▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁while ▁almost ▁si xty ▁mill s ▁were ▁founded ▁over ▁ 2 5 0 ▁years ▁along ▁the ▁town ' s ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁River , ▁making ▁use ▁of ▁its ▁four ▁water falls ▁for ▁power . ▁ ▁The ▁Maine ▁Historic ▁Pres ervation ▁Commission ▁has ▁found ▁many ▁of ▁Y arm outh ' s ▁historic ▁buildings ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁listing ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁twelve ▁that ▁are ▁already ▁included . ▁ ▁Early ▁sett lers ▁ ▁Tra ces ▁of ▁human ▁occupation ▁in ▁the ▁Y arm outh ▁area ▁date ▁to ▁about ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁BC . ▁During ▁the ▁years ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁the ▁Europe ans , ▁many ▁Native ▁American ▁cult ures ▁existed ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁largely ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁natural ▁features ▁of ▁the ▁coast al ▁land . ▁R ivers ▁provided ▁several ▁resources , ▁including ▁food , ▁fert ile ▁soil , ▁power ▁for ▁the ▁mill s ▁and ▁the ▁navig ability ▁between ▁the ▁in land ▁areas ▁and ▁the ▁ocean . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 4 0 , ▁a ▁ 3 1 - year - old ▁English man , ▁George ▁F elt , ▁who ▁had ▁em igr ated ▁to ▁Char l est own , ▁Massachusetts , ▁eleven ▁years ▁earlier , ▁purchased ▁ 3 0 0 ▁acres ▁of ▁land ▁at ▁Broad ▁C ove ▁from ▁John ▁Phill ips ▁( b . ▁ 1 6 0 7 , ▁d . ▁c . ▁ 1 6 6 7 ), ▁a ▁Wel sh man