Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 6,936. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination. It is a departure point for the

Maine State Ferry Service The Maine Department of Transportation, also known as MaineDOT (occasionally referred to as MDOT), is the office of state government charged with the regulation and maintenance of roads, rail, ferries, and other public transport infrastructure in ...

to the islands of

Penobscot Bay Penobscot Bay (french: Baie de Penobscot) is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine and Atlantic Ocean in south central Maine. The bay originates from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River, downriver from Belfast, Maine, Belfast. Penobscot Bay has many ...

Vinalhaven Vinalhaven is a town on the larger of the two Fox Islands in Knox County, Maine, United States. Vinalhaven is also used to refer to the island itself. The population was 1,279 at the 2020 census. It is home to a thriving lobster fishery and ho ...

, North Haven and Matinicus.

History

Abenaki Indigenous People called it Catawamteak, meaning "great landing place." In 1767, John Lermond and his two brothers from

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval Angl ...

built a camp to produce oak staves and pine lumber. Thereafter known as Lermond's Cove, it was first settled about 1769. When in 1777 Thomaston was incorporated, Lermond's Cove became a district called Shore village. On July 28, 1848, it was set off as the town of East Thomaston. Renamed Rockland in 1850, it was chartered as a city in 1854. Rockland developed rapidly because of shipbuilding and lime production. In 1854 alone, the city built eleven ships, three

bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...

s, six

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...

s and four

schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...

s. The city had twelve lime quarries and 125 lime kilns, with upwards of 300 vessels to transport the mineral to various ports in the country. Rockland, ME from Ingraham's Hill

In March 1877, the Granite Cutters' International Union was formed in Rockland. It was one of the earliest craft unions in the United States and formed among the region's growing granite industry. By 1886, shipbuilding was surpassed by the lime business, which had twelve manufacturers employing 1,000 workers. Nevertheless, Rockland had three or more

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...

s, a marine railway, five sail lofts and two

boatbuilder Boat building is the design and construction of boats and their systems. This includes at a minimum a hull, with propulsion, mechanical, navigation, safety and other systems as a craft requires. Construction materials and methods Wood W ...

s. Other industries included three

grain mills A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separated ...

, two foundries, three

carriage A carriage is a private four-wheeled vehicle for people and is most commonly horse-drawn. Second-hand private carriages were common public transport, the equivalent of modern cars used as taxis. Carriage suspensions are by leather strapping an ...

factories, six lumber mills, two

machine shop A machine shop or engineering workshop (UK) is a room, building, or company where machining, a form of subtractive manufacturing, is done. In a machine shop, machinists use machine tools and cutting tools to make parts, usually of metal or plast ...

s, three cooperies, one tannery, four granite and marble works, two

boot A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is cle ...

and shoe factories, and four printing offices. Fishing was also important. Fleets of Friendship Sloops sailed between the harbor and fishing grounds across

. The opening of the Knox and Lincoln Railroad in 1871 brought an influx of tourists. Inns and hotels were established to accommodate them, with the grandest being The Bay Point Hotel in 1889. With a commanding view near the

breakwater Breakwater may refer to: * Breakwater (structure), a structure for protecting a beach or harbour Places * Breakwater, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia * Breakwater Island Breakwater Island () is a small island in the Palme ...

, the resort offered every luxury and amusement. Renamed The Samoset Hotel in 1902, it was successful until the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, which began a slow decline. In the age of automobiles, travelers were no longer restricted to the limits of train service, but were free to explore elsewhere. Closed in 1969, the

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

hotel burned in 1972. A new Samoset Resort opened in 1974. In 1915, the new superdreadnought conducted tests and completed her running trials just off the shore from Rockland. Today, Rockland is an officially designated micropolitan area. Since the early 1990s, Rockland has seen a shift in its economy away from the

fishery Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

and toward a service center city. It has also seen a substantial increase in tourism and the downtown has transformed into one of unique shops, boutiques, fine dining and art galleries. Rockland is the commercial center of the midcoast Maine region, with many historic inns, a coffee roaster, a food co-op, a community radio station

WRFR-LP WRFR-LP (93.3 FM) is a radio station licensed to Rockland, Maine, United States. The station is licensed to The Old School and has been established WRFR as an independent community radio station. WRFR-LP is non-commercial and is operated entirel ...

, the

Farnsworth Art Museum The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine, United States, is an art museum that specializes in American art. Its permanent collection includes works by such artists as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, Thomas Eakins, Eastman Johnson, Fitz Henry Lan ...

and th
Center for Maine Contemporary Art
(CMCA). Rockland was named a Coast Guard City in March 2008, in recognition of the long-standing and special relationship that the city and its residents have with the United States Coast Guard. On March 13, 2017, the Rockland City Council approve
a resolve to support community diversity

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Rockland is located on

and the Gulf of Maine, part of the Atlantic Ocean. About ten miles to the east are the islands of North Haven and

, reached by

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

from Rockland. Rockland is crossed by

U.S. 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, ...

and 1A, and state routes 17, 73 and 90. It borders the towns of Owls Head to the southeast, Thomaston to the southwest,

to the northwest, and Rockport to the northeast.

Climate

The coldest month is January and the warmest month is July.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,297 people, 3,423 households, and 1,744 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,925 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7%

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% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic 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 3,423 households, of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% 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, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.1% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.73. The median age in the city was 43.5 years. 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,609 people, 3,434 households, and 1,943 families living in the city. The population density was 589.2 people per square mile (227.6/km). There were 3,752 housing units at an average density of 290.5 per square mile (112.2/km). The racial makeup of the city was 97.90% White, 0.25% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.57%

, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or

of any race were 0.57% of the population. There were 3,434 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were

living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.78. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,209, and the median income for a family was $37,083. Males had a median income of $27,212 versus $20,708 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,659. About 10.4% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. Voter registration

Arts and culture

Attractions

Rockland is home to the Maine Lobster Festival, a celebration held annually in honor of the town's primary export: lobster. In the first week of August, thousands of people come from all over the world to participate in this five-day event. Rockland also is home to the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, designed by internationally recognized architect Toshiko Mori, and the

, a world-famous art museum containing paintings by Andrew Wyeth and other well-known New England artists. Rockland's main street also features numerous small shops and businesses including coffee shops, book stores, art supply stores, restaurants, organic markets, computer repair and toy stores. Penobscot Bay, which Rockland borders, is known internationally as one of the best recreational sailing grounds in the world. The city's breakwater, built in the 19th century, also draws tourists.

Sites of interest

* Rockland Public Library * Farnsworth Art Museum * Center for Maine Contemporary Art * Lincoln Street Center for Arts and Education * Maine Lighthouse Museum * Maine Eastern Railroad * Maine Lobster Festival * North Atlantic Blues Festival * Rockland Breakwater Light * Rockland Historical Society and Museum * Maine Boats, Homes, and Harbors Show * University College at Rockland * The Coastal Children's Museum

Education

* Oceanside High School-East * The Watershed School * The Apprenticeshop * Coastal Senior College *

Mid-Coast School of Technology The Mid-Coast School of Technology also known as MCST, is a Vocational education, CTE School in the town of Rockland, Maine, Rockland, Maine in the United States. Students The Mid-Coast School of Technology mainly supports students from the follo ...

* Penobscot School * UMA Rockland Center (formerly University College at Rockland)

Infrastructure

Transportation

U.S. Route 1 passes through the county from the west and to the north.

Maine State Route 17 State Route 17 (abbreviated SR 17) is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways, located in the south central part of the state. It is a major regional route running for from an intersection with State Route 4 in Oquos ...

goes north from the town, and

Maine State Route 73 State Route 73 (abbreviated SR 73) is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways, a coastal route located in southern Knox County. It runs for from an intersection with SR 131 in St. George to an intersection with U.S. Route 1 ...

goes from the town, to the peninsula to the south. The

operates three ferry routes out of Rockland Ferry Terminal. There are multiple departures per day to

and North Haven, while ferries to

Matinicus Matinicus Isle is an island plantation in Knox County, Maine, United States. The island is located within Penobscot Bay about 20 miles east of the mainland coast and is accessible by state ferry service from Rockland or by air taxi from Knox Co ...

depart less regularly. Intercity buses operated by Concord Coach Lines also stop at the ferry terminal, with service to Boston,

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

, Brunswick, Bangor, and other nearby towns.

Rail

Until 1958, the Rockland was the terminus for Maine Central Railroad passenger trains from

, along the Rockland Branch from Brunswick. The Maine Central Railroad ran three trains a day on the days besides Sunday and fewer trains on Sunday. In Portland's Union Station, these trains made connections to trains to Boston, New York City, Bangor and the Canadian Maritimes. In the final months, service diminished to one daily except Sunday trip in each direction, until finally discontinuing on April 4, 1959. From 2003 to 2015, the Maine Eastern Railroad offered seasonal excursion service to Rockland, Maine which connected to Amtrak's '' Downeaster'' at Brunswick. In October 2017, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority announced plans to extend one weekend ''Downeaster'' round trip to Rockland between Memorial Day and Labor Day beginning in 2018. Intermediate stops would be made at Bath, Wiscasset, and Newcastle. As part of preparation, Amtrak, along with the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, Maine Department of Transportation and the Central Maine and & Quebec Railroad, made a test run of a train on August 14.

Notable people

* Adelbert Ames, Civil War general, senator and the 27th governor of Mississippi * Hiram George Berry, Civil War general and first commander of 4th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment *

Alton H. Blackington Alton H. Blackington (1898–1963) was a photographer, writer, radio personality, and television show host known for his features on life in New England. He was known as Blackie. Described as a "dyed-in-the-wool Yankee", he was a chronicler of New ...

, feature journalist, photojournalist and chronicler of New England; born in Rockland *

William T. Cobb William Titcomb Cobb (July 23, 1857 – July 24, 1937) was an American politician and the 46th Governor of Maine. Biography William Titcomb Cobb was born in Rockland, Maine, on July 23, 1857. He graduated in 1877 from Bowdoin College, where he ...

, 46th governor of Maine * Samuel Collins, Jr., state senator and Associate Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court * Leo Connellan, poet *

Gertrude Elliott Gertrude Elliott (December 14, 1874 — December 24, 1950), later Lady Forbes-Robertson, was an American stage actress, part of an extended family of theatre professionals including her husband, Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson, and her elder siste ...

, actress * Maxine Elliott, actress *

David F. Emery David Farnham Emery (born September 1, 1948) is an American politician from Maine. He served four terms as a Republican U.S. Representative from 1975 to 1983. Early life and education Emery grew up in Rockland before attending college at Worces ...

, US congressman *

Nathan A. Farwell Nathan Allen Farwell (February 24, 1812December 9, 1893) was a politician, businessman and United States Senator from Maine. Life and career Born in Unity, Maine, he attended the common schools, and then taught school 1832–33. He moved to Eas ...

, US senator *

Samuel C. Fessenden Samuel Clement Fessenden (March 7, 1815 – April 18, 1882) was an American abolitionist and United States Congressman from Maine. __NOTOC__ Early life and education Born in New Gloucester, Massachusetts (now in Maine), Samuel Fessenden gradua ...

, served in the 37th U. S. Congress, lived and served as a judge in RocklandTreese, Joel D.. ''Biographical directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996: the Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States, from the First through the 104th Congress, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1997''. Alexandria, Va.: CQ Staff Directories, Inc., 1997. Print. *

Todd Field William Todd Field (born February 24, 1964) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for directing three feature films: ''In the Bedroom'' (2001), '' Little Children'' (2006), and ''Tár'' (2022). He has received three Academy Award nomi ...

, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker * Obadiah Gardner, US senator *

Edward Sturgis Ingraham Edward Sturgis Ingraham (April 8, 1852 – August 16, 1926) was the first superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools, a noted mountaineer who climbed to the summit of Mount Rainier 13 times, and a leader in the effort to establish Mount Rainier ...

, educator, publisher, mountaineer, learned printing trade in Rockland *

Isaac Smith Kalloch Isaac Smith Kalloch (July 10, 1832 – December 9, 1887) was a Baptist pastor from New England who served as the 18th Mayor of San Francisco serving from December 1, 1879, to December 4, 1881. He also served as the first president of Ottawa Uni ...

, mayor of San Francisco *

Charles E. Littlefield Charles Edgar Littlefield (June 21, 1851 – May 2, 1915) was a United States representative from Maine. Biography Littlefield was born in Lebanon, Maine on June 21, 1851. He attended the common schools and Foxcroft Academy. He studied law, wa ...

, US congressman *

Theodore E. Long Theodore E. Long is the former president of Elizabethtown College. Long became president in 1996, and he retired in 2011. Prior to becoming president of Elizabethtown, Long served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Merrimack ...

, former president of Elizabethtown College *

Herbert Lord Herbert Mayhew Lord (December 6, 1859 – June 2, 1930) was United States Army officer and public official. He was most notable for his service as the Army's Director of Finance during World War I and the Director of the United States Bureau of ...

, director of the United States Bureau of the Budget and awarded the Distinguished Service Medal; born in Rockland *

Samizu Matsuki Samizu Matsuki (March 16, 1936 – August 4, 2018) was a Japanese artist and educator. She won the Gold Medal at the 1970 First New York International Art Show, the Grand Prix at the 1971 Locust Valley Art Show on Long Island, New York, and the Aw ...

, artist and educator *

Edward Mazurek Edward 'Coach' J. Mazurek (December 21, 1938 – October 4, 2017) was an American schoolteacher and politician from Maine. Mazurek served as a Democratic State Senator from Maine's 22nd District, representing much of Knox County, including Th ...

, state senator *

Edna St. Vincent Millay Edna St. Vincent Millay (February 22, 1892 – October 19, 1950) was an American lyrical poet and playwright. Millay was a renowned social figure and noted feminist in New York City during the Roaring Twenties and beyond. She wrote much of he ...

, Pulitzer Prize–winning poet *

Edward C. Moran Jr. Edward Carleton Moran Jr. (December 29, 1894 – July 12, 1967) was an American politician from Maine who served in the United States House of Representatives. Biography Born in Rockland, Maine, he graduated from Bowdoin College in 1917. At Bow ...

, US Representative * Louise Nevelson, artist, emigrated from Russia to Rockland as a child *

Edward Lawry Norton Edward Lawry Norton (July 28, 1898 – January 28, 1983) was an accomplished engineer and scientist. He worked at Bell Labs and is known for Norton's theorem. His areas of active research included network theory, acoustical systems, electro ...

, electrical engineer who developed the

Norton equivalent circuit In direct-current circuit theory, Norton's theorem, also called the Mayer–Norton theorem, is a simplification that can be applied to networks made of linear time-invariant resistances, voltage sources, and current sources. At a pair of term ...

, born in Rockland *

Walter Piston Walter Hamor Piston, Jr. (January 20, 1894 – November 12, 1976), was an American composer of classical music, music theorist, and professor of music at Harvard University. Life Piston was born in Rockland, Maine at 15 Ocean Street to Walter Ha ...

, Pulitzer Prize–winning composer *

Robert B. Rheault Robert Bradley Rheault (October 31, 1925 – October 16, 2013) was an American colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces who served as commander of the First Special Forces Group in Okinawa, and the Fifth Special Forces Group in Vietnam from May ...

, former commander of all Special Forces in Vietnam *

Alice Marion Shaw Alice Marion Shaw (born August 22, 1890) was an American composer, pianist, and teacher who was a well-known accompanist during the early 20th century. Shaw was one of three children born in Rockland, Maine, to Reverend Eurastus Melville Shaw an ...

, composer and pianist born in Rockland *

Carrie Burpee Shaw Mary Caroline (Carrie) Burpee Shaw (1850 - 1946) was an American composer, music educator, and pianist. She published her music under the name Carrie Burpee Shaw. Shaw was born in Rockland, Maine, to Mary Jane Partridge and Nathaniel Adams Burpee. ...

, composer and educator born in Rockland *

Charles Wilbert Snow Charles Wilbert "Bill" Snow (April 6, 1884 – September 28, 1977) was an American poet, educator and politician. He served as the 75th Governor of Connecticut. He generally went by the name Wilbert or Bill Snow, or formally as C. Wilbert Snow. ...

, educator, poet, college professor, Governonr of Connecticut, author of Codline's Child, born and summered in the Rockland area *

James Breckenridge Speed James Breckenridge Speed (alternatively James Breckinridge Speed; January 4, 1844 – July 7, 1912) was an American corporate executive, entrepreneur, and philanthropist based in Louisville, Kentucky. He served as the President of the Louisvill ...

, businessman and philanthropist, summered and died in Rockland

References

External links

City of Rockland, Maine
{{authority control Micropolitan areas of Maine County seats in Maine Cities in Maine Populated places established in 1769 Cities in Knox County, Maine Populated coastal places in Maine