Bethel Area

With the tag line “Maine’s most beautiful mountain village,” Bethel lies in the Androscoggin Valley at the foot of the Mahoosuc Mountain range and minutes from Mount Washington and the White Mountains. Bethel is the largest incorporated town in the eight town area that comprises the Bethel area: Bethel, Gilead, Albany, Greenwood/Locke Mills, Bryant Pond/Woodstock, Newry, Upton and Hanover. The area is best known as a ski resort and home to Sunday River and Mt. Abram. Bethel was named “the greatest ski town in the Universe” by Ski Magazine, and Sunday River was featured in The New York Times as a “Giant” in the ski industry.

Although winter sports dominate the area’s reputation, it is also home to farming, forestry, woods product manufacturing, tourism, education and retirees who want a small town lifestyle. Several of the Bethel area’s larger employers reflect its economic diversity: Sunday River Skiway Corp., Mt. Abram, Chadbourne Tree Farms, Saunders Brothers, Hancock Lumber, the Bethel Inn and Gould Academy.

Construction is underway on the Spruce Mountain wind turbine project in Woodstock to erect 10 turbines. This project will produce more than 60 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy, enough to power about 9,600 Maine households.