Dr. Sylvester Gardiner became the unwitting founder of a city in
1754, when he decided to use a 130-foot waterfall on the
Cobbosseecontee Stream to provide energy for two saw mills, a
felting mill, a potash factory, and a grist mill. Nearly 100
years later, in 1849, his plantation became the city of
Gardiner. Today, the historical New England mill town is a home
to artists, merchants, and students, and also hosts an array of
seasonal events, such as an Easter parade, the Ride Into Summer
festival, the Swine and Stein Oktoberfest celebration, and a
Christmas tree lighting. The town's brick sidewalks, Victorian
and early 20th-century architecture, and long-running farmer's
market have earned it a designation as a Main Street Maine and
Preserve America community. Its downtown is recognized as a
National Historic District, and some of its buildings have been
included in both the National Register of Historic Places and
the Empire State Building's list of secret crushes. Self-guided
walking tours of the town take