Boothbay, Maine

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Boothbay, Maine
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption = Farnham's Cove


image_

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pushpin_label_position =left
pushpin_map_caption =Location within the state of Maine
pushpin_mapsize =

|mapsize =
map_caption =


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Maine
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Lincoln
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1764

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 119.5
area_land_km2 = 57.2
area_water_km2 = 62.2
area_total_sq_mi = 46.1
area_land_sq_mi = 22.1
area_water_sq_mi = 24.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2960
population_density_km2 = 51.7
population_density_sq_mi = 134.0

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 7
elevation_ft = 23
latd = 43 |latm = 52 |lats = 18 |latNS = N
longd = 69 |longm = 36 |longs = 43 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 04537, 04549
area_code = 207
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 23-06050
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0582358
website = http://www.town.boothbay.me.us/
footnotes =

Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of East Boothbay and Trevett. The Boothbay region is a center of summer tourist activity.

History

The first European presence was a British fishing station on Cape Newagen in 1623. By the 1630s, there were a few families. Henry Curtis purchased from the sachem Mowhotiwormet (commonly known as Chief Robinhood) the right to settle here in 1666. The inhabitants fled in 1676 during King Philip's War and returned in 1677. In 1689 during King William's War, they were driven out again, and the village remained a desolate waste for 40 years.

Colonel David Dunbar, governor of the Province of Sagadahoc, laid out a town in 1730 known as Townsend, and convinced about 40 families of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, largely from the north of Ireland, to settle here. Some were veterans of the Revolution of 1688. Named for Lord Charles Townshend, this settlement survived and was incorporated November 3, 1764. It was renamed Boothbay in 1842 after the hamlet of Boothby, which is located about a mile east of Welton le Marsh in Lincolnshire, England. Southport was set off in 1842 and incorporated as a town, followed in 1889 by Boothbay Harbor. cite book |last= Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums |editor=Doris A. Isaacson |title=Maine: A Guide 'Down East' |year=1970 |publisher=Courier-Gazette, Inc. |location=Rockland, Me | pages = 325 ]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 46.1 square miles (119.5 km²), of which, 22.1 square miles (57.2 km²) of it is land and 24.0 square miles (62.2 km²) of it (52.09%) 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.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,960 people, 1,261 households, and 881 families residing in the town. The population density was 134.0 people per square mile (51.7/km²). There were 2,046 housing units at an average density of 92.6/sq mi (35.7/km²). 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. 23.8% of all households 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.

ites of interest

* [http://www.boothbayplayhouse.com/ Boothbay Playhouse]
* [http://www.railwayvillage.org/ Boothbay Railway Village]
* [http://www.boothbayhistorical.org/ Boothbay Region Historical Society]
* [http://lighthouse.cc/ramisland/ Ram Island Light]

References

Further reading

* [http://history.rays-place.com/me/boothbay-me.htm History of Boothbay, Maine (1886)]
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=h4Wy3OQQDioC&dq=History+of+Maine&lr=&num=50&as_brr=0&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 History of Boothbay, Southport and Boothbay Harbor, Maine,] 1623-1905, by Francis Byron Greene; published 1906

External links

* [http://www.town.boothbay.me.us/ Town of Boothbay, Maine]
* [http://www.boothbay.org/ Boothbay Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.maine.gov/local/lincoln/boothbay Maine.gov -- Boothbay, Maine]