The Spring House at Poland Spring,  ca. 1920
(Postcard)

The Spring House
&
Bottling Plant
at


When the railroad was built in the 1830's, traffic was diverted away from the old Inn at Poland Spring. But it was at around this time that events took place that would change forever the history of Poland Spring. The discovery and subsequent promotion of the waters of Poland Spring resulted in the development of one of the premiere hotels and spas in the United States, coupled with a thriving business bottling and shipping the famous Poland Spring Water.


First Circular Advertising
Poland Water
1860

"The circumstances developing the knowledge of the efficacy of Poland Water, as is true of many European springs, were purely accidental, and extended through a long period of time."

"In 1800 Joseph Ricker lay sick with a fever, and his case was pronounced hopeless by physicians. Begging for water to quench his burning thirst, the doctor asked Joseph Thurlow, the nurse, to go to the spring that ran north and get the sick man a jug of water, adding, 'He might as well drink as not, for he will be dead before morning.' The water was procured and he drank freely of it during the night, and when the doctor came in the morning he found the patient free from fever and on the way to rapid recovery."


Early Pamphlet for
Poland Water
(ca. 1878)

"In 1827 Wenthworth Ricker, who for some time had been afflicted with a sever kidney trouble, while clearing the land around the spring began drinking the pure water simply for refreshment. He soon observed that the pain from which he had suffered was gradually leaving him, and his disease soon left him altogether..."

In 1844 his son Hiram Ricker was suffering severely from an attack of dyspepsia, aggravated by a so-called humor of the stomach. His constant thirst led him to drink of the water frequently, and to his great surprise and gratification he was speedily cured. From that time he had great faith in the water, and urged all friends who were similarly afflicted to use it."


The Poland Spring
1859

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"In the summer of 1569 a neighbor, William Schellinger, who had been afflicted with a serious form of kidney disease for several years, came to work near the spring. He drank freely of the water and ere long discovered that he was being cured. He never had a touch of his old complaint afterward, and lived to the ripe old age of ninety-two years."

Mr. Schellinger, having an ox very sick and emaciated and so weak that he would frequently fall while walking, got Hiram Ricker to put the ox in a field near the spring where he could drink the Poland Water. The ox soon showed signs of improvement and continued to improve until the following September, when he had gained six inches in girth and was pronounced good beef and sold as such."


Ad for Poland Mineral Water,
The Brunswick Record, 1860.

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"These, with other instances, induced Hiram Ricker to call upon Dr. E. Clark, of Portland, and urge him to make a trial of the Poland Water for kidney trouble. A quantity of water was sent to the doctor, who used it in the case of of Hon. H. J. Miller, a victim of bloody hemorrhage of the kidneys, with wonderful success."

Mrs. Franklin Low, of California, who in 1863-64 was suffering from an attack of kidney trouble which took the form of dropsy. After employing the most skilled physicians obtainable...her husband was told that there was no help for her. A gentleman who had seen the effects of the water in the East and who had received benefit from it, had taken ten barrels to California with him three years before. This went by sailing vessel 'around the Horn.' Hearing of Mrs. Low's sickness, he carried two gallons of the water to her, which she found to be perfectly sweet...and in a few months was completely restored to perfect health."
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)


Walk to the Spring House
from the Hotels, ca. 1900

(Detroit Photo Collection, # 011732)

As news of these amazing cures spread, so did the fame of the Poland Spring resort, where the water was freely available to all guests.  
- 

"The Poland Spring water is forced into every story of the hotel by a steam pump, which on every floor supplies the closets and bath-rooms, where guests can have hot and cold baths in the spring water."
(History of Poland, H.A. & G.W. Poole, 1890)


Inside the Barreling House
ca. 1870 [80?]

(Poland Past and Present, 1795-1970)

"Sales began by the barrel, although delivery by the jug continued within wagon distance of the spring. In 1860 resident sales Agents were set up in Boston with orders coming in from the South and as far west as California. Ship captains were storing it on board for long journeys and faddists came to the spring itself. In two years sales increased from one 3 gallon demijohn to 1,000 barrels. By 1895...Poland Water would be known the world over...with shipments to thirteen foreign ports. Many steamship lines used Poland Water exclusively."
(Poland Bicentennial 1795-1995)

"By 1890 more [water] was shipped from Poland Spring than all of the Saratoga Springs combined."
(Poland Past and Present, 1795-1970)

A variety of spring houses and tasting rooms were built over the years where guests could sit in comfort while partaking of the waters. A bustling barreling plant kept up with the huge commercial trade, shipping Poland Spring Water around the world.   The Marketing and Packaging of Poland Water and Poland Spring beverages became a parallel industry with the operation of the hotels.


Spring & Barreling House
1862-1876

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"Water was first dipped by a two quart dipper directly from the 5-6 quart basin made in the rock. In 1827, the basin was enlarged to 30 gallons and a pail was substituted for the dipper. In 1876, a 30' x 60' house was built and set so the water ran directly into the barrel. In 1885, a large stone tank 4' high x 4' wide x 14' long, with a large solid piece of highly polished granite for the front was built. This held 2,000 gallons."
(Poland Bicentennial 1795-1995)


Spring & Barreling House, 1877-1882
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)


Spring & Barreling House, 1883-1906
(Souvenir of Poland Spring & Hotels,
ca. 1886)


Interior of Barreling House, ca. 1886
(Souvenir of Poland Spring & Hotels,
ca. 1886)


Certificate of Analysis

Aug. 8, 1875

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"Poland water has been analyzed by the most noted chemists in the world, and has been found to contain less than four grains of solid matter to the gallon. Poland water has been used as a medicinal water for nearly a century; is known and drunk by all nations throughout the world at the present time, and is acknowledged by all as being without equal as a pure medicinal water."
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

In 1893, the world gathered in Chicago,  Illinois for the first World's Fair, the Colombian Exposition. Twenty-seven and a half million people visited the fair. Among the various attractions at the fair (which included the world's first Ferris Wheel, a 250-foot giant), was Hiram Ricker's exhibit promoting his Poland Spring Water. Another highlight of the fair was the Maine State Building, constructed by the State of Maine, which was subsequently purchased and moved to the Poland Spring site.


Poland Water Exhibits
1893, 1904

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"The only water awarded a Medal and Diploma at the World's Colombian Exposition [Chicago, 1893] for great purity and as a Natural Medicinal Water...[and] at the St. Louis Universal Exposition in 1904, Poland Water received the highest award ever granted an American water - a Grand Prize, which is greater than a Gold Metal."
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"The significance of this award con not be too highly considered.  The famous waters of both hemispheres were here entered in competition.  Each received an award of more or less value, but among them all none but Poland Water received awards for that rare combination -- 'Great purity', 'A safe and salutary drinking water' and a 'Valuable medicinal agent.'  Nothing could be stronger or substantiate further our claims of nearly a half century."
(Poland Water, Natural Medicinal Spring Water, 1898)


Proposed Spring House Design, 1895

(Poland Spring Centennial, 1795-1895)

By 1895, on the Centennial of the Poland Spring operation,  plans were already underway for a new and dazzling  Spring House to showcase their award winning waters.  An early design proposed for the new Spring House was a gothic fantasy which was never executed.  Another unexecuted design which is more like that which was finally built was actually printed on postcards and sold to the public.

The water business continued to prosper, and after the turn of the century the Rickers constructed a new Spring House and a state-of-the-art Bottling Plant.


General Exterior View of Poland Spring Bottling Works
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1917)


Spring House, ca. 1906

(Postcard, dated Jun 17, 1909)


Guests being served Poland
Water direct from the Spring

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1908)

"In 1906 and 1907 we erected a new permanent Spring and Bottling House, in Spanish architecture, the Spring House interior being Italian Pavonzzo marble, the floors of mosaic and the spring enclosed under a glass case, and the walls lined with Carrara glass, with a solid bronze grille and plate glass enclosing the spring."
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"An employee would stand white-gloved with a silver ladle and dispense drinks from the special pool."
(Poland Bicentennial 1795-1995)

Visitors relaxed in the marble interior of the Spring House and were served water freshly dispensed from the spring.  The water was served in specially designed glass tumblers etched with the likeness of Hiram Ricker and the motto:

In Nature's pure and simple drink,
find health, long life, and happiness.


Interior of Spring House
ca. 1906

(Postcard)


Visitor's Reception Room with a
View of the Bottling Room. ca. 1906

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)


Spring House and Bottling Works
ca. 1906

(Postcard)


Soaking Tanks
& Bottle Washing Machines

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"... the waters of the spring run through silver and glass pipes into highly polished granite retaining tanks, sealed under a sheet of plate glass in the Bottling House, which is not only the finest and most expensive establishment of its kind in the world, but the most sanitary. All of the operations of the bottling are so conducted as to be under inspection of visitors at all times. The walls, ceiling and floors are made of marble, tile or glass, with large plate glass windows, which are always closed; all the air is brought down through the large tower and forced into the room in a filtered condition."
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)
-

"All 'germs' are rigidly excluded from the water, both that which is taken from the spring and that which is bottled.  The spring is enclosed by granite and covered with plate glass; every bottle is sterelized, bot simply washed clean, before being filled.  The corks to be used are also sterilized before use.  In these days of adulteration and hurry to get things on to the market, it is refreshing to a scientific man to observe all this pains-taking.  It makes him have a better opinion of his kind to go through the bottling house at Poland Spring.
(The Sanitary Inspector, Vol X, No 3, June 1897)
-


Bottling Room
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)

"In bottling, the bottles are put through large soaking tanks, containing strong alkali, then washed thoroughly by machines, in pure water, and carefully inspected. They are then sent on an endless belt to the sanitary bottling room, where all the operators are dressed in white linen suits. From the time the bottle enters the soaking tanks it is steadily on the move, through the soaking tank and bottle washers, then sterilized and filled, then returned to the Label and Packing Room, the time consumed in this operation being about one and one-half hours."
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)


Marble Showers where operators bathe
and put on clean linen daily.

(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)


Main Packing & Shipping Room
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)


Warehouse & Shipping Station
(Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)


Poland Water Promotional
Material, ca. 1955

With the decline of the Poland Spring resort following World War II, the sale of Poland Spring water also declined, and very nearly slipped completely out of the American marketplace and consciousness.

By 1967, the bottling plant had closed. The purchase of the Poland Spring operation by Perrier of France in the 1970's has helped Poland Water regain its former stature.

"...the purity and mineral balance of the spring have remained unchanged since the first bottling analysis was done, in 1845."

"One of the major turnarounds for Poland occurred in May 1977 when the company was purchased by Paul den Haene, a French financier with long experience in the water field. Now, distributorships are growing, and Poland is poised to grab its share of the ever-expanding mineral water pie. As the company's PR copy reads: 'In truth, it's simply a gentle, refreshing splash from a very old granite spring in Maine. And in a contemporary context, when everything old is new again, what could be more simple or enjoyable.'"
(The Book of Waters, Steven Schwartz, 1979)

-


Poland Water Poster
ca. 1976

MaeWest_Ad.jpg (13477 bytes)
1970's Poland Water Advertisment
featuring Mae West
"Is that a bottle of Poland Water in your
pocket or are you just glad to see me?"
-

Poland Water
Promotional Material
ca. 1976
The ultimate revival of Poland Water's eminence occurred in 1992 when the spring and bottling operations were purchased by the food giant Nestle.  Now headquartered in Greenwich, CT, the company has been a subsidiary of Nestle Source International since July, 1992. Perrier, which is also the parent company of Great Spring Waters of America, bottles and distributes Poland Spring Water, as well as Arrowhead Mountain Spring, Calistoga Mineral, Deer Park, Great Bear, Ice Mountain, Vittel Bonne Source and many others.
-

-
Poland Spring Logo
ca. 1998

-
Poland Water Bottling Facility
ca. 2001

"A new bottling facility was built at the base of Ricker Hill. Deep in the woods off Route 122, it is the second largest bottled water plant in the United States and the third largest plant in the world. Once again, 150 years later one of the most 'State of the Art' bottling facilities bottles Poland Spring Water. Again Poland Spring Water is distributed throughout the United States."
(Poland Bicentennial 1795-1995)

"The bottling facility at Poland Spring is the largest water bottling facility in the United States and the second largest in the world."
(Brochure, Poland Spring Bottling Company, 2001)

Restoration of the Spring House and Bottling Plant has been completed, and the buildings reopened to the public in summer of 2001, joining the Maine State Building and All Souls Chapel in the Poland Spring Preservation Park. 

"[The buildings] will serve as a museum with displays about the histories of the Poland Spring Water Company, the Poland Spring Aquifer, and the Great State of Maine!  Visitors of all ages will also enjoy interactive earth science and product displays, a virtual tour of today's Poland Spring Water Facility, groundwater model, glaciation display, coffee and water bar, gift shop, and Maine Artists Gallery."
(Advertisement, Lewiston Sun Journal, May 6, 2001)


Brian Harris
1-February-2004