History of Woodstock

Woodstock began as a post-revolutionary settlement in 1797 and was incorporated in 1815.  It comprised two half townships, one granted by Massachusetts to Gov. Dummer Academy and ta second seven years later to Gorham Academy.  Today Woodstock encompasses the village of Bryant Pond, South Woodstock and Pinhook.

The Grand Trunk Rail began to run through the villagein 1851.  This brought a need for a post office, which was established in 1851.  The first post office was in Stephens Mills in 1824 and in 1847 an office was started in North Woodstock.  The current post office is located in the center of the village and was built in or around 1966.

The schools of Woodstock date back to 1815.  There have been many schools in different parts of town over the years.  In 1987 the town's newest school opened its doors for the K-5th grades.

For more history on Woodstock, Ruby Emery wrote many articles on the History of Woodstock.  Her work can be viewed at the Whitman Memorial Library and the Historical Society.  William B. Lapham wrote the book History of Woodstock, Maine dated 1882.

Woodstock had its first telephones in the early 1890's. The first equipment for the hand cranked telephones came from Chicago Telephone Supply Co.  Families worked together to put up the lines.  In the early 1900's Doc Heath operated the Village Phone Co.  At the end of the 1920's Mr. & Mrs. Carl Dudley put the switch board in their grovery store.  They sold it to Herbert and Viola Meserve.  The first night service began in 1946 when Bob McKeen Jr. started working for the company, staying until the end.  In the fall of 1946 the company was sold to Howard and Sylvia Judkins who sold it in 1951 to Elden and Barbara Hathaway.  The Hathaway's owned the company until 1983 when the last "crank" call was made from their living room.