Fryeburg 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 ...

in Oxford County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 3,369 at the 2020 census. Fryeburg is home to

Fryeburg Academy Fryeburg Academy is a private secondary school located in Fryeburg, Maine. The academy was founded in 1792, making it the oldest high school in Maine and one of the oldest private schools in the United States. Daniel Webster was one of the fir ...

, a semi-private preparatory school, and the International Musical Arts Institute. The town is also site of the Fryeburg Fair, which each October attracts approximately 300,000 visitors.

History

The area was once a major

Abenaki The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are Indigenous people 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 pred ...

Indigenous peoples of the Americas In the Americas, Indigenous peoples comprise the two continents' pre-Columbian inhabitants, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with them in the 15th century, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with the pre-Columbian population of ...

village known as Pequawket, meaning "crooked place," a reference to the large bend in the

Saco River The Saco River ( , Abenaki: ''Sαkóhki'') is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic O ...

. It was inhabited by the Sokokis tribe, whose territory along the stream extended from what is now Saco on the coast, to

Conway Conway may refer to: Places United States * Conway, Arkansas * Conway County, Arkansas * Lake Conway, Arkansas * Conway, Florida * Conway, Iowa * Conway, Kansas * Conway, Louisiana * Conway, Massachusetts * Conway, Michigan * Conway Townshi ...

, New Hampshire in the White Mountains. In 1706, Chief Nescambious would be the only Native knighted by the French. For a while the tribe was not hostile to English settlements, even hiring British carpenters to build at Pequawket a high

palisade A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a row of closely placed, high vertical standing tree trunks or wooden or iron stakes used as a fence for enclosure or as a defensive wall. Palisades can form a stockade. Etymo ...

fort as protection against their traditional enemy, the

Mohawks The Mohawk, also known by their own name, (), are an Indigenous people of North America and the easternmost nation of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the Five Nations or later the Six Nations). Mohawk are an Iroquoi ...

. In 1713, Sokokis

sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Alg ...

s signed the

Treaty of Portsmouth The Treaty of Portsmouth is a treaty that formally ended the 1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War. It was signed on September 5, 1905, after negotiations from August 6 to 30, at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, United States. U.S. P ...

to ensure peace with English colonists. Eventually, relations with the English soured. During

Father Rale's War Dummer's War (1722–1725) (also known as Father Rale's War, Lovewell's War, Greylock's War, the Three Years War, the Wabanaki-New England War, or the Fourth Anglo-Abenaki War) was a series of battles between the New England Colonies and the Waban ...

, Pequawket was attacked in the Battle at Pequawket on May 8, 1725, by

John Lovewell John Lovewell (October 14, 1691 – May 9, 1725) was a militia captain who fought during Father Rale's War (also known as Dummer's War or Lovewell's War). He lived in present-day Nashua, New Hampshire. He led three expeditions against the Abena ...

and his

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 ...

. Lovewell was killed, as were Chief Paugus and others. The tribe subsequently abandoned the village and moved to Canada. The township was granted on March 3, 1762, by 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 ...

to Colonel

Joseph Frye Joseph Frye (March 19, 1712 – July 25, 1794) was a military leader from colonial Massachusetts. Life Born in Andover, Massachusetts, he obtained the rank of general in the Massachusetts militia after serving in King George's War and the ...

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia *Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Andov ...

, Massachusetts. Colonists called it Pigwacket, a corruption of its former name. The first permanent settlement was in 1763 by Nathaniel Smith and his family from Concord, New Hampshire, though it is said that John Stevens, Nathaniel Merrill and a

slave Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

named Limbo spent the winter of 1762 here. Many pioneers were veterans of the French and Native Wars. When a portion of the grant was discovered to lie in

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, replacement land was granted as Fryeburg Addition in what is now part of Stow. On the eve of American independence, 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 ...

granted township privileges to Fryeburg. These were recognized and validated by the Continental Massachusetts government on January 11, 1777, when Fryeburg was incorporated. It began as a strategic

frontier A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. Australia The term "frontier" was frequently used in colonial Australia in the meaning of country that borders the unknown or uncivilised, th ...

outpost, and the earliest town in the White Mountain region. Excellent soil helped Fryeburg develop into a prosperous agricultural center, and the first

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

was established using Saco River

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 ...

in 1766. Other mills and factories produced

lumber 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). ...

, leather, harness,

tinware Tinware is any item made of prefabricated tinplate. Usually tinware refers to kitchenware made of tinplate, often crafted by tinsmiths. Many cans used for canned food are tinware as well. Something that is tinned after being shaped and fabricated i ...

, cheese and canned vegetables. After the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, the

Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad The Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad was a railroad planned to connect Portland, Maine, Portland, Maine to Ogdensburg, New York. The plan failed, and in 1880 the Vermont section was reorganized and leased by the Boston and Lowell Railroad, Boston ...

passed through town, bringing tourists escaping the heat and pollution of cities. Inns, hotels and boarding houses were built. Tourists began arriving by automobile after designation of the

Theodore Roosevelt International Highway The Theodore Roosevelt International Highway was a transcontinental North American highway, from the era of the auto trails, through the United States and Canada that ran from Portland, Maine (East Coast), to Portland, Oregon (West Coast). Its leng ...

in 1919 (identified as United States Route 302 since 1935). Fryeburg is today a year-round resort area. It is also an academic town.

, a private preparatory school, was founded in 1792. Before his career as a

statesman A statesman or stateswoman is a politician or a leader in an organization who has had a long and respected career at the national or international level, or in a given field. Statesman or statesmen may also refer to: Newspapers United States ...

Daniel Webster Daniel Webster (January 18, 1782 – October 24, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the U.S. Congress and served as the 14th and 19th United States Secretary of State, U.S. secretary o ...

taught for a year at the school, one of the oldest of its type in the nation. In 1924, Dr. Abraham Krasker founded Indian Acres Camp For Boys. Two years later, Dr. Krasker's wife Gertrude founded Forest Acres Camp For Girls. In 1997, the International Musical Arts Institute was founded at Fryeburg. File:Main Street, Fryeburg, ME.jpg, Main Street File:Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg, ME.jpg, Fryeburg Academy in 1913 File:Intervale, Fryeburg, ME.jpg, Intervale File:Lovell & Fryeburg Stage, Maine.jpg, Lovell & Fryeburg

stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...

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. Located beside the

border, Fryeburg is drained by the

. The town is served by U.S. Route 302,

Maine State Route 5 State Route 5 (abbreviated SR 5) is a state highway in Maine that runs from an intersection with State Route 9 in Old Orchard Beach, to an intersection with State Route 120 in Andover. Route description From its southern terminus near the ...

and Maine State Route 113.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Fryeburg has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,449 people, 1,368 households, and 920 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,844 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.4%

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 ...

, 0.6%

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, 2.9% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.7% 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 1.4% of the population. There were 1,368 households, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.7% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age in the town was 44 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.7% were from 25 to 44; 33% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% 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 3,083 people, 1,245 households, and 841 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,648 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.15%

, 0.32%

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 ...

, 0.13% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.16%

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 ...

, 0.16% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.17% of the population. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $34,333, and the median income for a family was $40,128. Males had a median income of $26,469 versus $20,486 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,658. About 9.7% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest

* Jockey Cap Rock is a granite

glacial erratic A glacial erratic is a glacially deposited rock (geology), rock differing from the type of country rock (geology), rock native to the area in which it rests. Erratics, which take their name from the Latin word ' ("to wander"), are carried by gla ...

by the Saco River. Arctic explorer

Robert Peary Robert Edwin Peary Sr. (; May 6, 1856 – February 20, 1920) was an American explorer and officer in the United States Navy who made several expeditions to the Arctic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was long credited as being ...

lived in Fryeburg from 1878 to 1879 and a made a profile survey of the hills and mountains visible from the top of this rock. His boyhood friend, Alfred E. Burton, suggested that the profile survey be made into a monument. The survey was cast in bronze and set on a granite cylinder, and was dedicated to his memory by the Peary Family in 1938. A

hiking trail A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. " ...

of half a mile leads visitors to the summit of the rock and the monument.
Fryeburg Fair Farm Museum

Fryeburg Historical Society & Museum

Education

Fryeburg is part of Maine School Administrative District #72. Jay Robinson is the current Superintendent. Schools in this district include Brownfield-Denmark, Brownfield Consolidated School (former school, now the Brownfield Community Center), C. A. Snow (former middle and elementary school), Molly Ockett, New Suncook School and

Transportation and commerce

U.S. Route 302 in Fryeburg is the second largest point of entry for highway traffic into the state of Maine, next to

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 ...

in Kittery. The town hosts a small airport, called Eastern Slopes Regional Airport. It is the home of Dearborn Precision Tubular Products, a major manufacturer of precision tubular products. It is also home to Har-Mac Steel, a manufacturer of structural reinforcing materials for the construction industry. Their products are being used in the construction of tunnels, bridges and major buildings in locations such as Chicago, New York and Puerto Rico.

Notable people

* Anna Barrows, early 20th century cooking lecturer * Charles S. Benton, US congressman * Nathaniel S. Benton, politician * John W. Dana, governor of Maine * Judah Dana, US senator * Marty Engstrom, Weather presenter & television personality *

, military leader and colonizer *

Spalding Gray Spalding Gray (June 5, 1941 – ) was an American actor, novelist, playwright, screenwriter and performance artist. He is best known for the autobiographical monologues that he wrote and performed for the theater in the 1980s and 1990s, as well ...

, actor, author * David Hastings, state senator *

Caroline Dana Howe Caroline Dana Howe (, Dana; August 21, 1824 - October 30, 1907) was an American writer of prose, poetry, and hymns. Her celebrated song, "Leaf by Leaf the Roses Fall", was claimed and used by several different authors, until her authorship was rea ...

(1824–1907), writer of prose, poetry, and hymns *

Eastman Johnson Jonathan Eastman Johnson (July 29, 1824 – April 5, 1906) was an American painter and co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, with his name inscribed at its entrance. He was best known for his genre paintings, paintings of ...

, artist *

Jigger Johnson Albert Lewis Johnson. (May 12, 1871 March 30, 1935), better known as Jigger Johnson (also nicknamed Wildcat Johnson, Jigger Jones, or simply The Jigger), was a legendary logging foreman, trapper, and fire warden for the U.S. Forest Service wh ...

, logger * Clarence E. Mulford, creator of

Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He wa ...

* Nescambious, Abenaki tribal chief * James R. Osgood, publisher *

, Arctic explorer * James W. Ripley, US congressman * Eric Rosenblith, violinist * Mark Walker, state legislator *

, US senator and secretary of state * James S. Wiley, US congressman