text:
Isle au Haut, Maine

Isle au Haut is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States, on an island of the same name in Penobscot Bay. The population was 92 at the 2020 census. Home to portions of Acadia National Park, Isle au Haut is accessible by ferry from Stonington.

History
Native Americans left behind shell mounds on the island following their oyster feasts. It was territory of the Penobscot Abenaki Indians when, in 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain named it Isle au Haut, meaning High Island. English Capt. John Smith, charting the coast in 1614, noted that it was the highest island in Penobscot Bay. It was included in Deer Isle Plantation, incorporated by Massachusetts on February 2, 1789, as the town of Deer Isle.

In 1792, Henry Barter was granted land on the island, which by 1800 had a population of about 50 English and Scottish settlers. They subsisted by raising sheep, farming and fishing. In 1808, the island was the scene of a murder when smugglers shot and killed a federal customs officer. In the mid-19th century, the chief occupations were fishing and boatbuilding. On February 28, 1874, Isle au Haut was set off from Deer Isle and incorporated as a town.

By the late 19th century, when the island's population reached about 275, a village had developed beside the Isle au Haut Thoroughfare separating Kimball Island. The 1880s brought an influx of "rusticators," seasonal inhabitants, often from Boston and other big cities, who built vacation cottages at a private club at Point Lookout. In 1910, Isle au Haut had 178 year-round residents and 15 summer families. Some fishermen left when motors replaced sails to power boats, allowing them to operate more conveniently from the mainland. By 1935, the population had dropped to 75.

Today, lobster fishing remains the main industry, while the portions of Acadia National Park which cover about 60% of the island attract a few tourists. Vacation houses, although far fewer than those of the nearby summer colonies of North Haven, Vinalhaven and Mount Desert Island, more than double Isle au Haut's population during the summer. Linda Greenlaw wrote a book about it titled The Lobster Chronicles (2003).

Electricity came to the island in 1970, with telephone service in 1988.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 113.20 sqmi, of which 12.52 sqmi is land and 100.68 sqmi is water. Isle au Haut is an island approximately 6 mi long by 2 mi wide in Penobscot Bay, part of the Gulf of Maine and Atlantic Ocean.

Mount Champlain, elevation 540 ft, is the highest point on the island, located on a north-south ridge occupying the island's center. Rocky Mountain, elevation 511 ft, and Sawyer Mountain, at 486 ft, are neighboring summits along the ridge to the south. The terrain consists of low hills covered by temperate coniferous forests; the coastline is mainly granite boulders, with a few rocky beaches and salt marshes. Long Pond, a small freshwater lake, stretches down the eastern side of the island; being warmer and more sheltered than the surrounding ocean, it is used for recreation and one may occasionally see a float plane, although no scheduled service is available.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 73 people, 42 households, and 17 families living in the town. The population density was 5.8 PD/sqmi. There were 172 housing units at an average density of 13.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.8% White, 1.4% African American, 2.7% Native American, 1.4% Asian, and 2.7% from two or more races.

There were 42 households, of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 19.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 11.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 59.5% were non-families. 45.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.74 and the average family size was 2.41.

The median age in the town was 49.5 years. 13.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.4% were from 25 to 44; 38.3% were from 45 to 64; and 23.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 57.5% male and 42.5% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 79 people, 32 households, and 20 families living in the town. The population density was 6.2 PD/sqmi. There were 164 housing units at an average density of 12.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.80% of the population. 19.7% were of French, 16.4% Irish, 11.5% Dutch, 11.5% English, 11.5% Scottish and 8.2% Finnish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 32 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 3.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,000, and the median income for a family was $34,167. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $16,563 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,723. 17.3% of the population lived below the poverty line, though no families, no one under eighteen or over 65 did.

Sites of interest

 * Isle au Haut Light

Transportation
There is a ferry to and from Stonington.

Notable people

 * Abel Douglass, pioneer, sea captain
 * Linda Greenlaw, author, fisherman, captain

title: Isle au Haut, Maine


text:
Matinicus Isle, Maine

Matinicus Isle is an island plantation in Knox County, Maine, United States. The island is located within Penobscot Bay about 20 miles east of the mainland coast and is accessible by state ferry service from Rockland or by air taxi from Knox County Regional Airport. Matinicus is the farthest inhabited land off the east coast into the Atlantic Ocean which is part of the United States. The plantation is both a year-round island community and a summer colony. The population was 53 at the 2020 census.

History
Matinicus is an Abenaki word meaning "far out island."

The island was probably long used by the indigenous people of North America as a place for hunting and gathering, and Europeans probably started visiting the island in the 16th century. Early documentation of the island comes from John Josselyn's 1671 account of New England:

"Sagadehock to Nova Scotia is called the Duke of York's Province. Here Pemaquid, Matinicus, Monhegan, Cape Anawhagen…are all filled with dwelling houses and stages for fishermen, and have plenty of cattle, arable lands and marshes."

The island is also mentioned in the May 1717 deposition of two sailors whose trading ship was commandeered off of Cape Cod by pirates from the ship Whydah. They testified that they were forced to sail north with the pirates (under captain Richard Noland of the Whydah's sister ship Anne Galley), who then took a launch "to Matinicus, where they took a sloop belonging to Colonel [Stephen] Minot, one shallop belonging to Captain [John] Lane and three schooners."

In March 1726, Lieutenant Governor Dummer of the Massachusetts Bay Colony documented the early tension between the Native Americans and Europeans in a letter to Captain John Giles:

"I very much resent this liberty [the Native Americans at Matinicus] have taken in killing the [livestock] which belong to the English, which is contrary to the Articles of Peace and that common justice which the English and Indians owe to one another."

In 1750, Ebenezer Hall became the island's first permanent settler. Accompanied by his family, he built a house, commenced fishing and farming, and claimed territorial rights to the island. He burned the grass on nearby Green Island to produce hay for his livestock, infuriating the Penobscot tribe, who still used the islands for fishing and sealing. Twice the tribe wrote letters to Royal authorities in Boston, complaining about Hall. In the second, delivered for forwarding on April 25, 1753, to Fort Richmond, they warned, "if you don't remove him in two months, we shall be obliged to do it ourselves." Though Hall was ordered to leave Matinicus, he continued his residence there, and the Penobscots waited not two months but a little over four years before taking action. After a multiple day siege on his house, they killed and scalped Hall on June 10, 1757.

In the following decades several families, including that of Ebenezer Hall's son, moved to the island, and at the census of 1790 there was a total population of 59. The population continued to grow, and on October 22, 1840, the island was formally organized as a plantation. As a maritime community, the residents of Matinicus have long worked as sailors and fishermen. The early days of fishing for cod, mackerel, and herring gradually gave way to lobster fishing, which continues as the dominant industry on the island today. The importance of this industry to the livelihood of island residents has led to territorial disputes. In July 2009, an island fisherman shot and wounded a fellow fisherman in a dispute over the locations of individual lobster-fishing rights.

The plantation has one church, the Congregational Church of Matinicus, which was built in 1906 and currently holds Sunday services during the summer months and serves as a general community function hall. The island is a routine stop for the Maine Seacoast Mission's vessel the Sunbeam, which offers pastoral care as well as nursing and telemedicine facilities.

The island's inhabitants have served as first responders to emergencies in the waters of Penobscot Bay. On January 16, 1992, residents of Matinicus responded to a distress call from the O.A. Harkness, a nearby sinking tugboat, ultimately rescuing the three crew members. On July 17, 2011, island fishermen rescued 4 occupants of an airplane that ditched into the waters off of Matinicus.

Matinicus Island Library, founded in 2016, was featured by Smithsonian Magazine in 2022 for buying books banned by other organizations in the United States. The library is run by volunteers and partially funded by the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.

Geography
Matinicus Isle plantation is an archipelago located on the southeastern fringes of Penobscot Bay in the Gulf of Maine, part of the Atlantic Ocean. According to the United States Census Bureau, the plantation has a total area of 9.9 sqmi, of which 2.3 sqmi is land and 7.6 sqmi is water. Matinicus Island, the largest land mass in the archipelago, spans approximately 2 mi in length and 1 mi in width for an area of about 720 acre. The elevation ranges from 0 to 100 feet (30.5 m). Matinicus Isle is located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Criehaven Isle.

The shoreline consists of rocky coves and sandy beaches. The island experiences semidiurnal tides with a difference in sea level of up to 10-11 ft between high and low tides.

There are ten major fishing grounds around Matinicus Isle that the island's fishermen use to catch cod, haddock, pollock, cusk, and lobster.

Climate
Matinicus has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with warm, humid summers and cold winters. Compared to the mainland, seasonal climate fluctuations are somewhat moderated by the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in relatively cooler summers and milder winters. Springs are also some of the coolest in the state, and even the whole country. Summers are almost nonexistent due to the moderating effect of the ocean, which also helps to keep year round temperatures above zero and below 75. The common winter freeze and thaw cycles produce much slush. Nor'easters, such as the Blizzard of 1978, can be destructive to the shoreline and infrastructure on the island. Tropical disturbances have been known to occasionally strike the area, typically in the late summer and fall, but they are not very common this far north.

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 74 people, 41 households, and 16 families residing on Matinicus. The population density was 32.2 PD/sqmi.

The average age of the population was 47.0 years. In terms of age distribution, 20.2% of the population was under the age of 19 years, 66.2% was between the ages of 20 to 64 years, and 13.6% was between the ages of 65 and 84 years. The population was 54.1% male and 45.9% female. The racial makeup of the plantation was 100% white.

The average household size was 1.8 people, and the average family size was 2.8 people. 17.1% of households had individuals under the age of 18 years, and 22.0% had individuals over the age of 64 years. 34.1% of households consisted of married couples living together, and 61.0% were non-families.

There were 147 housing units at an average density of 63.9 /sqmi. 41 homes were occupied, and 99 homes were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.

As estimated by the American Community Survey, the per capita income for the plantation in 2015 was $28,801, the mean income for a household was $67,000, and the mean income for a family was $123,354. 22.1% of the population was living below the poverty line.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Matinicus Isle, Maine


text:
North Haven, Maine

North Haven is a town and island in Knox County, Maine, United States, in Penobscot Bay. The town is both a year-round island community and a prominent summer colony. The population was 417 at the 2020 census. North Haven is accessible by thrice-daily state ferry service from Rockland, or by air taxi from Knox County Regional Airport.

History
As early as 3300 BCE, the island was visited by the Red Paint People. Later it became part of the territory of the Penobscot Abenaki Indians, who hunted and fished in canoes along the coast. Captain Martin Pring, an explorer from Bristol, England, "discovered" North Haven and Vinalhaven in 1603. He called them the Fox Islands, a name that survives on the Fox Islands Thoroughfare, a strait separating the towns that provides passage for boats crossing Penobscot Bay.

Settled in the 1760s, North Haven was originally the North Island of Vinalhaven, from which it was set off and incorporated on June 30, 1846, as Fox Isle. It was changed to North Haven on July 13, 1847. In 1850, the state legislature passed an act that gave the majority of island inhabitants "the right to have such roads as they deemed fit." The majority thereupon decided to have no roads at all, or else roads obstructed with gates or bars at the discretion of landowners. Not surprisingly, the minority of inhabitants petitioned to amend the act.

Fishing and farming became chief occupations. The town's surface is even, and farmers produced hay as a staple crop. Boatbuilding became an important industry, and the community still has two boatyards. But many inhabitants were fishermen who caught lobsters, scallops and oysters.

Summer colony
In the 1880s, the island was discovered by "rusticators", seasonal residents first from Boston, then a decade or two later from New York and Philadelphia. North Haven is best known today for its sizable summer colony of prominent northeasterners, particularly Boston Brahmins, drawn to the island for over a century to savor its simple way of life. Among the more notable summer residents was the impressionist painter Frank Weston Benson, who rented the Wooster Farm as a summer home and painted several notable canvases set on the island.

The southern side of the Fox Islands Thoroughfare is often informally considered part of North Haven, since Vinalhaven's north shore is nearly a dozen miles from that community's town center. In contrast to Vinalhaven, North Haven's economy relies less on the lobster industry and more on sustaining its summer resort community. Energy for the community is partially provided by the wind project in Vinalhaven through the Fox Island Electric Cooperative. Although the island is a popular destination, it actually provides few tourist amenities—two inns, a grocery store, two seasonal restaurants, a pizza shop, and two gift shops—and is instead geared toward those with vacation homes on the island.

A small population of Mouflon sheep (native to Europe and western Asia) escaped from an animal enclosure owned by Thomas Watson, Jr. on the island in the 1990s and some of the original population survives today.

North Haven Dinghy
In 1885, William Weld challenged the yachtsmen of North Haven to a race. He used the tender from his yacht Gitana and unsuccessfully raced against a variety of sprit-sailed boats. That winter he went home and had a better dinghy designed and built in Salem, Massachusetts. The next year he beat all contenders. The boat was hauled out at North Haven, and two copies were made by Henry Calderwood. The subsequent race was between Mrs. Cobb, Miss Spencer and Miss Hayward. The first boats had spritsails, but this soon gave way to gaff rigs. In 1888, James Osman Brown built four more dinghies. This was at the beginning of J. O. Brown & Sons boatyard. The racing fleet grew over the years. They are still raced out of North Haven's sailing club, the North Haven Casino, making them the oldest continuously raced class in the United States.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of 82.49 sqmi, of which 11.62 sqmi is land and 70.87 sqmi is water. At its widest points, the island is roughly 7.9 mi long and 2.9 mi wide. It is in Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine, part of the Atlantic Ocean.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 381 people, 162 households, and 109 families residing in the town. The population density was 32.7 PD/sqmi. There were 488 housing units at an average density of 41.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.28% White, 1.05% African American, 3.15% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 162 households, of which 29.0% had children under 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39. For every 100 females, there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 112.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,446, and the median income for a family was $42,361. Males had a median income of $31,071 versus $16,000 for females. The per capita income was $17,112. About 4.4% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under 18 and 6.3% of those 65 or over.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 355 people, 165 households, and 105 families residing in the town. The population density was 30.6 PD/sqmi. There were 515 housing units at an average density of 44.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.9% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 165 households, of which 23.0% had children under 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.4% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.62.

The median age in the town was 44.5. 20% of residents were under 18; 5.6% were between 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 29.1% were from 45 to 64; and 19.4% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the town was 52.4% male and 47.6% female.

Education
North Haven is unusual among Maine island communities in offering a K–12 school; most islands have only elementary schools and send their high school students to schools on the mainland (Vinalhaven, Mount Desert Island, Deer isle and Islesboro are the only other islands to offer K–12 education). North Haven Community School is one of Maine's smallest public schools. Its motto is "Competence, Compassion, Challenge and Community." Notable alumni include Hannah Pingree, who served as Maine's Speaker of the House of Representatives for two terms.

Notable people

 * Angela Adams, designer
 * Frank Weston Benson, artist with summer home on North Haven
 * Harold Beverage, electrical engineer and inventor
 * Elizabeth Bishop, poet
 * Jonathan Bush, banker
 * Henry N. Cobb, architect
 * Pierre S. du Pont IV, politician
 * J. Christopher Flowers, banker
 * Eric Hopkins, painter
 * Ned Lamont, Governor of Connecticut since 2019
 * Burke Marshall, lawyer, professor
 * Susan Minot, writer
 * Robert Montgomery, actor and father of Elizabeth Montgomery
 * Dwight Morrow, ambassador
 * Chellie Pingree, U.S. representative, Maine Senate majority leader
 * Hannah Pingree, former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives
 * Nicholas Platt, US ambassador
 * Oliver Platt, actor
 * Matthew Simmons, investment banker
 * John Sirica, U.S. District Court Judge, Watergate figure
 * Herbert Eustis Winlock, Egyptologist
 * Wilford Woodruff, 4th president of the LDS Church, spent August 1837 to May 1838 on North Haven and in 1838 led 53 new members to Missouri but continued to Nauvoo, Illinois, after the 1838 Missouri Mormon War

title: North Haven, Maine


text:
Owls Head, Maine

Owls Head is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,504 at the 2020 census. A resort and fishing area, the community is home to the Knox County Regional Airport. It includes the village of Ash Point.

History
When Samuel de Champlain explored Owl's Head in 1605, the Abenaki Indians called it Bedabedec Point, meaning "Cape of the Winds." Mariners would name it for the shape of the promontory, which they thought resembled the head of an owl. First incorporated as part of Thomaston in 1777, and then as part of South Thomaston in 1848, Owls Head was itself set off and incorporated on July 9, 1921. The town is home to both the Owls Head Light Station, a 30 ft tall granite lighthouse built in 1826 to mark the southern entrance of Rockland Harbor, and to the Owls Head Transportation Museum.

Owls Head was home to an electric trolley line that traveled to Crescent Beach. It was started in 1902, and it ended in the years of 1917–1918, largely due in part to a deadly accident in 1914, in which a train left the tracks killing one woman instantly, and injuring several others.

In August 1940 (around the 13th), the English composer Benjamin Britten completed his Diversions for piano (left hand) and orchestra, Op. 21 while staying at the Owl's Head Inn—coincidentally meeting up with Kurt Weill with whom he got on well. On August 22, he wrote from Owl's Head to Elizabeth Mayer: "We eventually made Pemaquid Point, but found the place most disappointing—not on the sea, & full of the most terrible Bostonian old ladies, that we left after one gloomy night. Then we came on here which is a grand spot—very unpretentious—but quiet & right on the sea. We can work & there are tennis courts nearby. It is too cold to bathe unfortunately—but there is plenty else to do...."

Owls Head was a filming location for the 2001 movie In the Bedroom.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.61 sqmi, of which 8.88 sqmi is land and 10.73 sqmi is water. Located on the Owls Head peninsula, the town is on Penobscot Bay. The highest point in Owls Head is Post Hill, 194 feet (59m) high.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,580 people, 737 households, and 462 families living in the town. The population density was 177.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,060 housing units at an average density of 119.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 737 households, of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.3% were non-families. Of all households, 30.1% were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.61.

The median age in the town was 52.1 years. 16.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.5% were from 25 to 44; 35.8% were from 45 to 64; and 25% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,601 people, 723 households, and 469 families living in the town. The population density was 180.1 PD/sqmi. There were 992 housing units at an average density of 111.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.94% White, 0.06% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.31% of the population.

There were 723 households, out of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. Of all households, 29.3% were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.68.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,107, and the median income for a family was $49,231. Males had a median income of $31,685 versus $21,970 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,660. About 4.2% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

 * Birch Point State Park
 * Knox County Regional Airport [KRKD, RKD]
 * Mussel Ridge Historical Society
 * Owls Head Light Station
 * Owls Head Transportation Museum

title: Owls Head, Maine


text:
Rockland, Maine

Rockland is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 6,936. The city is a popular tourist destination. It is a departure point for the Maine State Ferry Service to the islands of Penobscot Bay: Vinalhaven, North Haven and Matinicus.

History
Abenaki Indigenous People called it Catawamteak, meaning "great landing place." In 1767, John Lermond and his two brothers from Warren built a camp to produce oak staves and pine lumber. Thereafter known as Lermond's Cove, it was first settled about 1769. When in 1777 Thomaston was incorporated, Lermond's Cove became a district called Shore village. On July 28, 1848, it was set off as the town of East Thomaston. Renamed Rockland in 1850, it was chartered as a city in 1854.

Rockland developed rapidly because of shipbuilding and lime production. In 1854 alone, the city built eleven ships, three barks, six brigs and four schooners. The city had twelve lime quarries and 125 lime kilns, with upwards of 300 vessels to transport the mineral to various ports in the country.

In March 1877, the Granite Cutters' International Union was formed in Rockland. It was one of the earliest craft unions in the United States and formed among the region's growing granite industry.

By 1886, shipbuilding was surpassed by the lime business, which had twelve manufacturers employing 1,000 workers. Nevertheless, Rockland had three or more shipyards, a marine railway, five sail lofts and two boatbuilders. Other industries included three grain mills, two foundries, three carriage factories, six lumber mills, two machine shops, three cooperies, one tannery, four granite and marble works, two boot and shoe factories, and four printing offices. Fishing was also important. Fleets of Friendship Sloops sailed between the harbor and fishing grounds across Penobscot Bay.

The opening of the Knox and Lincoln Railroad in 1871 brought an influx of tourists. Inns and hotels were established to accommodate them, with the grandest being The Bay Point Hotel in 1889. With a commanding view near the breakwater, the resort offered every luxury and amusement. Renamed The Samoset Hotel in 1902, it was successful until the Great Depression, which began a slow decline. In the age of automobiles, travelers were no longer restricted to the limits of train service, but were free to explore elsewhere. Closed in 1969, the Victorian hotel burned in 1972. A new Samoset Resort opened in 1974.

In 1915, the new super-dreadnought USS Nevada (BB-36) conducted tests and completed her running trials just off the shore from Rockland.

Today, Rockland is an officially designated micropolitan area. Since the early 1990s, Rockland has seen a shift in its economy away from the fishery and toward a service center city. It has also seen a substantial increase in tourism and the downtown has transformed into one of unique shops, boutiques, fine dining and art galleries. Rockland is the commercial center of the midcoast Maine region, with many historic inns, a coffee roaster, a food co-op, a community radio station WRFR-LP, the Farnsworth Art Museum and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA). Rockland was named a Coast Guard City in March 2008, in recognition of the long-standing and special relationship that the city and its residents have with the United States Coast Guard. On March 13, 2017, the Rockland City Council approved a resolve to support community diversity.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.07 sqmi, of which 12.84 sqmi is land and 2.23 sqmi is water. Rockland is located on Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine, part of the Atlantic Ocean. About ten miles to the east are the islands of North Haven and Vinalhaven, reached by ferry from Rockland.

Rockland is crossed by U.S. 1 and 1A, and state routes 17, 73 and 90. It borders the towns of Owls Head to the southeast, Thomaston to the southwest, Warren to the northwest, and Rockport to the northeast.

Climate
The coldest month is January and the warmest month is July.

2010 census
Per the census of 2010, there were 7,297 people, 3,423 households, and 1,744 families living in the city. The population density was 568.3 PD/sqmi. There were 3,925 housing units at an average density of 305.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 3,423 households, of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.1% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.73.

The median age in the city was 43.5 years. 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,609 people, 3,434 households, and 1,943 families living in the city. The population density was 589.2 PD/sqmi. There were 3,752 housing units at an average density of 290.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.90% White, 0.25% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.

There were 3,434 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,209, and the median income for a family was $37,083. Males had a median income of $27,212 versus $20,708 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,659. About 10.4% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Voter registration

Attractions
Rockland is home to the Maine Lobster Festival, a celebration held annually in honor of the town's primary export: lobster. In the first week of August, thousands of people come from all over the world to participate in this five-day event. Rockland also is home to the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, designed by internationally recognized architect Toshiko Mori, and the Farnsworth Art Museum, a world-famous art museum containing paintings by Andrew Wyeth and other well-known New England artists. Rockland's main street also features numerous small shops and businesses including coffee shops, book stores, art supply stores, restaurants, organic markets, computer repair and toy stores. Penobscot Bay, which Rockland borders, is known internationally as one of the best recreational sailing grounds in the world. The city's breakwater, built in the 19th century, also draws tourists.

Sites of interest

 * Rockland Public Library
 * Farnsworth Art Museum
 * Center for Maine Contemporary Art
 * Lincoln Street Center for Arts and Education
 * Maine Lighthouse Museum
 * Maine Eastern Railroad
 * Maine Lobster Festival
 * North Atlantic Blues Festival
 * Rockland Breakwater Light
 * Rockland Historical Society and Museum
 * Maine Boats, Homes, and Harbors Show
 * University College at Rockland
 * The Coastal Children's Museum

Education

 * Oceanside High School-East
 * The Watershed School
 * The Apprenticeshop
 * Coastal Senior College
 * Mid-Coast School of Technology
 * Penobscot School
 * UMA Rockland Center (formerly University College at Rockland)

Transportation
U.S. Route 1 passes through the county from the west and to the north. Maine State Route 17 goes north from the town, and Maine State Route 73 goes from the town, to the peninsula to the south.

The Maine State Ferry Service operates three ferry routes out of Rockland Ferry Terminal. There are multiple departures per day to Vinalhaven and North Haven, while ferries to Matinicus depart less regularly. Intercity buses operated by Concord Coach Lines also stop at the ferry terminal, with service to Boston, Portland, Brunswick, Bangor, and other nearby towns.

Rail
Until 1958, the Rockland was the terminus for Maine Central Railroad passenger trains from Portland, along the Rockland Branch from Brunswick. The Maine Central Railroad ran three trains a day on the days besides Sunday and fewer trains on Sunday. In Portland's Union Station, these trains made connections to trains to Boston, New York City, Bangor and the Canadian Maritimes. In the final months, service diminished to one daily except Sunday trip in each direction, until finally discontinuing on April 4, 1959.

From 2003 to 2015, the Maine Eastern Railroad offered seasonal excursion service to Rockland, Maine which connected to Amtrak's Downeaster at Brunswick. In October 2017, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority announced plans to extend one weekend Downeaster round trip to Rockland between Memorial Day and Labor Day beginning in 2018. Intermediate stops would be made at Bath, Wiscasset, and Newcastle. As part of preparation, Amtrak, along with the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, Maine Department of Transportation and the Central Maine and & Quebec Railroad, made a test run of a train on August 14.

Notable people

 * Adelbert Ames, Civil War general, senator and the 27th governor of Mississippi
 * Hiram George Berry, Civil War general and first commander of 4th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment
 * Alton H. Blackington, feature journalist, photojournalist and chronicler of New England; born in Rockland
 * William T. Cobb, 46th governor of Maine
 * Samuel Collins, Jr., state senator and Associate Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
 * Leo Connellan, poet
 * Gertrude Elliott, actress
 * Maxine Elliott, actress
 * David F. Emery, US congressman
 * Henry Faller, founder of Uncle Henry's
 * Nathan A. Farwell, US senator
 * Samuel C. Fessenden, served in the 37th U. S. Congress, lived and served as a judge in Rockland
 * Todd Field, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker
 * Obadiah Gardner, US senator
 * Bo Goldman, Broadway playwright & Oscar-winning screenwriter
 * Edward Sturgis Ingraham, educator, publisher, mountaineer, learned printing trade in Rockland
 * Isaac Smith Kalloch, mayor of San Francisco
 * Charles E. Littlefield, US congressman
 * Theodore E. Long, former president of Elizabethtown College
 * Herbert Lord, director of the United States Bureau of the Budget and awarded the Distinguished Service Medal; born in Rockland
 * Samizu Matsuki, artist and educator
 * Edward Mazurek, state senator
 * Edna St. Vincent Millay, Pulitzer Prize–winning poet
 * Edward C. Moran Jr., US Representative
 * Louise Nevelson, artist, emigrated from Russia to Rockland as a child
 * Edward Lawry Norton, electrical engineer who developed the Norton equivalent circuit, born in Rockland
 * Walter Piston, Pulitzer Prize–winning composer
 * Robert B. Rheault, former commander of all Special Forces in Vietnam
 * Alice Marion Shaw, composer and pianist born in Rockland
 * Carrie Burpee Shaw, composer and educator born in Rockland
 * Katrina Smith, state legislator
 * Charles Wilbert Snow, educator, poet, college professor, Governor of Connecticut, author of Codline's Child, born and summered in the Rockland area
 * James Breckenridge Speed, businessman and philanthropist, summered and died in Rockland

title: Rockland, Maine


text:
Rockport, Maine

Rockport is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. It is 35 miles (56.3 km) southeast of Augusta. The population was 3,644 at the 2020 census. Rockport is a popular tourist destination and art colony.

History
Rockport, or "the River", was settled in 1769 by Robert Thorndike. Goose River Village (as it was known until 1852) was originally part of the Megunticook Plantation, incorporated in 1791 as Camden. Shipbuilding, ice harvesting and the manufacture of lime were important early industries. In 1817, three hundred casks of lime were sent to Washington, DC for use in the rebuilding of the United States Capitol, which had been damaged by the British during the War of 1812. In 1852, the citizens of Goose River voted to change their village's name to Rockport for its rocky terrain. On February 25, 1891, Rockport officially split from Camden because of a dispute over the cost of constructing a bridge. The town of Rockport was born and from Camden it took half the population, three quarters of the land, and most importantly the profitable lime and ice industries.

Rockport has a longstanding reputation as an artists' community, with notable artists and art institutions playing a significant role in the town's economic and social life. Bay Chamber Concerts was established in 1961 as a continuation of the summer music instruction of the Curtis Institute. Mary Louise Curtis Bok, central to founding both Bay Chamber Concerts and the Curtis Institute, was one of the largest landowners in Rockport, and has been credited with playing a vital role in significantly improving the landscaping of the village's inner harbor. At one time she owned most of the eastern shore of the harbor. Mary Lea Park, adjacent to the Rockport Opera House, is named in honor of both her and Rockport resident and violinist Lea Luboshutz.

Rockport was the home of Andre the Seal, a seal adopted by the Goodridge family in 1961, and who was a significant tourist attraction in Rockport Harbor until his death in 1986. The seal's "owner" Harry Goodridge co-wrote a book about Andre, titled A Seal Called Andre. The 1994 film Andre was adapted from the book, although in the movie Andre is actually played by a sea lion, not a seal. A statue of Andre sits beside the harbor in his honor. Rockport is also known for its Belted Galloway cattle. The cattle are raised at the 136-acre Aldermere Farm, which is owned and operated by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, a statewide land conservation organization. The Belted Galloways remain one of the area's most popular attractions, and are often referred to as the "Oreo cookie" cows.

The 1993 Warner Bros. film The Man Without a Face, starring Mel Gibson, Universal's 1995 film Casper, and Miramax's 2001 film In the Bedroom were filmed in Rockport.

In 2008, Forbes magazine placed Rockport at the top of its list of the prettiest towns in America.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 33.34 sqmi, of which 21.64 sqmi is land and 11.70 sqmi is water. Drained by Varnah Brook and Goose River, Rockport is located beside Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine, part of the Atlantic Ocean.

The town is crossed by U. S. Route 1 and state routes 17 and 90. It borders the towns of Rockland to the south, Warren to the southwest, Union to the west, Hope to the northwest, and Camden to the north.

Climate
This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Rockport has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 3,330 people, 1,422 households, and 967 families residing in the town. The population density was 153.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,956 housing units at an average density of 90.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 1,422 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.0% were non-families. Of all households, 25.6% were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.80.

The median age in the town was 48.8 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.8% were from 25 to 44; 35.8% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census
In the 2000 census, there were 3,209 people, 1,373 households and 918 families in the town. The population density was 147.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,677 housing units at an average density of 77.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 98.69% White, 0.16% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.

There were 1,373 households, of which 29.6% had children under 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. Of all households, 27.7% were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 43. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,155, and the median for a family $56,068. Males had a median of $35,865 versus $25,542 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,498. About 5.4% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under 18 and 7.3% of those 65 or over.

Sites of interest

 * Aldermere Farm—Maine Coast Heritage Trust
 * Bay Chamber Concerts
 * Camden Area History Center
 * Camden-Rockport Historical Society
 * Center for Maine Contemporary Art
 * Indian Island Light
 * Maine Media Workshops
 * Rockport Opera House

Education

 * Maine School Administrative District 28 operates K–8 schools
 * Camden Hills Regional High School

Notable people

 * Stephen Bowen, state legislator and Commissioner of Education under Paul LePage
 * Gabriel Byrne, Irish actor, lives here
 * Lew Dietz, writer
 * Andre the Seal
 * Harry Goodridge, author
 * T. Allen Lawson, artist
 * Thomas Tertius Noble, English organist and composer, died here
 * Bidu Sayão, Brazilian soprano singer, lived and died here
 * Ada Bampton Tremaine, philanthropist
 * Molly White, software engineer, Wikipedia editor, and crypto skeptic

title: Rockport, Maine


text:
South Thomaston, Maine

South Thomaston is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,511 at the 2020 census. A fishing and resort area, the town includes the village of Spruce Head.

History
Abenaki Indians called it Wessaweskeag, meaning "tidal creek" or "salt creek," a reference to what is now known as the Weskeag River. Thomas Lefebvre from Quebec, Canada owned a huge tract of land at the Weskeag River, where his stay began in 1704. He built a large gristmill, with a house on the shoreline. Although he would eventually return to Quebec, the area retained his name—Thomas' Town. But the adjacent St. George River was the uneasy dividing line between land controlled by New England and New France. Permanent settlement would be delayed by the French and Indian Wars, which ended with the 1763 Treaty of Paris.

In 1767, Wessaweskeag was settled by Elisha Snow, who built a sawmill operated by tidal power. In 1773, Joseph Coombs arrived and built another sawmill nearby, and together they built a gristmill. The village of South Thomaston grew around the mills, which would include three granite polishing machines to process stone cut from the town's numerous quarries. On July 28, 1848, South Thomaston was set off from Thomaston and incorporated as a separate town. Owl's Head would be set off from South Thomaston on July 9, 1921. Joseph Baum and Flora Baum owned and operated the Baum's Market, now known as the Keag Store. Flora Baum was the Postmistress, appointed by President Woodrow Wilson. The Baum's had four children: Alice, Dorothy, Joan and Joseph Baum, Jr. (Bud). For many years Bud was on the Board of Selectmen and was the Fire Chief. Gilford Butler was a local attorney and chairman of the school board. Gilford Bulter and his sister Lula Butler lived in what is now known as the Geag Inn, next to the present U. S. Post Office. Gilford was an attorney in nearby Rockland. Gilford left a large amount of his estate to the town in order to build a local elementary school, with the stipulation that the school bear his name.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.97 sqmi, of which 11.44 sqmi is land and 6.53 sqmi is water. South Thomaston is located on the Weskeag River inlet.

Demographics
The median income for a household in the town was $43,594, and the median income for a family was $55,000. Males had a median income of $38,500 versus $33,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,522. About 6.7% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over. Of the 832 people in the labor force only 25 were unemployed as of the 2010 census making the town's unemployment rate 2.9%.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,558 people, 674 households, and 442 families residing in the town. The population density was 136.2 PD/sqmi. There were 893 housing units at an average density of 78.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 674 households, of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.79.

The median age in the town was 47.1 years. 19.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.3% were from 25 to 44; 32.5% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

Site of interest

 * Wessaweskeag Historical Society

title: South Thomaston, Maine


text:
St. George, Maine

St. George is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. It includes the villages of Port Clyde and Tenants Harbor, with the latter being town's commercial center. A favorite with artists, writers and naturalists, St. George is home to the Brothers and Hay Ledge nature preserve, comprising four islands off Port Clyde. The town's population stands at 2,594 residents, according to the 2020 Census.

History
The peninsula and its islands were noted for immense flocks of duck, geese and other waterfowl. Although the region was part of the Waldo Patent, General Samuel Waldo complied with requests from Abenaki Indians not to settle immigrants at what was their prized hunting ground. Consequently, the peninsula remained unpopulated until after the close of the French and Indian Wars in 1763. The Revolutionary War further slowed development, but during the 1780s, there was rapid settlement of the peninsula. It was incorporated in 1789 as part of Cushing. On February 7, 1803, the peninsula and its islands were set off and incorporated as St. George, taking its name from the river.

Farmers grew potatoes. After 1830, granite was quarried and shipped nationally for construction. Shipbuilders annually produced three to four vessels, many for the coasting trade, exporting cordwood, lumber and fish. Factories canned lobsters, clams and sardines. In the 1880s, the town's rugged oceanfront beauty was discovered by "rusticators"—visitors, including artists, who bought or built summer cottages.

At the town office, there is a statue of Saint George, the town's namesake, fighting the legendary dragon.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 117.25 sqmi, of which 25.02 sqmi is land and 92.23 sqmi is water. Bounded on the west by the Saint George River, the town is located on a peninsula extending into the Gulf of Maine.

St. George is crossed by state route 131. It borders the town of South Thomaston to the north.

Both Allen Island and Mosquito Island House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places for St. George.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,591 people, 1,204 households, and 768 families residing in the town. The population density was 103.6 PD/sqmi. There were 2,107 housing units at an average density of 84.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.8% White, 0.2% African American, 0.1% Asian, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 1,204 households, of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.2% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.60.

The median age in the town was 51.7 years. 17.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.8% were from 25 to 44; 35.4% were from 45 to 64; and 24.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,580 people, 1,119 households, and 757 families residing in the town. The population density was 100.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,777 housing units at an average density of 69.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.68% White, 0.16% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.04% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.23% of the population.

There were 1,119 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,211, and the median income for a family was $48,162. Males had a median income of $33,929 versus $25,439 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,272. About 3.8% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
According to Roy Meservey, the first school in St. George served the children of Samuel Watts in the 1780s. In 1792, four school districts were laid out, and more were created as the town's population grew. At their peak in the late 1800s, there were 18 or 20 schools in St. George. As the population decreased, most of the districts were consolidated, and by the 1950s, only four remained: St. George, Clark's Island, Port Clyde, and Tenants Harbor. In 1957, despite strong public opposition, the St. George, Clark's Island, and Port Clyde schools were all closed. Only Tenants Harbor remained, which all students since have attended under the unified name 'St. George School.' St. George School is a public K–8 school operated by the St. George Municipal School Unit, and has 180 students.

St. George High School was established in 1894 in the sail loft over Long's Store. Its building was erected in 1900, graduating its first class in 1901. It, too, closed as a result of population decline, graduating its last class in 1962. For the 1962–1963 academic year, high school students attended Georges Valley High School in Thomaston. The old building was used as the new elementary school, before being demolished a few years later and replaced by the current town office and fire station.

Starting in the 2015–2016 academic year, St. George students in grades 9–12 began attending one of five schools of their choice:
 * Camden Hills Regional High School
 * Lincoln Academy
 * Medomak Valley High School
 * Oceanside High School
 * Watershed School

Places of worship

 * First Baptist Church of St. George Maine

Notable people

 * Linda Bean, businessperson, granddaughter of Leon Leonwood Bean and an heiress to the L.L.Bean company
 * Albert S. Bickmore, naturalist and the principal founder of the American Museum of Natural History
 * Richard Falley Jr. (1740–1808), an ensign at the Battle of Bunker Hill and armorer during the American Revolutionary War
 * Ann Matlack, American politician
 * John G. Roberts, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court; owned a vacation home on Hupper Island off the village of Port Clyde in St. George
 * Charles Wilbert Snow, 60th governor of Connecticut; born on White Head Island on Penobscot Bay
 * Andrew Wyeth, one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century, owned Southern Island and Tenants Harbor Light
 * Jamie Wyeth, contemporary American realist painter, son of Andrew Wyeth; owns Southern Island and Tenants Harbor Light, sold to him by his father

Sites of interest

 * Marshall Point Light
 * Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum – St. George Historical Society
 * Tenants Harbor Light
 * Whitehead Light

title: St. George, Maine


text:
Union, Maine

Union is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,383 at the 2020 census. It is home to the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage and annual Union Fair.

History
Union was part of a tract of land called the Muscongus Patent, a grant made March 2, 1629, by the Plymouth Council to John Beauchamp and Thomas Leverett. About 1720, it was purchased by General Samuel Waldo of Boston and thereafter called the Waldo Patent. The first white settlers by the names of Anderson, Malcolm, and Crawford, arrived in 1772. The town was settled on July 19, 1774, and named Taylor Town after the original purchaser and settler, Dr. John Taylor from Lunenburg, Massachusetts. Dr. John Taylor purchased Union for £1,000. On May 3, 1786, it was organized as the Plantation of Sterlingtown, and on October 20, 1786, the town was incorporated and named Union. Washington was formed from a portion of Union in 1811.

Agriculture was the principal business, and on October 5, 1869, the North Knox Agricultural & Horticultural Society opened the first annual Union Fair. The town had mills operated by water power at the outlets of ponds. Factories at Union produced carriages, cultivators, leather, harness, boots and shoes. South Union had a cabinet and musical instrument factory, an iron foundry, a machine shop and a coffin factory. East Union had a lumbermill, in addition to a chair and table factory.

A war memorial was dedicated at the common on July 4, 1888. When Union celebrated on July 19, 1974, the bicentennial of its settlement, a time capsule was buried near the statue, to be dug up July 19, 2024. The capsule contains a picture of children from around the town and "scores of current memorabilia." Union was the subject of the 1940 historical novel, Come Spring, by author Ben Ames Williams.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.49 sqmi, of which 32.15 sqmi is land and 2.34 sqmi is water. Union is drained by the Medomak River, Saint George River, Pettengill Stream, Fuller Brook, Hope Brook, Little Medomak Brook and the Back River. Coggans Hill, elevation 817 ft above sea level, is the highest point in the town.

Education
Union is part of the Maine School Administrative District 40. Union Elementary School is in the town, with the MSAD headquarters and Rivers Alternative Middle School within the school building's second floor.

Medomak Valley Middle School and Medomak Valley High School are in nearby Waldoboro.

Vose Library is in Union.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,259 people, 981 households, and 638 families residing in the town. The population density was 70.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,203 housing units at an average density of 37.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.

There were 981 households, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.0% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.77.

The median age in the town was 46.5 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 35.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,209 people, 863 households, and 632 families residing in the town. The population density was 68.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,052 housing units at an average density of 32.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.64% White, 0.09% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.23% Asian, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.27% of the population.

There were 863 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 24.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,679, and the median income for a family was $41,050. Males had a median income of $30,984 versus $23,438 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,240. About 6.1% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest
National Register of Historic Places:
 * Ebenezer Alden House
 * The Common
 * Lermond Mill
 * Joseph and Hannah Maxcy Homestead
 * Union Town House
 * Matthews Museum

Notable people

 * Obadiah Gardner, US senator
 * Christine Savage, state legislator
 * John Langdon Sibley, librarian of Harvard University from 1856 to 1877
 * Augustin Thompson, physician and businessman who created Moxie

title: Union, Maine


text:
Vinalhaven, Maine

Vinalhaven is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. Its town limits include the island of Vinalhaven, the largest of the Fox Islands, and smaller islands, some accessible from Vinalhaven island by bridge or causeway. The population was 1,279 at the 2020 census. It is home to a thriving lobster fishery and hosts a summer colony. Since there is no bridge to the island, Vinalhaven is primarily accessible from Rockland via an approximately 75-minute state ferry ride across West Penobscot Bay, or by air taxi from Knox County Regional Airport.

History

Archeological remains indicate that the island was first inhabited 3800–5000 years ago by the Red Paint People. Later, it became Abenaki territory. Europeans visited in the 16th century, and English Captain Martin Pring named the archipelago Fox Islands in 1603. The first permanent English settlement occurred in 1766 when Thaddeus Carver arrived from Marshfield, Massachusetts, and later purchased 700 acre from Thomas Cogswell on the southern shore near what would become known as Carver's Harbor.

Others soon followed to establish the remote fishing and farming community in the Gulf of Maine. The first Anglo families of Vinalhaven are considered to be Arey, Calderwood, Carver, Coombs, Dyer, Ginn, Greem, Hopkins, Lane, Leadbetter, Norton, Philbrook, Pierce, Roberts, Smith, Warren and Vinal. On June 25, 1789, Vinalhaven was incorporated as a town, named for John Vinal. Vinal was not an island resident but the agent who petitioned the Maine General Court to incorporate the new township; nonetheless the name stuck. In 1847, the North Fox Island seceded and became a separate township called North Haven.

Fishing, shipbuilding, logging and shipping were important early businesses on Vinalhaven. High-quality granite was discovered in 1826, and Vinalhaven became one of Maine's largest quarrying centers for the next century. Today the island is dotted with abandoned old quarries, many of which have since filled with groundwater and are popular swimming holes for residents and visitors. Pinkish-gray Vinalhaven granite excavated by the Bodwell Granite Company can be seen in the State Department Building in Washington, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Union Mutual Life Insurance Building in Boston.

Granite was shipped for customs houses and post offices in New York; St. Louis; Kansas City; Buffalo, etc.; the railroad station and Board of Trade in Chicago; the Washington Monument and federal office buildings in the Capital; the Pennsylvania Railroad Station and the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia; as well as private mansions, monuments, bridges, dams, and thousands of tons of paving blocks for the streets of Portland; Boston; New York; Newark; Philadelphia; and other cities. The Vinalhaven quarries were the only ones deep enough to provide the eight huge polished columns called for in the original plans for the apse of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City; the massive columns broke under their own weight, and ultimately more than one piece of granite had to be put together to create each column. The quarries also provided foundation stone for the cathedral.

A noted lobster fishing community, Vinalhaven has fishing rights to much of Penobscot Bay and its offshore waters. There are ten major fishing grounds around Vinalhaven that the island's fishermen and some Matinicus Isle fishermen have used for centuries to capture such groundfish as cod, haddock, pollock, hake, lobster, scallops and halibut. Shrimp, dogfish, mackerel and herring are also abundant in the waters around Vinalhaven. Vinalhaven lobstermen were the first in the nation to unionize. They began to organize in the winter of 2012–2013, after frustration with low lobster prices and disagreements with the Maine Lobstermen's Associations leadership.

The 2006 movie Islander was filmed in part on Vinalhaven; some locals acted in the movie.

Vinalhaven made news in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic after a group of island residents cut down a tree and dragged it into the road in an attempt to forcibly quarantine three roommates with out-of-state license plates they believed could have the virus. As it turned out the incident was between two groups of workers. One side was Vinalhaven people, the other a crew from New Jersey. The two groups had earlier clashed at a local bar.

Vinalhaven was the scene of a fatal stabbing in the summer of 2020.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of 168.69 sqmi, of which 23.46 sqmi is land and 145.23 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,165 people, 545 households, and 320 families residing in the town. The population density was 49.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,295 housing units at an average density of 55.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.6% White, 0.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.2% of the population.

There were 545 households, of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.3% were non-families. Of all households, 34.5% were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.70.

The median age in the town was 45.1 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 33.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,235 people, 550 households, and 341 families residing in the town. The population density was 48.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,228 housing units at an average density of 48.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.14% White, 0.32% Native American, 0.32% Asian, and 1.21% from two or more races.

There were 550 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. Of all households, 32.5% were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82. Lobstering is a considerable part of the island's economy.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under 18; 6.4% from 18 to 24; 27.8% from 25 to 44; 23.6% from 45 to 64; and 18.5% 65 or older. The median age was 40. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,087, and the median income for a family was $42,917. Males had a median income of $36,094 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income was $21,287. About 5.7% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under 18 and 8.6% of those 65 or over.

Energy
Vinalhaven is the site of one of the first large wind power projects on the U.S. east coast. Approved by a vote of 383–5 on July 29, 2008, by members of the Fox Islands Electric Cooperative, the project was expected to significantly reduce rates on the island residents, who previously imported their power from the mainland via a submarine power cable. Three 1.5 MW wind turbine towers, which went online in late 2009, are capable of producing a comparable amount of energy to what the island uses.

Near the end of 2009, an Island Energy Task Force was established to "facilitate a transition to affordable, reliable, domestically produced energy, and on the consumer end, to energy-smart products, with special emphasis on serving the Vinalhaven community."

Starting in the spring of 2010, the task force began spearheading a project to use some of the Fox Islands wind energy to charge electric thermal storage heaters installed on the island. The charging takes place when the project's three turbines are generating more power than the islands need, which is common in the winter.

In operation the turbines have indeed reduced power bills, but at a cost of a loss of quality of life for nearby residents, who complain that the turbines cause constant noise and vibration.

Education

 * Vinalhaven School is the town's K–12 public school.
 * The ARC is Vinalhaven's nonprofit hands-on vocational learning center.

Sites of interest

 * Browns Head Light
 * Heron Neck Light
 * Lane's Island
 * Saddleback Ledge Light
 * Vinalhaven Historical Society & Museum

Properties in Vinalhaven listed on the National Register of Historic Places include Browns Head Light, Heron Neck Light, Murch Family House, Pleasant River Grange No. 492, Saddleback Ledge Light, Star of Hope Lodge, Union Church of Vinalhaven, Vinalhaven Public Library and the Moses Webster House.

Notable people

 * Margaret Wise Brown, children's book author
 * Caitlin Cahow, hockey player
 * Joseph P. Dyer, politician
 * Gerald Edelman, scientist (Nobel Prize, 1972)
 * John C. Harkness, architect
 * Leonard Hokanson, concert pianist
 * Robert Indiana, artist associated with the Pop Art movement
 * John Jay Iselin, administrator, educator
 * Philip Jamison, artist
 * Brewster Jennings, industrialist
 * Owen P. Lyons, politician
 * Bill Murray, professional baseball player
 * Leverett Saltonstall, 55th governor of Massachusetts
 * Ketch Secor, musician with the Old Crow Medicine Show
 * John Wulp, scenic designer, producer, director

title: Vinalhaven, Maine


text:
Warren, Maine

Warren is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,865 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of East Warren, Warren and South Warren, the latter home to the Maine State Prison and minimum security Bolduc Correctional Facility.

History
Part of the Waldo Patent, it was called the Upper Town of St. Georges Plantation. It was first settled by Scots-Irish settlers from Londonderry in 1736 under the auspices of Brigadier-General Samuel Waldo, its proprietor. Development was hindered, however, by the ongoing French and Indian Wars. In 1753, a blockhouse was built and placed under the command of Captain Thomas Kilpatrick, known by terrified Indians as "Tom-kill-the-devil." War raged across Maine between 1754–1758, and local settlers took refuge in the blockhouse or at another in Cushing. Hostilities ended in 1759 with the Fall of Quebec. On November 7, 1776, Upper Town of St. Georges Plantation was incorporated as a town, named after Joseph Warren, a Revolutionary War hero.

Hay was the principal crop. Shipbuilding was an important industry, and between 1770–1850, 224 vessels were built, varying from 53 to 1,127 tons. Warren had quarries to extract granite and limestone. Falls on the St. George River provided water power, with the first sawmill built in 1785. Woolens were manufactured at the Georges River Mills, and snowshoes at the Warren Shoe Factory. The Knox and Lincoln Railroad opened on November 6, 1871.

The General Henry Knox Canal system (named after Henry Knox, who purchased the locks in 1794) was initially built by Charles Barrett in 1793 to connect the tidewaters of the St. George River with St. George Lake in Liberty, facilitating the shipment of lumber and lime. But the locks fell into decay following Knox's death in 1806. In 1848, the canal was reopened for navigation by the Georges Canal Company at a cost of $80,000. It again fell into disuse following 1877, rendered obsolete by the railroad. The canal banks and one lock may still be seen in Warren, however, uncovered as part of a river beautification project in 1966.

In 1853, Warren elected Olive Rose as County Register of Deeds. She was the first woman to hold elected office in the United States. Warren became a part of Knox county when it was partitioned in 1860 from parts of Waldo and Lincoln counties.

Since 2002, South Warren is home to the Maine State Prison, a 900-bed maximum security facility formerly located in Thomaston since 1824. The prison's gift shop, which sells over 600 inmate-made goods, remains in Thomaston at the site of the old prison.

Peterborough
In South Warren was the site of Peterborough, a black settlement first founded in 1782. Three possible legends try to explain the foundation of this community. One suggests that Amos Peters, a black Revolutionary War veteran from Plymouth, Massachusetts, was working for General Henry Knox. When Peters married another slave named Sarah, Knox gave the couple land to settle on in what later became Peterborough. Following the 1780 Quock Walker court case, Amos and Sarah Peters were freed from slavery. Another story suggests that General Knox, who served in Virginia during the War, built himself a mansion that matched the style of estates he had seen in Virginia. He recruited blacks to serve as staff for the mansion. As space at the estate and servants quarters shrunk, "Knox sent many of the families to live in the settlement started by Amos and Sarah Peters". Another story suggests that many of the original settlers of the community were so-called "limecoasters", black deckhands who were part of the Lime trade from Thomaston to the Southern US.

Regardless of the origin, the community grew, having a population of over three hundred people at its peak. In 1823, the population of children in the settlement was enough to warrant its own school. In 1845, the town of Warren provided $75 for the building of a schoolhouse in Peterborough. The school had both black and white teachers, and attendance averaged between twenty-four and thirty students in a given year. The school building also housed church services and social events.

The population of the settlement began to decline by the end of the Civil War. The decline of the shipbuilding industry in the area, coupled with the fact that black people were excluded from factory work, are theorized as some of the factors behind this reduction. The area was populated by descendants of the original settlers until 1961, when William, Grace and Woodrow Peters moved from Peterborough to a house along Route 90. Today the area is made up of newer houses with no residents having roots to the original community.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.75 sqmi, of which 46.47 sqmi is land and 2.28 sqmi is water. Drained by the Back River, Warren is located at the head of tide on the banks of the St. George River.

It is crossed by U.S. Route 1 and state routes 90, 131 and 235. It borders the towns of Union to the north, Rockport to the northeast, Rockland to the east, Thomaston to the southeast, Cushing to the south, Friendship to the southwest, and Waldoboro to the west.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,751 people, 1,508 households, and 1,086 families residing in the town. The population density was 102.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,760 housing units at an average density of 37.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.3% White, 1.7% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 1,508 households, of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.0% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age in the town was 39.9 years. 18.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.3% were from 25 to 44; 32.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 59.1% male and 40.9% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,794 people, 1,346 households, and 970 families residing in the town. The population density was 81.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,534 housing units at an average density of 33.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.55% White, 0.29% African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.05% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 1,346 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $35,662, and the median income for a family was $41,086. Males had a median income of $30,109 versus $20,638 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,655. About 3.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Regional School Unit 40 operates public schools. Warren Community School is in Warren.

Medomak Valley Middle School and Medomak Valley High School are in nearby Waldoboro.

Warren Free Public Library is in Warren.

Sites of interest

 * Lie-Nielsen Toolworks

Notable people

 * Norman Wallace Lermond, socialist activist and naturalist
 * Ellis Spear, Civil War era general
 * Samuel Thatcher, US congressman

title: Warren, Maine


text:
Washington, Maine

Washington, officially the Town of Washington, is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,590 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
Washington, Maine was first settled in 1797, by the Nelson family. At that time it was known as Putnam, named after General Israel Putnam, a war hero. It was officially renamed Washington in 1825. One early item of interest in Washington's history was the "paint mine". There was a large deposit of red and yellow ocher in a nearby cave, which may have been used by people who lived here three to five thousand years ago and who used large quantities of ocher, normally red, to cover both the bodies of the dead and the burial artifacts. Archaeologists refer to these people as "Red Paint People". The red panel at the hoist of the Official Town Flag refers to these people.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.20 sqmi, of which 38.04 sqmi is land and 1.16 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,527 people, 614 households, and 427 families living in the town. The population density was 40.1 PD/sqmi. There were 797 housing units at an average density of 21.0 /sqmi. The ethnic makeup of the town was 96.9% White, 0.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.

There were 614 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.5% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the town was 43.9 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 33.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.9% male and 48.1% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,345 people, 518 households, and 361 families living in the town. The population density was 35.4 PD/sqmi. There were 694 housing units at an average density of 18.3 per square mile (7.1/km$2$). The ethnic makeup of the town was 98.81% White, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.

There were 518 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $35,492, and the median income for a family was $40,486. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $21,136 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,488. About 8.8% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Regional School Unit 40 operates public schools. Prescott Memorial School is in Washington.

Medomak Valley Middle School and Medomak Valley High School are in nearby Waldoboro.

Gibbs Library is in Washington.

Notable people

 * Alonzo Bowman, Medal of Honor recipient
 * Elmer McCurdy, an outlaw born in the town on Thursday, January 1, 1880, whose body was displayed many times between 1911, when he died in a shootout with police officers, up until 1976
 * Clyde Sukeforth, Major League Baseball catcher, coach, scout, and manager, was born in Washington
 * Frances Hodges White, children's author
 * John Christie, skiing author
 * David Spahr, mushroom and foraging author

title: Washington, Maine


text:
Alna, Maine

Alna is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 710 at the 2020 census. Alna is home to the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum and is noted for its historic architecture, including the early mill village of Head Tide.

History
Originally a part of old Pownalborough, the town was settled around 1760 and incorporated in 1794 by the Massachusetts General Court as New Milford. But residents did not like the name, so it was changed in 1811 to Alna, Latin for alder, the tree which grows in profusion along the banks of the Sheepscot River.

Alna was the site of the first fish hatchery in Maine, started shortly after the Civil War. Between 1895 and 1933, the narrow gauge Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway operated three stations in the town: Head Tide, Alna Center, and Sheepscot. The latter now serves as the base of operations for a heritage railway in town.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.32 sqmi, of which 20.90 sqmi is land and 0.42 sqmi is water. Alna is drained by the Sheepscot River.

The town in crossed by Maine State Route 194 and Maine State Route 218. It borders the towns of Wiscasset to the south; Dresden to the west; Pittston, Whitefield and Jefferson to the north; and across the Sheepscot River, Newcastle to the east.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 709 people, 295 households, and 210 families living in the town. The population density was 33.9 PD/sqmi. There were 346 housing units at an average density of 16.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.5% White, 0.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 295 households, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.8% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.78.

The median age in the town was 45.7 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 35.2% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 675 people, 266 households, and 197 families living in the town. The population density was 32.3 PD/sqmi. There were 315 housing units at an average density of 15.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 99.56% White, 0.30% Native American and 0.15% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.15% of the population. 0.1% African Americans.

There were 266 households, out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $48,611. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $23,977 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,340. About 6.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest

 * Alna Meetinghouse (1789)
 * Alna School (1795)
 * Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum

Notable people

 * Fred H. Albee, surgeon
 * John T. Averill, US congressman
 * Edwin Arlington Robinson, poet

title: Alna, Maine


text:
Boothbay, Maine

Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,003 at the 2020 census. It includes the neighborhoods of Back Narrows, Dover, Linekin, Oak Hill, Ocean Point, Spruce Shores, and the villages of East Boothbay and Trevett. The surrounding Boothbay Region is a center of summer tourist activity, and a significant part of its population does not live there year-round. Five shipyards are located in the town, the largest of which is Washburn & Doughty.

History

The Abenaki people who lived in the region called it Winnegance. The first European presence in the region was an English fishing outpost called Cape Newagen in 1623. An Englishman by the name of Henry Curtis purchased the right to settle Winnegance from the Abenaki Sachem Mowhotiwormet in 1666. However, the English were driven from their settlements by the Abenaki in 1676 during King Philip's War. The colonists returned after the war ended. In 1689, during King William's War, they were driven out again. Winnegance was abandoned entirely, and remained a desolate waste for 40 years.

Colonel David Dunbar, governor of the Territory of Sagadahock, established a settlement called Townsend, after Lord Charles Townshend, in 1730, and convinced approximately 40 families of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, largely from the north of Ireland, to settle there. Some were veterans of the Revolution of 1688. The settlement survived and was incorporated as the town of Boothbay on November 3, 1764. In 1842, Townsend, now called Southport, split from Boothbay and was incorporated as its own town, followed by Boothbay Harbor in 1889.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 71.80 sqmi, of which 21.93 sqmi is land and 49.87 sqmi is water. Situated on the Cape Newagen peninsula extending into the Gulf of Maine, Boothbay lies between the Sheepscot River and Damariscotta River. The town includes Damariscove Island.

Boothbay is crossed by State Routes 27 and 96. It borders the towns of Edgecomb to the north, and Boothbay Harbor to the south. Separated by water, it is near the towns of Westport to the west, and South Bristol to the east.

Climate
This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Boothbay has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 3,120 people, 1,386 households, and 963 families living in the town. The population density was 142.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,474 housing units at an average density of 112.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.0% White, 0.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 1,386 households, of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.5% were non-families. Of all households, 23.8% were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.63.

The median age in the town was 51.7 years; 17.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.9% were from 25 to 44; 35.1% were from 45 to 64; and 24.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.3% male and 50.7% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,960 people, 1,261 households, and 881 families living in the town. The population density was 134.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,046 housing units at an average density of 92.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 99.05% White, 0.03% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.

There were 1,261 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. Of all households, 23.8% were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,406, and the median income for a family was $45,761. Males had a median income of $30,500 versus $28,370 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,036. About 5.5% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest

 * Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
 * Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
 * Bosarge Family Education Center
 * Damarsicove Island
 * Damariscove Lifesaving Station
 * Knight-Corey House
 * Fisherman Island
 * Hodgdon Yachts
 * Old Gray House
 * Ram Island Light
 * Washburn & Doughty

Notable people

 * George Herbert Baker, painter
 * Brenda Bettinson, artist
 * Cole Brauer, sailor
 * Deborah Bronk, oceanographer
 * Mabel Conkling, sculptor
 * Robert H. Conn, government official
 * Francis C. Florini, politician
 * Richard Ford, author
 * Matthew Forgues, racewalker
 * Jane Gilbert, actress
 * Woodbury S. Grover, politician
 * Palmer Hayden, artist
 * John B. Hayes, admiral
 * Dorothy M. Healy, English professor and historian
 * Paul LePage, Governor of Maine
 * Beth Orcutt, oceanographer
 * Joseph Pollia, sculptor
 * Christopher Reeve, actor
 * Daniel Rose, politician
 * Dixie Selden, painter
 * Holly Stover, politician
 * T. J. Southard, shipbuilder, businessman, and politician
 * John Welsh, biologist

title: Boothbay, Maine