About Stow

LOCATION: In Oxford County, just north of Fryeburg on the New Hampshire border.

HISTORY: First settled in 1770 and once the home of the Pequawket Indians. Created out of a tract including Bradley's and Eastman's Grants and Fryeburg Addition.

GOVERNMENT: Selectmen, with town meeting the last Saturday in March.

SCHOOLS: Part of SAD 72, with students attending classes in Fryeburg.

MOST NOTABLE EVENT: The discovery on the Fourth of July weekend in 1993 of a 9-pound amethyst crystal as part of a discovery of 6,000 carats of gem-quality amethyst at the Eastman mine on Deer Hill. The miners, Gary Howard of Bath, Dennis Creaser of Paris and Jay Windover of Dixfield, call themselves Intergalactic Mining. The gems, when cut and prepared for jewelry, were said to be worth $500,000 or more, but little has been processed so far. Intergalactic still has rights to mine the site, and the group's Web site says other finds were made after 1993. No additions to the Deer Hill section of the Web site have been made since 2000, however.

Stow Vital Stats Population (2000): 288

Location: 44.160556 N, 70.985 W

Zip Codes: 04037

Mileage from... Portland: 57 mi. Boston, MA: 152 mi. New York, NY: 362 mi.
Source: US Census Bureau, Google Maps
Stow Resources Fryeburg's town Web site has information about activities and events in and around Fryeburg. The Fryeburg Fair, held each fall since 1851, is one of Maine's most popular agricultural fairs, featuring attractions such as livestock shows, a petting zoo, harness racing, and horticultural and culinary contests and displays. Stow is on the edge of the The White Mountain National Forest, which features numerous hiking trails. The trail head for Speckled Mountain is in Stow.