Blue Hill 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 Hancock 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 north ...

, United States. The population was 2,792 at the 2020 census. It is home to the Blue Hill Public Library, Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, George Stevens Academy, the Blue Hill Harbor School, The Bay School, New Surry Theatre,

Kneisel Hall Kneisel Hall is an annual chamber music festival and school located in Blue Hill, Maine. The season runs for seven weeks each summer from late June until mid-August. A small faculty works with approximately fifty young artists of collegiate and grad ...

Bagaduce Music Lending Library The Bagaduce Music Lending Library is a music lending library in Blue Hill, Maine. History Established in 1983 in the garage of Mary Cheyney Gould and Marcia Chapman, the Library outgrew its original home on the Penobscot Bay near the Bagaduce Riv ...

, the Kollegewidgwok Yacht Club
the Shaw Institute
and the Blue Hill Country Club. A community on Blue Hill Bay, the town is the site of the annual Blue Hill Fair.

History

It was one of six townships granted by the

Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ...

to David Marsh and 351 others for their service in the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

. Called Plantation Number 5, it was first settled in 1762 by Captain Joseph Wood and John Roundy from

Andover, Massachusetts Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 387. As of th ...

, who built homes on Mill Island at the tidal falls. It would then be called Newport Plantation. On January 30, 1789, the town was incorporated as Blue Hill, named after its commanding summit overlooking the region. The outlets of various ponds provided water power for several sawmills and gristmills. By 1859, 5,000 cords of firewood were sent from the port annually. Other products included lumber, masts and roof shingles, but the predominant industry was shipbuilding. Beginning in 1792, 133 vessels were constructed at Blue Hill, some of them brigs and ships, but most schooners. The town was also noted for the quality of its granite, some of which was used to build the

Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/ suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River ...

New York Stock Exchange Building The New York Stock Exchange Building (also the NYSE Building), in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City, serves as the headquarters of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It is composed of two connected structures occupyin ...

, and the U.S. Custom House at

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

. In 1876, local quarries employed 300 workers. A Viking penny was found in 1957 at the nearby prehistoric Goddard archeological site by local amateur archeologist Guy Mellgren. The coin is believed to be from the 11th century reign of Olaf Kyrre. File:View of Blue Hill, ME.jpg, Blue Hill File:Main Street, Blue Hill, ME.jpg, Main Street File:The Elms, Blue Hill, ME.jpg, The Elms

Geography

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 the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Located on Blue Hill Bay, the town is drained by Mill Brook. Blue Hill, elevation 940 feet (287 meters), is the town's highest point. Long Island, situated in Blue Hill Bay, is part of the town. Blue Hill is crossed by state routes 15, 172, 176 and 177. It borders the towns of Surry to the northeast,

Brooklin Brooklin may refer to *Brooklin, Ontario, Canada *Brooklin, California, United States *Brooklin, Maine, United States *Brooklin, West Virginia, United States *Brooklin (São Paulo Metro), Brazil *Brooklin Novo, or adjacent Brooklin Velho, neighbour ...

to the southeast, Sedgwick to the southwest, and

Penobscot The Penobscot (Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewi'') are an Indigenous people in North America from the Northeastern Woodlands region. They are organized as a federally recognized tribe in Maine and as a First Nations band government in the Atlantic pr ...

to the northwest. The town is the site of Blue Hill Airport.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 2,686 people, 1,279 households, and 733 families living in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 1,936 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.3%

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 on ...

, 0.4%

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 ...

, 0.4% Native American, 1.1%

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 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 0.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...

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 0.8% of the population. There were 1,279 households, of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.7% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.66. The median age in the town was 49.5 years. 17.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.6% were from 25 to 44; 36.8% were from 45 to 64; and 20.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,390 people, 1,074 households, and 681 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,486 housing units at an average density of 23.8 per square mile (9.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.87%

, 0.38%

, 0.21% Native American, 0.13%

, 0.08% from

, and 1.34% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.13% of the population. There were 1,074 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.73. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $31,484, and the median income for a family was $41,688. Males had a median income of $28,200 versus $23,616 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $19,189. About 9.3% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

* Gerald Warner Brace, author * Minerva Kline Brooks, campaigner for women's suffrage *

Mary Ellen Chase Mary Ellen Chase (24 February 1887 – 28 July 1973) was an American educator, teacher, scholar, and author. She is regarded as one of the most important regional New England literary figures of the early twentieth century. Early life Chase was ...

, author *

George Albert Clough George Albert Clough (May 27, 1843 – December 30, 1910) was an architect working in Boston in the late 19th-century. He designed the Suffolk County Courthouse in Pemberton Square, and numerous other buildings in the city and around New Engl ...

, architect *

A. J. Cronin Archibald Joseph Cronin (19 July 1896 – 6 January 1981), known as A. J. Cronin, was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known novel is ''The Citadel'' (1937), about a Scottish doctor who serves in a Welsh mining village before achievi ...

, author *

Jonathan Fisher Parson Jonathan Fisher (1768–1847) was the first Congregational minister from 1794 to 1837 in the small village of Blue Hill, Maine in the United States. Although his primary duties as a country parson engaged much of his time, Fisher was also ...

, minister * June Harding, actress, artist * Effie Hinckley Ober Kline, opera impresario, philanthropist *

Jonathan Lethem Jonathan Allen Lethem (; born February 19, 1964) is an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. His first novel, ''Gun, with Occasional Music'', a genre work that mixed elements of science fiction and detective fiction, was publishe ...

, Author *

Bill McHenry Bill McHenry (born 1972) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is the leader of the Bill McHenry Quartet and has released over a dozen albums under his own name, in addition to collaborating on many more. Early life McHenry was born i ...

, musician *

Ethelbert Nevin Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin (November 25, 1862February 17, 1901) was an American pianist and composer. Early life Nevin was born on November 25, 1862, at Vineacre, on the banks of the Ohio River, in Edgeworth, Pennsylvania.Mulkearn, Lois, p. 62 ...

, composer *

Horatio Parker Horatio William Parker (September 15, 1863 – December 18, 1919) was an American composer, organist and teacher. He was a central figure in musical life in New Haven, Connecticut in the late 19th century, and is best remembered as the undergradu ...

, composer * Brian D. Rogers, chancellor of the

University of Alaska Fairbanks The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF or Alaska) is a public land-grant research university in College, Alaska, a suburb of Fairbanks. It is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska system. UAF was established in 1917 and opened for c ...

* Susan Shaw (conservationist), environmental health scientist, founder of the Shaw Institute (formerly Marine Environmental Research Institute) *

Noel Paul Stookey Noel Paul Stookey (born December 30, 1937) is an American singer-songwriter who was famous for being in the 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary; however, he has been known by his first name, Noel, throughout his life. Nowadays, he continues to w ...

, musician *

Bertha Tapper Bertha Johanne Feiring Maass Tapper (25 January 1859 - 2 September 1915) was a Norwegian composer, pianist, and teacher, best known for editing the piano works of Edvard Grieg for publication in America. She published under the name Bertha Feirin ...

, pianist *

Walter C. Teagle Walter Clark Teagle (May 1, 1878 – January 9, 1962) was president of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey from 1917 to 1937 and was chairman of the board from 1937 to 1942. He was responsible for leading Standard Oil to the forefront of the oil ...

, president and chairman at

Standard Oil Standard Oil Company, Inc., was an American oil production, transportation, refining, and marketing company that operated from 1870 to 1911. At its height, Standard Oil was the largest petroleum company in the world, and its success made its co-f ...

Janwillem van de Wetering Jan Willem Lincoln "Janwillem" van de Wetering (February 12, 1931 – July 4, 2008) was the author of a number of works in English and Dutch. Biography Van de Wetering was born and raised in Rotterdam, but in later years he lived in South Africa ...

, author * Emma Willmann, comedian, actress * Esther E. Wood, historian, educator, author, and journalist

References

External links

Official Website
{{authority control Towns in Hancock County, Maine Towns in Maine Populated coastal places in Maine