Named after Bradford, Massachusetts, the first settlers arrived in 1804 to clear the land. A few others came in the next few years until, by 1831, the population stood at just over 400. Typical of the areas boom times, it reached 1,000 ten years later. It peaked at 1,558 in 1860 and drifted down to 569 in 1970 before slowly bouncing back in recent years.

From Maine: An Encyclopedia (www.themaineencyclopedia.com)