WATERVILLE

city, Kennebec county, south-central Maine, U.S., on the Kennebec River 54 miles (87 km) southwest of Bangor and 21 miles (34 km) northeast of Augusta, the state capital. Settled around Fort Halifax (1754) at Ticonic Falls, the community mainly consisted of English and French Canadians. It was separated from Winslow in 1802 and Oakland in 1873. In 1849 it became the terminal of the first railroad in Maine east of Portland. Textiles and paper products are the city's leading manufactures. It is the seat of Colby College (founded 1813) and Thomas College (1894). Inc. town, 1802; city, 1888. Pop. (1990) 17,173; (1996 est.) 16,400.