Scarborough is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Cumberland, historic county *Cumberl ...

on the southern coast of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

. Located about south of

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...

, Scarborough is part of the

– South Portland–

Biddeford Biddeford ( ) is a city in York County, Maine, United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. Its population was 22,552 at the 2020 census. The twin cities of Saco and Biddeford include the resort communities of Biddefo ...

, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The population was 22,135 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous town in Maine.

History

In about 1630, John V. Stratton opened a

trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory in European and colonial contexts, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically a trading post allows people from one geogr ...

on Stratton Island in

Saco Bay Saco Bay ( ) is a small curved embayment of the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of Maine in the United States. Saco Bay is approximately wide, running from the Fletcher Neck (the Biddeford Pool peninsula) and the mouth of ...

off Scarborough's shore. In 1631, the

Plymouth Council for New England The Council for New England was a 17th-century English joint stock company to which James I of England awarded a royal charter, with the purpose of expanding his realm over parts of North America by establishing colonial settlements. The Coun ...

granted the "Black Point Patent" to Captain Thomas Cammock, nephew of the

Earl of Warwick Earl of Warwick is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom which has been created four times in English history. The name refers to Warwick Castle and the town of Warwick. Overview The first creation came in 1088, and the title was held b ...

. Cammock built a house and began residence in 1635 on the tract of land, which extended from the Spurwink River to Black Point—today this area is known as Prouts Neck. While on a voyage to the West Indies, in 1643, Thomas Cammock died at Barbadoes. Having no heirs, his patent was conveyed to his wife, Margaret Cammock. Settlements developed at Black Point, Blue Point (i.e., Pine Point),

Dunstan Dunstan ( – 19 May 988), was an English bishop and Benedictine monk. He was successively Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury, later canonised. His work restored monastic life in En ...

(i.e., West Scarborough) and Stratton Island. By 1650, there were fifty homes. The town offered excellent

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

and

farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

. On July 14, 1658, the

Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. Th ...

incorporated all of those settlements as Scarborough, named for

Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, sub ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. At the outbreak of

King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1678 between a group of indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodland ...

in 1675, Scarborough was an important coastal settlement with over one hundred houses and one thousand head of

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

. By 1676, the town had been laid to waste as a result of the war—some settlers were killed and others were taken hostage by the Native Americans. Subsequently, Massachusetts sent soldiers accompanied by Indian allies in 1677 to secure the town for resettlement. On June 29, 1677, while pursuing some Indians sent as a ruse, the company was ambushed by warriors under Chief Squandro. In the

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

of nearly one hundred soldiers, fifty to sixty were left dead or mortally wounded. Among the casualties was Captain Benjamin Swett. Called the Battle at Moore's Brook. In 1681, a great fort was erected at Black Point. After several attempts to rebuild between

guerrilla Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, Partisan (military), partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include Children in the military, recruite ...

incursions during

King William's War King William's War (also known as the Second Indian War, Father Baudoin's War, Castin's War, or the First Intercolonial War in French) was the North American theater of the Nine Years' War (1688–1697), also known as the War of the Grand Allian ...

, the survivors evacuated in 1690 and moved south to

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on ...

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. A

truce A ceasefire (also known as a truce), also spelled cease-fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may b ...

was signed in 1699 between the

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in New England which became one of the thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III and Mary II, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of Eng ...

and the Eastern Indians. Resettlement of Scarborough started in 1702 when seven settlers arrived from

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest List of municipalities in Massachusetts, municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line ...

, and construction began on a fort located on the western shore of Prout's Neck's Garrison's Cove. This fort was commanded by Captain John Larrabee. Despite the treaty, in August 1703, five hundred

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

and Indians under command of the Sieur de Beaubassin made a sudden descent upon English settlements from Casco Bay (

) to Wells. The fort on Prout's Neck sat atop a bluff. When the French and Native Americans arrived, they were protected from gunfire by the overhanging cliff. They subsequently began tunneling into the bluff to breach the fort from below. Had it not been for a two-day downpour that made the disturbed bank slough, exposing the previously hidden excavators to

sniper A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with telescopic si ...

s in the fort, the French and Native Americans might have been successful in their attempts to capture the fort and the eight people inside. However, Beaubassin retreated in search of easier prey. Despite occasional subsequent harassment, the second settlement succeeded. By 1749, it was economically prosperous. Cattle and

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

were important local products for export, with Scarborough's many

water power Hydropower (from Ancient Greek -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, 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 kin ...

sites operating a dozen

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, 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 ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Drained by the Scarborough River,

Nonesuch River The Nonesuch River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 30, 2011 river in southern Maine in the United States. It rises in Saco and travels northeast, then east, th ...

, Libby River and Spurwink River, the town is situated beside the

Gulf of Maine The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America. It is bounded by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and by Cape Sable Island at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northea ...

, part of the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

. The highest point is Beech Ridge, elevation . In early years of Scarborough's settlement

bonfire A bonfire is a large and controlled outdoor fire, used for waste disposal or as part of a religious feast, such as Saint John's Eve. Etymology The earliest attestations date to the late 15th century, with the Catholicon Anglicum spelling i ...

s were set on Scottow Hill, elevation , as warnings to the surrounding countryside of approaching danger. Scarborough is crossed by

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...

, Interstate 295,

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

, and State Routes 9, 77,

114 114 may refer to: *114 (number) *AD 114 *114 BC *114 (1st London) Army Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, an English military unit *114 (Antrim Artillery) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, a Northern Irish military unit *114 (MBTA bus) *114 (New Je ...

, and

207 Year 207 (Roman numerals, CCVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in Rome as the Year of the Consulship of Maximus and Severus (or, less frequently, year 960 ''Ab urbe condita''). The deno ...

. It is bordered by the town of Cape Elizabeth to the northeast, South Portland and Westbrook to the north and northwest, Gorham and

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Alston, Cumbria also claims this, but lacks a regu ...

to the west, and Saco and Old Orchard Beach to the south and southwest.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 18,919 people, 7,506 households, and 5,201 families living in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 8,617 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.5%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.2% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population. There were 7,506 households, of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.7% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in the town was 44.5 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 31.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.2% 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

of 2000, there were 16,790 people, 6,462 households, and 4,678 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 7,233 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.34%

, 0.38%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

, 0.18% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.17% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population. There were 6,462 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were

living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $76,491, and the median income for a family was $95,138. Males had a median income of $61,148 versus $31,372 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $40,321. About 3.0% of families and 4.0% 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 ...

, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Since October 7, 1969, the town has had a Council-manager government.

Economy

Scarborough is home to the headquarters of

Hannaford Hannaford is a rather uncommon surname worldwide, emanating from the small village of Hannaford in Devonshire, whose name may have originated as "Hanna's ford" and spread in the 16th-century to nearby towns such as Kingsbridge and Ashburton, Devon, ...

supermarkets.

Public schools

The town of Scarborough has its own K–12 public school system. * Scarborough High School * Scarborough Middle School * Wentworth Intermediate School * Eight Corners Primary School * Pleasant Hill Primary School * Blue Point Primary School

Neighborhoods

* Blue Point *

(known as "West Scarborough" during the railroad era; centered on the intersection of U.S. Route 1 with Broadturn Road and Pine Point Road) * Eight Corners *

Higgins Beach Higgins Beach is a small beach located in the state of Maine, United States. It is located in the town of Scarborough in Cumberland County. The beach is north of Prouts Neck and Old Orchard Beach and south of Crescent Beach State Park. This n ...

North Scarborough North Scarborough is an area within the town of Scarborough, Maine. It is centered on the intersection of Maine Route 22 (County Road) with Beech Ridge Road and Saco Street, and the adjacent junction of Route 22 and Maine Route 114 (Gorham Road) ...

* Oak Hill (the town center, with town hall and the high school, as well as shopping plazas) * Pine Point (between the Scarborough Marsh and

) * Pleasant Hill * Prouts Neck (projects into the

with its southwest shoreline marking the northeast end of

) *

West Scarborough West Scarborough is an area within the northwesternmost portion of the town of Scarborough, Maine. While the area of town around Dunstan Corner was once known as "West Scarborough" because of the station of that name on the Eastern Railroad, the ...

, current name for the northwestern part of the town

Sites of interest

Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Beech Ridge Motor Speedway is a defunct 1/3 mile NASCAR-sanctioned asphalt oval auto racing track in Scarborough, Maine. The track is located near the Scarborough Downs horse racing track. Beech Ridge Motor Speedway hosted races on Saturday ni ...

* Hannaford Supermarkets headquarters *

* Higgins Beach Market * Scarborough Beach State Park *

Scarborough Downs Scarborough Downs Race Track was a horse-racing track located in Scarborough, Maine, United States. It was Maine's largest race track. It was home to The Downs Club restaurant as well as a grandstand for race viewing, and includes 2 track-side lo ...

* Scarborough Historical Society & Museum *

Scarborough Marsh Scarborough Marsh is a 3,200-acre saltwater marsh owned by the state of Maine and managed by the state's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as a wildlife management area. It is situated in southern Maine, in the town of Scarborough, Maine ...

* Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center * Scarborough Public Library * Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary

Notable people

* Susan Alfond, (born 1946) American investor, philanthropist, and billionaire. * Kristin Barry, (b. 1973) distance runner *

Frank Bathe Francis Leonard Bathe (born September 27, 1954) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers. Playing career The former Phi ...

, (b 1954) Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman for

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

. *

Joe Bessey Joseph W. Bessey (born June 25, 1961) is a former NASCAR owner/driver. He won one career Busch Series race before heading back to the Busch Grand National North Series in 2001, where he continues to field teams. In his driving career in that seri ...

, (b 1961)

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...

owner/driver. *

Greg Finley Gregory Finley (born December 22, 1984) is an American actor, known for his role as Jack Pappas in the teenage drama series ''The Secret Life of the American Teenager'' as well as Drake in the series '' Star Crossed'' and '' iZombie'', and Girder ...

, (b 1984) American actor, * Linwood M. Higgins, (b 1948) politician from Maine. *

Winslow Homer Winslow Homer (February 24, 1836 – September 29, 1910) was an American landscape painter and illustrator, best known for his marine subjects. He is considered one of the foremost painters of 19th-century America and a preeminent figure in ...

, (1836–1910) landscape artist, painter and printmaker. * Erica Jesseman, (b. 1989) distance runner *

Rufus King Rufus King (March 24, 1755April 29, 1827) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father, lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was a delegate from Massachusetts to the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convent ...

, (1755–1827) American Founding Father, lawyer, politician, and diplomat. ambassador to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...

, (b 1947) author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. *

William King William King may refer to: Arts * Willie King (1943–2009), American blues guitarist and singer * William King (author) (born 1959), British science fiction author and game designer, also known as Bill King * William King (artist) (1925–2015), ...

, (1768–1852) American merchant, shipbuilder, army officer and first

Governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive. The current governor of Maine is J ...

Kelly Moore Kelly Moore (born January 31, 1959) is an American former professional stock-car racing driver. He has the all-time most wins in the NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series and the driver of the #47 NAPA Chevy. He is the father of NA ...

, (b 1959) American

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

driver * Ryan Moore, (b 1983) American

driver * Kelly Noonan Murphy (born 1974 or 1975), American politician * Wyatt Omsberg, (b 1995) professional soccer player

MLS Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanctioned by the United ...

. * Erin Pearl, (b 1982) former competitive figure skater.

References

External links

*
Scarborough Economic Development Corporation

Scarborough Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Populated places established in 1658 Portland metropolitan area, Maine Towns in Cumberland County, Maine Towns in Maine 1658 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies