Robbinston is a town in Washington 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 United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The population was 539 at the 2020 census.

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. It is situated northeast of Machias, north of

Lubec Lubec ( ) is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. It is the easternmost municipality in the contiguous U.S. (see extreme points of the United States) and is the country's closest continental location to Africa. The town, with a p ...

and south of

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. Th ...

Climate

History

Robbinston is in Washington County, the easternmost of the United States. As it was settled, the areas, or "Plantations" were numbered, and then became villages and cities. It was named for Edward Hutchinson Robbins and Nathaniel J. Robbins who received a land grant for the area on October 21, 1786, and became the third and fourth family settled there. A post office was established by 1796, and Robbinston was incorporated on February 18, 1811. The area near Robbinston was first settled by the French explorer Pierre de Monts from 1604-5 and then abandoned when the colony lost 36 people that first winter.William D. Williamson, ''History Of The State Of Maine: From Its First Discovery, A.D. 1602'' That island, once called De Mont's Island, then the Neutral Island, is now the

St. Croix Island International Historic Site Saint Croix Island (french: Île Sainte-Croix), long known to locals as Dochet Island, is a small uninhabited island in Maine near the mouth of the St. Croix River (Maine-New Brunswick), Saint Croix River that forms part of the Canada–United St ...

. It marks the boundary between the United States and Canada as set out by treaty in 1783. Traces of the fort were first excavated in 1798, then the St. Croix Lighthouse was installed in 1856 at the head of

Passamaquoddy Bay Passamaquoddy Bay (french: Baie de Passamaquoddy) is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy, between the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Most of the bay lies within Canada, with its w ...

where it meets the St. Croix River. It now has seven life-sized historical statues as part of the park walk. The river is wide separating Robbinston from the town of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada. Still saltwater, the tidal range is . Because of the abundance of wood, much of the early industry centered around shipbuilding. For example, in 1856, 17 vessels, ranging from 100 to 1000 tons each, were built at Robbinston.George Jones Varney, ''A Gazetteer of the State of Maine'', p.567 When steam-powered ships arrived, Robbinston returned to fishing and farming potatoes, which escaped the blight found in warmer areas. The granite quarry in Red Beach also was a local industry. The seven lakes and streams in Robbinston boasted pickerel, trout, perch and salmon. During the mid-19th century, Robbinston was a last stop for the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...

where escaping slaves would cross over into Canada and freedom. One of the houses that supported them still stands, the John N. Brewer Sr Mansion. Built in 1785 with an addition added around 1821, it is 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 ...

. The John N. M. Brewer Jr House built in 1826 is across hwy 1 and is now operated as a B&B. Other historical sites in Robbinston are the Grace Episcopal Church, James S. Pike Racing Milestones, Pulpit Rock, Henrietta Brewer Cottage (wife of John Brewer Jr) (Redclyffe Shore Motel) and Sewall Memorial Congregational Church, with its roots in 1817. Up five miles along Coastal Route 1 is Devil's Head, a high rocky bluff overlooking the river and landmark for watercraft. There is a nice trail and picnic site next to the water. The highest lookout point, at above sea level, is Trimble Mountain, off Brewer Road. The three islands are accessible by boat, which can be rented or hired. Many people have family historical roots in the area and visit for business as well as pleasure. The Washington County Historical Society is best contacted in advance, since many of the records are held in the larger towns and are more easily navigated with a little direction.

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 574 people, 238 households, and 165 families residing 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 354 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.0%

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 ...

, 0.2%

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 ...

, 2.3% Native American, 0.2%

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 ...

, and 1.4% 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 0.3% of the population. There were 238 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.7% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age in the town was 48.6 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.2% were from 25 to 44; 35.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 53.1% male and 46.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 525 people, 201 households, and 157 families residing in the town. The

was 18.6 people per square mile (7.2/km). There were 329 housing units at an average density of 11.7 per square mile (4.5/km). The racial makeup of the town was 95.81%

, 1.33% Native American, and 2.86% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.57% of the population. There were 201 households, out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were

living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $33,250, and the median income for a family was $36,346. Males had a median income of $31,389 versus $26,250 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 $14,801. About 6.4% of families and 12.3% 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 16.0% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Grace Macurdy Grace Harriet Macurdy (September 12, 1866 – October 23, 1946) was an American classicist, and the first American woman to gain a PhD from Columbia University. She taught at Vassar College for 44 years, despite a lengthy conflict with Abby L ...

(1866–1946), educator *

Laurence Trimble Laurence Norwood Trimble (February 15, 1885 – February 8, 1954) was an American silent film film director, director, screenwriter, writer and actor. Trimble began his film career directing Jean (dog), Jean, the Vitagraph Dog, the first canine ...

(1885–1954), silent film actor, writer and director

References

External links

*
Town of Robbinston

Washington County Historical Society

Tide Forecast
{{authority control Towns in Washington County, Maine Towns in Maine Populated places on the Underground Railroad Populated coastal places in Maine