South Berwick is a town in York County, incorporated on February 12, 1814 from a portion of Berwick.
It was settled in about 1624 at a time when the Indians were still living at Quamphegan Falls, dip net falls or the place where fish are taken in nets. Below the falls, the salmon were trapped using weirs.
The first sawmill in America was built on the Great Works River, a tributary to the Salmon Falls River, in 1650. Maine's oldest preparatory school, Berwick Academy, was established here in 1791. The Counting House of the Portsmouth Company, built about 1830, is the sole surviving building of the 19th century cotton mills in the town. Many other historic sites may be found throughout the community.
The town is accessible to the coastal communities of York and Kittery via Maine Routes 91 and 236.
