alot over the years. My mom and dad live right across from the mill where the smell originates and I have been going to Rumford/Mexico my whole life. The smell does not carry that far anymore... It used to be, when the wind was right, you could smell it for about 15 miles up to the Roxbury Pond area, but I don't think it is that way anymore.....

As far as life in Maine is concerned, I think it depends on what you enjoy doing....That part of Maine has great outdoor recreational activities year round. There are many ski resort areas within an hour or so ride.....Black Mountain ski area is also right in Rumford...There is hunting in the fall and alot of fantastic lakes for fishing/boating in the spring and summer....

I go up there almost every year for hunting season in November and the weather can be anywhere from sunny and in the high 40's to snow and ice around 0. You never know.

I love it there.... This year we are going up in October to see the fall colors.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by flybob63

That smell, as much of a turn-off as it is, has improved alot over the years. My mom and dad live right across from the mill where the smell originates and I have been going to Rumford/Mexico my whole life. The smell does not carry that far anymore... It used to be, when the wind was right, you could smell it for about 15 miles up to the Roxbury Pond area, but I don't think it is that way anymore.....

As far as life in Maine is concerned, I think it depends on what you enjoy doing....That part of Maine has great outdoor recreational activities year round. There are many ski resort areas within an hour or so ride.....Black Mountain ski area is also right in Rumford...There is hunting in the fall and alot of fantastic lakes for fishing/boating in the spring and summer....

I go up there almost every year for hunting season in November and the weather can be anywhere from sunny and in the high 40's to snow and ice around 0. You never know.

I love it there.... This year we are going up in October to see the fall colors.

Same goes for the mill in Westbrook. We could smell it in Freeport 20 yeasrs ago but we never smell it now.

[PMBird]

I lived in the Rumford/Mexico area for 30+ yrs. There was a reason why I left. The mill smell is MUCH better than it used to be and you do get used to the normal mill smells. The river valley area (Rumford/Mexico/Dixfield) is certainly not a booming, up an coming area, but if you are looking for a quiet, layed back area you have certainly found it.

I'd very EXTREMELY cautious about starting a business in that area though. The mill is very important to the area and that has been slowly dying for years. Many other papermills in the state have closed. I'm not saying that NewPage will be next, but these days you never know and if that happens many businesses will be in serious trouble because the papermill keeps that town together.

The area is a great location for outdoor activities whether that be hunting or fishing or snowmobiling or skiing etc. The area is beautiful.

The drive times compared to the distances are deceiving because from Rumford you don't hop on any highway to get to your destination. You can make it to Lewiston/Auburn in 45 min, but that's without getting stuck behind anyone going a bit slow. I now live in the Augusta area and it can take 1.5 hrs to get to Rumford because you drive through so many small towns along the way you are bound to get hung up here and there. Same with going to Lewiston/Auburn and South Paris/Norway/Oxford area.

I worked in the South Paris/Norway/Oxford area for many yrs. You might want to take a look at that area. It's been growing for years. It also nice views and is still conveniently located for enjoying outside activities. I don't see where Lewiston/Auburn area has been growing or shrinking to a great degree over the years.