Rangeley, Maine

Rangeley is a town in Franklin County, Maine in the United States. The population was 1,222 in the 2020 census. The town is on the east side of Rangeley Lake, in the Western Maine mountains. It is a popular summer resort. The winters are very cold with a snow cover. A sign in town says that Rangeley is halfway between the Equator and the North Pole.

 History 
Rangeley is named after an English settler, Squire James Rangeley. He had a 31,000 acre piece of land that was bought in 1796 by his father. He came in 1825 to build the town. He built a sawmill, a gristmill, a mansion, and a ten-mile road to get to other towns.

The Phillips and Rangeley railroad opened in 1891 and tourists from Boston; Hartford; New York; and Philadelphia started to come.  In the early 1900s, Rangeley became a summer resort area with camps, cabins, summer homes, and hotels. The cool mountain climate and plenty of sport fishing make this a likeable town.

Some local people became fishing guides for visitors. Among the fishermen was President Herbert Hoover. The big hotels went away during World War II. The Rangeley Lake House was torn down in 1958.  New hotels have taken their place, so Rangeley remains popular.Rangeley Lakes History

 Notable people 
One of many famous people who lives in Rangeley is Kurt Russell, a movie star. He owns a home in the mountains. His father, the actor Bing Russell, was a native of Rangeley.

Wilhelm Reich, an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst made his home in Rangeley during his later years. He took over a large estate () and named it Orgonon. It became his home, laboratory and research center. Reich is buried here on the grounds. It is now open to the public as the Wilhelm Reich Museum, with rental cottages available.

 References 

 Other websites 

 Rangeley Public Library 
 Rangeley Maine News
 Rangeley Maine Tourism Information. Has photos of the area. 
 Rangeley Lodging Information

Category:Towns in Maine
Category:1855 establishments in the United States
Category:1850s establishments in Maine