Bethel to Upton, Me.
1907
July 22
(No 4)
  Soon after passing the source of Bear River in the upper
part of Grafton Notch the stage road comes to another water shed
which slopes northward and is drained by the Swift Cambridge,
at first a tiny rivulet, next a broad laughing brook flowing over
gradually shallower and finally a small river which, after mingling
its clear, glancing waters with the more turbid and sluggish
one of the Dead Cambridge, empties into Lake Umbagog.
For a distance of several miles from the head waters of
this little stream its course is closely followed by the road
over an open and nearly level plateau swept by icy winds
at every season save midsummer and then sometimes visited
by devastating frosts. Despite these drawbacks and that of
a generally thin and rather sandy soil most of the land
is cultivated - albeit in a shiftless, half-hearted way - producing
scanty crops of hay and of such hardy grains as
buckwheat, oats and rye. Beyond this flat the road leaves
the river on its right and enters a broken partly wooded
tract of country where the third stage horses must surmount
a succession of steep hills before they can enjoy the
well-earned food and rest that await them in the
stable at Upton. As they approach it along a stretch
of straight and level road bordered in places by groups or
rows of trees one sees in advance a few small houses,
a little white church and two or three country stores with
groups of men and boys lounging on their front platforms.
These buildings represent the village centre of Upton a town
containing at present only   inhabitants. Here the road
divides, its right hand fork descending a steep hill to the
old Lake House where it terminates, the other branch
inclining to the westward and leading to Lakeside and to Errol.
Whichever way the traveler now pursues he has not far to go