Medway is a town in
Penobscot 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 1,187 at the
2020 census.
History
One of the largest
water power
Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a wa ...
ed sawmills then on the
Penobscot River
The Penobscot River (Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewtəkʷ'') 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. Including the river's We ...
was built in Medway in 1820 by Gen. Boyd, who owned half the township. A second large mill was built soon after near what is now Medway Center, attracting settlers. Sawmills remained there as late as the 1920s. Boyd originally incorporated the town as "Kilmarnock", but the name was changed to Medway in 1854.
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, of it is land and is water.
The town is at the confluence of the East and West Branches of the
Penobscot River
The Penobscot River (Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewtəkʷ'') 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. Including the river's We ...
Demographics
2010 census
At the
2010 census there were 1,349 people, 576 households, and 400 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 658 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the town was 98.8% White, 0.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.2%.
Of the 576 households 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.6% were non-families. 24.1% of households were one person and 10.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.74.
The median age in the town was 47.8 years. 20.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.8% were from 25 to 44; 37.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.
2000 census
At the
2000 census there were 1489 people, 587 households, and 437 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 651 housing units at an average density of 15.9 per square mile (6.1/km
2). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the town was 99.13% White, 0.07% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.13% Asian, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.27%.
Of the 587 households 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.1% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 20.8% of households were one person and 7.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.92.
The age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 111.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.8 males.
The median household income was $33,646 and the median family income was $40,063. Males had a median income of $42,353 versus $18,917 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,264. About 8.6% of families and 11.5% 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 12.4% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
Historic buildings
The Congregational Church of Medway (1874), designed and built by Mansford Cushman, is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.
Education
East Millinocket Schools operates public schools serving the community. Medway Middle School is located in Medway. Opal Myrick Elementary School and
Schenck High School occupy one campus in
East Millinocket
East Millinocket is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,572 at the 2020 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and is water.
...
.
[East Millinocket Schools]
" Town of East Millinocket. Retrieved on December 17, 2014.
Notable people
*
Michael Michaud
Michael Herman Michaud (born January 18, 1955) is an American businessman and politician from Maine. Michaud served as the U.S. representative for from 2003 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The primarily rural district comprise ...
, former
U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
References
External links
Town of Medway official website
{{Coord, 45, 36, 32, N, 68, 31, 51, W, type:city_region:US-ME, display=title
Towns in Penobscot County, Maine