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Bucksport is a historical
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, United States. The population was 4,944 at the 2020 census. Bucksport is across the Penobscot River
estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
from Fort Knox and the
Penobscot Narrows Bridge The Penobscot Narrows Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that carries US 1/ SR 3 over the Penobscot River. It connects Verona Island to Prospect, in the U.S. state of Maine. It opened in December 2006, replacing the Waldo–Hancock Br ...
, which replaced the
Waldo–Hancock Bridge The Waldo–Hancock Bridge was the first long-span suspension bridge erected in Maine, as well as the first permanent bridge across the Penobscot River downstream from Bangor. The name comes from connecting Waldo and Hancock counties. The bridge ...
.


History

The first inhabitants of Bucksport were a 5,000-year-old prehistoric culture known as the
Red Paint People The Red Paint People are a Pre-Columbian culture indigenous to the New England and Atlantic Canada regions of North America. They were named after their burials, which used large quantities of ochre, normally red, to cover both the bodies of the d ...
, that would later be referred to as the
Maritime Archaic The Maritime Archaic is a North American cultural complex of the Late Archaic along the coast of Newfoundland, the Canadian Maritimes and northern New England. The Maritime Archaic began in approximately 7000 BC and lasted into the 18th century ...
. They were thought to be a highly advanced native fishing culture that buried red paint in their graves along with stone tools and weapons. The first archaeological dig in the state of Maine, if not the entire United States, was initiated by Professor Charles Willoughby in 1891 on Indian Point, on a site where the present-day mill is located. Once territory of the
Tarrantine The Tarrantines were a band of the Mi'kmaq tribe of Native Americans inhabiting northern New England, particularly coastal Maine. The name ''Tarrantine'' is one of the words the Massachusett people used to refer to the ''Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (a ...
(now called
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 ...
)
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 predom ...
Native Americans, 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 (United States), state legislature of the Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from th ...
to Deacon David Marsh of
Haverhill, Massachusetts Haverhill ( ) is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Haverhill is located 35 miles north of Boston on the New Hampshire border and about 17 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The population was 67,787 at the 2020 United States Cen ...
and 351 others. Colonel Jonathan Buck and a number of the grantees arrived in 1762 to survey the land, then returned to Haverhill. In June 1763, Buck came back to settle permanently what was known as Plantation No. 1, building a
sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
on Mill Creek, as well as a house and store. By 1775 the plantation had 21 families. Legend has it that Buck burned his mistress for being a witch, and that she promised to return and seek vengeance on the town. It is believed to be her foot and leg that appears on his tombstone, reappearing each time it has been replaced. During the Revolutionary War, the British military built Fort George at Castine. On April 14, 1779, the stronghold became the site of a major American naval defeat called 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 ...
. The following day, when most of Plantation No. 1 was deserted, the 16-gun
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
sloop HMS ''Nautilus'' anchored at the harbor. Its crew burned the town, sparing only those remaining inhabitants who swore allegiance to the
Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
. But following the peace treaty of 1783, the town was resettled and called Buckstown Plantation after its founder. Incorporated on June 27, 1792 as Buckstown, it was renamed Bucksport in 1817. The town was occupied by the British during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
. In 1851, the East Maine Conference Seminary was opened by the Methodist Church as a preparatory school, but closed in 1933 when Bucksport opened its first public secondary school. In 1780, the
Jed Prouty Tavern and Inn The Jed Prouty Tavern and Inn is an historic building at 57 Main Street in downtown Bucksport, Hancock County, Maine. It was built around 1780 as a two family home and was converted into a tavern and inn around 1820. In this guise it hosted prom ...
was built in downtown Bucksport. It was expanded to a 17-room hotel around 1820. It is now being turned into a nursing home for the elderly. Bucksport is also well known for its bizarre and fantastic stories. In 1892, a circus elephant named Charlie broke loose and roamed the town a free animal. He was finally captured, with the help of a pit bull, who cornered the elephant so his handlers could secure him. On the evening of October 13, 1876, a triple homicide took place, leaving an old man named Robert Trim, his 32-year-old daughter Melissa Thayer, and Thayer's 4-year-old daughter Josie murdered and their family farm burned to the ground. The authorities soon arrested a sea captain despite the lack of witnesses, evidence or motive, and his trial was one of the biggest the young state had ever seen. The captain was found guilty and sentenced to life in Thomaston Prison. In 1898, another notorious murder took place. A woman named Sarah Ware went missing on the evening of September 17, and her beheaded and badly decomposed body was discovered by a search party two weeks later near Miles Lane. A man named William Treworgy was eventually tried for the murder but was acquitted, and the case was never solved. Bucksport is depicted in the 1960s ABC television series
Dark Shadows ''Dark Shadows'' is an American gothic soap opera that aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show depicted the lives, loves, trials, and tribulations of the wealthy Collins family of Collinspo ...
, most prominently in the 1840 time period, as located near the fictional town of Collinsport. Bucksport's history and reputation were rumored to be the predominant inspirations for the fictional Collinsport several years before the writers of the serial incorporated Bucksport into the storyline. The town's terrain is uneven, riven with ponds and streams. Farmers grew
hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticat ...
and potatoes.
Shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...
, however, would become the principal occupation. Many worked at fisheries, sailing to the
Grand Banks The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus south-east of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. The Grand Banks are one of the world's richest fishing grounds, supporting Atlantic cod, swordf ...
for their catch. Other industries produced
lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
, ships' pumps, blocks, plugs, wedges and wheels, boats, barrels, carriages, leather, boots and
shoes A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...
and stone work. In 1874, the Bucksport and Bangor Railroad was completed. It provided Bangor with shipping access to Penobscot Bay during winter months when the Penobscot River froze. The Maine Seaboard Paper Company in 1930 opened the Bucksport Mill, a
paper mill A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags, and other ingredients. Prior to the invention and adoption of the Fourdrinier machine and other types of paper machine that use an endless belt, ...
with two machines which manufactured 300 tons of newsprint per day. Until 2014 it was owned successively by
Time, Inc. Time Inc. was an American worldwide mass media corporation founded on November 28, 1922, by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden and based in New York City. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including its namesake ''Time'', ''Sports Illu ...
,
St. Regis Paper Company ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy ...
,
Champion International Champion International was a large paper and wood products producer based since 1980 in Stamford, Connecticut. It was acquired by International Paper in 2000. From 1893 it had been based in Hamilton, Ohio, expanding to plants in Texas and Western ...
,
International Paper The International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 56,000 employees, and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. History The company was incorporated January 31 ...
, and
Verso Paper Verso Corporation, now Billerud Americas Corporation, was a North American producer of coated papers including coated groundwood, coated freesheet, and specialty products. The company restructured in 2016 following Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Verso C ...
. It held 4 machines with a capacity to manufacture 482,800 tons annually. On October 1, 2014, it was announced by Verso that they would be closing the mill, effective on December 1, laying off 570 workers. On February 22, 2018 Whole Oceans Aquaculture announced their intent to purchase the site of the former Verso paper mill and convert it into a 400 million gallon
recirculating aquaculture system Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are used in home aquaria and for fish production where water exchange is limited and the use of biofiltration is required to reduce ammonia toxicity. Other types of filtration and environmental control a ...
facility for land-based Atlantic Salmon production.Whole Oceans
/ref> The facility is expected to cost an initial 75 million dollars and bring up to 250 million dollars in investment to the area. Up to 200 full-time workers are expected to be employed. Whole Oceans expects to break ground in Fall of 2018 and reach a capacity of 25,000 tons of salmon within fifteen years. At this time Whole Oceans construction and opening has been delayed, leaving Bucksport citizens confused and waiting for the promised jobs. File:PostcardBucksportMEBucksportHarborOnThePenobscot1905.jpg, Bucksport Harbor in 1905 File:E. M. C. Seminary, Bucksport, ME.jpg, E. M. C. Seminary File:Buck Memorial Library, Bucksport, ME.jpg, Buck Mem. Library File:Bucksport National Bank, Bucksport, ME.jpg, Bucksport Bank


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 at the head of Penobscot Bay, Bucksport is drained by the Penobscot River. It includes Silver Lake, a recreation, fishing and
birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, b ...
site. The town is crossed by U. S. Route 1 and state routes 3, 15 and 46. It borders the towns of Orrington and
Holden Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. It was an Australian automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter which sold cars under its own marque in Australia. In its last thre ...
to the north, Dedham and Orland to the east, and (separated by the Penobscot River)
Verona Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Northern Italy, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and the ...
to the south, and Prospect, Frankfort and Winterport to the west.


Demographics

:''See also
Bucksport (CDP), Maine Bucksport is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Bucksport in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,885 at the 2010 census, down from 2,970 at the 2000 census. Geography The Bucksport CDP is the primary settlem ...
.''


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,924 people, 2,135 households, and 1,363 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 2,551 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.2%
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 ...
, 0.5%
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 ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.3%
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 ...
, 0.3% 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 1.3% 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 ...
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 1.3% of the population. There were 2,135 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.2% were non-families. 30.0% 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 2.30 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in the town was 43.3 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.2% were from 25 to 44; 33% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,908 people, 2,049 households, and 1,360 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 2,282 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.06%
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 ...
, 0.08%
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, 0.31% Native American, 0.16%
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 ...
, 0.06%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.14% from other races, and 1.18% 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 ...
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 0.88% of the population. There were 2,049 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 27.3% of all households 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 2.38 and the average family size was 2.87. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $34,812, and the median income for a family was $41,818. Males had a median income of $35,067 versus $22,739 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,587. About 9.4% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.


Sites of interest


Alamo Theatre – Northeast Historic Film
* Bucksport High School * Bucksport Railroad Station (now Bucksport Historical Society Museum) *The Alamo Theater and Northeast Historic Film study center and film archive


Notable people

*
Carl Darling Buck Carl Darling Buck (October 2, 1866 – February 8, 1955), born in Bucksport, Maine, was an American philologist. Biography He graduated from Yale in 1886, was a graduate student there for three years, and studied at the American School of Classica ...
,
philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...
*
Dustin Farnum Dustin Lancy Farnum (May 27, 1874 – July 3, 1929) was an American singer, dancer, and actor on the stage and in silent films. Although he played a wide variety of roles, he tended toward westerns and became one of the biggest stars of the genr ...
, actor *
William Farnum William Farnum (July 4, 1876 – June 5, 1953) was an American actor. He was a star of American silent film cinema and became one of the highest-paid actors during that time. Biography Farnum was born on July 4, 1876, in Boston, Massachuse ...
, actor * Frank Fellows, US congressman *
Edward Winslow Hinks Edward Winslow Hincks (May 30, 1830 – February 14, 1894) was a career United States Army officer who served as a brigadier general during the American Civil War. Early life Hincks was born in Bucksport, Maine. His name, spelled correctly, ...
, Civil War era general *
Molly Kool Myrtle 'Molly' Kool (February 23, 1916 – February 25, 2009) was a Canadian sea captain. She is recognized as being one of the first North American registered female sea captains or ship master. She was the first female Master Mariner in Cana ...
, America's first registered female ship captain * Kimberly Rosen, state representative * Richard Rosen, state senator * Edward Vernon Sparhawk, writer and newspaper editor * William Pierce Stubbs, artist * Dora Wiley, singer


References


External links


Town of Bucksport, Maine

Buck Memorial Library

Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Towns in Hancock County, Maine Towns in Maine