Gilead, Maine

Gilead is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States.

Upon incorporation in 1804, it was named for the large quantity of Balm of Gilead trees in the town center.

[3] In the late 1700s, Massachusetts sold land in what is now Maine to encourage the settlement of the area.

In 1804, there were 20 families and the need for schools, churches, roads and other community necessities had become evident.

About 9.4% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under the age of eighteen and 9.5% of those 65 or over.

Gilead is the setting for the movie The Spitfire Grill, though it was actually filmed in Vermont.

Gilead is the town native Mainer Stephen King based the homeland of Roland Deschain on, protagonist of The Dark Tower series.

Town Hall
Gilead's 1851-built former Grand Trunk Railroad station . In 2001, it was returned to Gilead from Auburn , where it had been for 20 years.
Oxford County map