The community was organized in 1779 as Bridgetown Plantation, named after Moody Bridges, and then incorporated on February 7, 1794, as Bridgton.

[3] Stevens Brook is only a mile and a half long, but it provided water power for 12 mill sites.

It developed as an industrial center, with sawmills, gristmills, woolen textile mills, a tannery, shoe factory and brick manufacturer.

Population increased when goods manufactured by water power could be transported to outside markets on the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, which opened to Portland in 1832.

[6] The convenience of highway travel caused abandonment of the canal steamboats in 1932 and the narrow-gauge railroad in 1941.

Bridgton remains a popular resort area, with many children's summer camps located along the shores of the beautiful lakes and Pleasant Mountain Ski Area (formerly Shawnee Peak), a ski resort, located in the western part of town.

The source of Stevens Brook is Highland Lake, which is located just west of the downtown.

In West Bridgton, a portion of Pleasant Mountain, including the Shawnee Peak Ski Area, rises.

At the base of Pleasant Mountain is Moose Pond, a man-made lake which makes up portions of Bridgton, Denmark, and Sweden.

Highland Lake extends north from downtown Bridgton to the border with Sweden.

Trailered boats may be launched and recovered at a town-owned ramp at the southern end of the lake.

[8] White perch thrive in the lake despite dissolved oxygen deficiency in deep water below the summer thermocline.