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Forest-covered hills and rural countryside in Maine

Oxford County community

Peru

A river town of villages, forests, farms, historic meeting halls, and the three-mile waters of Worthley Pond.

Town profile

Peru at a glance

Pronounced “peh-RUU,” Peru is a town in Oxford County. It was settled in 1793 and incorporated on February 5, 1821, from Plantation Number One, which was also known as Thompsontown.

The town took its name from the South American country of Peru after that nation won independence from Spain. The choice reflected the era’s interest in liberty and solidarity.

Peru lies along the south bank of the Androscoggin River, below the Rumford–Mexico–Dixfield area. West Peru, opposite Mexico in the northern part of town, is its principal village.

Town government follows the Town Meeting–Select Board form.

Quiet lake surrounded by forest and low mountains

Landscape

River, pond, farms, and forest

Three-mile-long Worthley Pond is one of Peru’s defining natural features and a focus for its surrounding community. Beyond the village, Ridge Road and Valley Road cross a rolling rural landscape of farms, forests, and mountain views.

These abundant forest resources supported five lumber mills in the late nineteenth century, linking the town’s working history to the woods around it.

Historical data

Population record

The figures preserved with this entry show a relatively stable population during the four decades from 1970 to 2010.

These are historical census figures, not a current population estimate.

Population, 1970–2010
Census year	Population
1970	1,345
1980	1,564
1990	1,541
2000	1,515
2010	1,541

Community character

Places that shape Peru

Historic civic buildings, a river crossing, and a rural road network help explain how the community developed.

Historic white community building in a rural New England setting

Civic heritage

Community halls

Peru Center Road is associated with two longstanding gathering places: the 1904 Rockameka Grange Hall and Union Hall, a building dating from the Civil War era.

Road winding through a green forested rural landscape

Settlement pattern

West Peru and the river

West Peru occupies the northern part of town near the Androscoggin. The crossing toward Mexico and the Main Street corridor connect the village with neighboring River Valley communities.

Additional resources

These local histories offer extended accounts of Peru’s residents, families, settlement, and community development.

Turner, Hollis. The History of Peru in the County of Oxford and State of Maine from 1789 to 1911: Residents and Genealogies of Their Families … Also a Part of Franklin Plan. Town of Peru, 1979.

Vaughn, Mary Searles. A History of the Town of Peru Maine. Rumford Publishing Co., 1971.

Nearby entries

Continue through the River Valley

Explore communities connected to Peru by the Androscoggin River and the surrounding regional road network.

FAQ

Understanding Peru

Quick answers based on the town profile and its historical record.

Where is Peru, Maine?

Peru is in Oxford County on the south bank of the Androscoggin River, below the Rumford, Mexico, and Dixfield area.

How is the town’s name pronounced?

The pronunciation recorded for the town is “peh-RUU.”

When was Peru settled and incorporated?

Settlement began in 1793. The town was incorporated on February 5, 1821, from Plantation Number One, also called Thompsontown.

Why was the town named Peru?

It was named for the South American country following that nation’s independence from Spain, reflecting contemporary ideals of liberty and solidarity.

What is the principal village?

West Peru is the main village. It lies in the northern portion of town across the Androscoggin River from Mexico.

What natural feature is prominent in Peru?

Worthley Pond, approximately three miles long, is a major local landscape feature. The town also includes rolling farmland, extensive forests, and mountain views.

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