Pineland Farms is a 5,000 acre farm and recreational property in the eastern part of New Gloucester, Maine that is the site of the former Pineland Hospital and Training Center.HistoryIn the early part of the 20th century, the State of Maine purchased six farms in New Gloucester, Maine that became known as Pineland Farms. The purpose of this purchase was to build the Maine School for the Feeble Minded on part of the land and continue farming on the rest of it.The Maine School and Pownal State SchoolOpening in 1908, the Maine School was envisioned as a coed residential facility for the mentally disabled and patients with epilepsy. However, during its early years, the State also placed orphans and other wards of the state at the Maine School, as no other public services existed to help them.In 1913, a local committee expressed concerns that the State had purchased Pineland Farms solely as a commercial venture, and that the location did not meet the needs of the Maine school. The committee suggested that the State move the school to a better location.Supporters of the Maine School, including mental health expert Dr. Walter E. Fernald and local doctor Seth C. Gordon, stated that while the agricultural fields of Pineland Farms did generate revenue, they also had therapeutic value. They would, as Gordon said, "keep these poor unfortunates employed and do them good." Maine School supporters also said that with some improvements, such as the installation of an additional artesian well, Pineland Farms could meet all the needs of its patients.
