Origin
The brand has its origins in the late 18th century. Jabez Ricker had bought land in 1794 and two days later travelers knocked on the door asking for breakfast. Repeated requests by other travelers led him to open an inn called the Mansion House in 1797. In 1844, Jabez's grandson, Hiram Ricker, drank a lot of the spring water and became convinced that it had cured him of chronic dyspepsia. The inn had grown to a resort, and his discussions with guests led them to also praise the drinking water. In this period, it was quite fashionable to "take the waters" for almost all illnesses, causing an uptick in business. The Rickers soon began bottling the water. The inn grew into a significant resort in the late 19th and early 20th century, but the Ricker family lost control of the company during the 1930s. A resort is still operated on the site.
Read more about this topic: Poland Spring
Famous quotes containing the word origin:
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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“Each structure and institution here was so primitive that you could at once refer it to its source; but our buildings commonly suggest neither their origin nor their purpose.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)