Boothbay Harbor is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Lincoln County,
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
, United States. The population was 2,027 at the
2020 census.
It includes the villages of
Bayville, Sprucewold, and
West Boothbay Harbor. During summer months, the entire Boothbay Harbor region is a popular
yachting
Yachting is the use of recreational boats and ships called ''yachts'' for racing or cruising. Yachts are distinguished from working ships mainly by their leisure purpose. "Yacht" derives from the Dutch word '' jacht'' ("hunt"). With sailboats, ...
and tourist destination. The
ZIP Code is 04538, and the community is served by the 633 telephone exchange in
area code 207
Area code 207 is the sole telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the U.S. state of Maine. Area code 207 was created as one of the original North American area codes in 1947. The numbering plan area still retains its o ...
.
History
The
Abenaki
The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pre ...
people that lived in the region called it Winnegance. The first European presence in the region was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
fishing outpost called
Cape Newagen in 1623. A Englishman by the name of Henry Curtis purchased the right to settle Winnegance from the Abenaki
Sachem
Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Al ...
Mowhotiwormet in 1666. However, the English were driven from their settlements by the Abenaki in 1676 during
King Philip's War
King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1676 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England coloni ...
in 1676. The colonists returned after the war ended. In 1689 during
King William's War
King William's War (also known as the Second Indian War, Father Baudoin's War, Castin's War, or the First Intercolonial War in French) was the North American theater of the Nine Years' War (1688–1697), also known as the War of the Grand All ...
, they were driven out again. Winnegance was abandoned entirely, and remained a desolate waste for 40 years.
In 1730, Colonel David Dunbar, the superintendent and governor of the
Territory of Sagadahock
The Territory of Sagadahock, also called the Sagadahoc Colony and New Castle, was an English colonial territory which included the eastern part of what was later colonial Maine and was more sparsely settled than the western region. The area incl ...
, laid out a new town, named Townsend after
Viscount Townshend
Marquess Townshend is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the Townshend family of Raynham Hall in Norfolk. The title was created in 1787 for George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend.
History
The Townshend family descends from Ro ...
. Despite predations during the
French and Indian Wars
The French and Indian Wars were a series of conflicts that occurred in North America between 1688 and 1763, some of which indirectly were related to the European dynastic wars. The title ''French and Indian War'' in the singular is used in the U ...
, and robberies during the
Revolutionary War by marauding British sailors, the settlement was successful, not least because of its large, deep and protected harbor. During the
Penobscot Expedition
The Penobscot Expedition was a 44-ship American naval armada during the Revolutionary War assembled by the Provincial Congress of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The flotilla of 19 warships and 25 support vessels sailed from Boston on July 1 ...
, in 1779 Townsend became a rendezvous point for the
American naval fleet prior to its disastrous encounter with the British at
Castine.
Renamed
Boothbay
Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,003 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Back Narrows, Dover, East Boothbay, Linekin, Oak Hill, Ocean Point, Spruce Shores, and Trevett. The Boothbay reg ...
in 1842, the harbor continued to develop as a fishing center. In bad weather, it could hold at a time between 400 and 500 vessels, often
Friendship Sloops, seeking shelter. By 1881, it had a
fishery and
fish oil
Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. Fish oils contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors of certain eicosanoids that are known to reduce inflammation in the b ...
company, an
ice
Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaqu ...
company, two
marine railway
The patent slip or marine railway is an inclined plane extending from shoreline into water, featuring a "cradle" onto which a ship is first floated, and a mechanism to haul the ship, attached to the cradle, out of the water onto a slip. The ...
s, a
fertilizer
A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...
manufacturer, and a factory for
canning lobsters. On February 16, 1889, the community was set off from Boothbay and incorporated as the town of Boothbay Harbor.
Frank L. Sample shipyard at Boothbay Harbor built
minesweepers
A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.
History
The earliest known usage of ...
for the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and into the 1950s.
Some location filming for the
1956 movie version of
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popular ...
's ''
Carousel'', notably the "June Is Bustin' Out All Over" sequence, was done there. Each summer, Boothbay Harbor draws crowds of tourists. Attractions include the state
aquarium, art galleries, restaurants, boat tours to coastal islands and
whale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes.Hoyt, E. 2 ...
.
Geography
The town is in southern Lincoln County, at the south end of a peninsula in the
Gulf of Maine
, image =
, alt =
, caption =
, image_bathymetry = GulfofMaine2.jpg
, alt_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry = Major features of the Gulf of Maine
, location = Northeast coast of the ...
, part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered to the west by the tidal
Sheepscot River
The Sheepscot River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 22, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Maine. Its lower portion is a complex island estuary with connections to ...
and to the east by Linekin Bay. The
town center
A town centre is the commercial or geographical centre or core area of a town. Town centres are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the centre of communications with major public transport hubs such as train or bus st ...
sits at the north end of Boothbay Harbor, which joins Linekin Bay to the south, past Spruce Point. Townsend Gut, to the southwest, separates the town of Boothbay Harbor from Southport Island. The town is bordered to the north and east by the town of
Boothbay
Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,003 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Back Narrows, Dover, East Boothbay, Linekin, Oak Hill, Ocean Point, Spruce Shores, and Trevett. The Boothbay reg ...
, to the south by the town of
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England.
Southport lies on the Iris ...
, and to the west, across the Sheepscot River, by the towns of
Westport and
Georgetown. The island community of
Isle of Springs is in the western part of the town, and
West Boothbay Harbor is in the west-central part of the town.
Bayville is next to the eastern border of the town, close to
East Boothbay.
The town is crossed by state routes
27 and
96. Route 27 leads south into Southport and north to
Wiscasset. Route 96 leads east to the village of East Boothbay and to its end at Ocean Point.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the town of Boothbay Harbor has a total area of , of which are land and , or 38.17%, are water.
Climate
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census
of 2010, there were 2,165 people, 1,084 households, and 550 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,175 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.6%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
or
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
, 0.3%
Native American, 0.8%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.1% from other races, and 1.2% from
two or more races
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
.
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.7% of the population.
There were 1,084 households, of which 14.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.3% were non-families. 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90 and the average family size was 2.52.
The median age in the town was 55.8 years. 11.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.6% were from 25 to 44; 33.3% were from 45 to 64; and 33.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.5% male and 54.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census
of 2000, there were 2,334 people, 1,097 households, and 627 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,993 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.9%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.2%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.30%
Native American, 0.73%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.34% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.56% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.90% of the population.
There were 1,097 households, out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.8% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.67.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $21,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,146. About 5.9% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Media
The local newspaper for the Boothbay Region is the ''Boothbay Register''. The ''Lincoln County News'' also circulates in Boothbay Harbor. The ''
Portland Press Herald
The ''Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram'' is a morning daily newspaper with a website that serves southern Maine and is focused on the greater metropolitan area around Portland, Maine, in the United States.
Founded in 1862, its roots e ...
'' ''- Maine Sunday Telegram'' provides daily newspaper coverage.
Sites of interest
*
Auld-McCobb House
*
Bayville
*
Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library
*
Boothbay Region High School
*
Pythian Opera House
The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, also known historically as the Boothbay Harbor Opera House, Knights of Pythias Hall, The Opera House, and as the Pythian Opera House, is a historic meeting hall and multifunction building at 86 Townsend Aven ...
*
Sprucewold Lodge
*
West Boothbay Harbor
Notable people
*
Nancy Hemenway Barton, artist
*
Arthur Bradford
Arthur Houston Bradford (born November 19, 1969) is an American writer and filmmaker. He has published two books of short stories, ''Dogwalker'' (2001) and ''Turtleface and Beyond'' (2015), and a children's book, ''Benny's Brigade'' (2012). He h ...
, writer and filmmaker
*
Lansing Campbell, illustrator
*
Charles H. Chapman, jazz musician
*
Ralph Fuller, cartoonist
*
Raymond A. Hare, American diplomat
*
Elle Logan, rower
*
Terry Morrison, politician
*
Anning Smith Prall, politician
*
George Lincoln Rockwell
George Lincoln Rockwell (March 9, 1918 – August 25, 1967) was an American far-right political activist and founder of the American Nazi Party. He later became a major figure in the neo-Nazi movement in the United States, and his beliefs, st ...
, neo-Nazi politician
*
Tim Sample, humorist
*
Stanley R. Tupper, politician
*
Michael van der Veen
Michael Thomas van der Veen (born September 16, 1963) is an American attorney who specializes in personal injury law. He represented former president Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial in the United States Senate, which resulted in ...
, attorney
*
Arthur Valpey
Arthur Ludgate Valpey Jr. (August 5, 1915 – March 12, 2007) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Harvard University from 1948 to 1949 and at the University of Connecticut from 1950 to 1951, compilin ...
, American football player and coach
*
Clarence Wilkinson
Clarence Sayward Wilkinson (born September 26, 1910, in Gloucester, Massachusetts, died July 12, 1996, in Bremen, Maine) was an American politician who served as List of Mayors of Beverly, Massachusetts, Mayor of Beverly, Massachusetts, from 1951 ...
, politician
*
Jay Zeamer Jr.
Jay Zeamer Jr. (July 25, 1918 – March 22, 2007) was a pilot of the United States Army Air Forces in the South Pacific during World War II, who received the Medal of Honor for valor during a B-17 Flying Fortress mission on June 16, 1943. ...
, US Army Air Forces pilot and Medal of Honor recipient
References
Further reading
''History of Boothbay, Southport and Boothbay Harbor, Maine'' 1623–1905. By Francis Byron Greene. Published 1906. Full image at
Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
.
External links
Town of Boothbay Harbor official website''Boothbay Register''
Boothbay Harbor Memorial LibraryBoothbay Harbor Region Chamber of CommerceBoothbay Harbor Webcams
{{authority control
Towns in Lincoln County, Maine
Populated coastal places in Maine
1730 establishments in Massachusetts