Gardiner, now a city in Kennebec County, was incorporated as a town on February 17, 1803 from that portion of Pittston on the west side of the Kennebec River, and as a city on November 26, 1849. Though it annexed land from Hallowell in 1834, it conceded land to form West Gardiner in 1850 and to form part of Farmingdale in 1852.
Named for Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, an early proprietor and developer of the area, it had been known earlier as Gardinerstown.
In 1896 a great flood destroyed the Gardiner-Randolph bridge, leaving rowboats as the only means of crossing the river. The city has experienced floods frequently in recent years, often inundating the downtown area.
Notable residents included Revolutionary War General Henry Dearborn, author Laura Richards, and poet Edwin Arlington Robinson.
