Islesboro 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 Waldo 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, comprising Islesboro Island and several smaller islands. The population was 583 at the 2020 census. It has a summer colony accessible by state ferry service from Lincolnville Beach three miles to the west, by private boat, or by

air taxi An air taxi is a small commercial aircraft that makes short flights on demand. History The concept of air taxis existed as early as the 1910s. This concept goes back as early as 1917 with Glenn Curtiss’ prototype, the auto-plane. Furthermor ...

service. Home to Warren Island State Park, Islesboro includes the village of Dark Harbor.

History

The

Penobscot people The Penobscot (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewi'') are an Indigenous people in North America from the Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Northeastern Woodlands region. They are organized as a List of federally recogniz ...

called it Pitaubegwimenahanuk, meaning "the island that lies between two channels", although

André Thevet André Thevet (; ; 1516 – 23 November 1590) was a French Franciscan priest, explorer, cosmographer and writer who travelled to the Near East and South America. His most significant book was ''The New Found World, or Antarctike'', which comp ...

recorded the name Aiayascon in 1556. It was part of the Waldo Patent. First called Long Island Plantation, it was settled in 1769. It was incorporated as Islesborough on January 28, 1789, although over time the spelling was contracted to Islesboro. With many harbors and coves, the island was home to the largest commercial

shipping Freight transport, also referred to as freight forwarding, is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. The term shipping originally referred to transport by sea but in American English, it has been ...

fleet in the bay during the 19th century. Following 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 ...

, however, Islesboro developed as a resort community, and many large and luxurious summer homes were built. Their large

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

s cruised and raced throughout the Gulf of Maine. The town remains an upper-class enclave and summer colony.

Geography

Islands and villages

Situated in upper

Penobscot Bay Penobscot Bay () is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine and Atlantic Ocean in south central Maine, a stretch known as Midcoast Maine, in a broader Atlantic region known as Down East. The bay originates from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River, ...

, the island town separates East from West Penobscot Bay. Islesboro Island is narrow, mainly north-south and 14 miles long. Smaller islands include Job Island, Seven Hundred Acre Island, Spruce Island, Warren Island, Seal Island, Ram Island, Thrumcap, Middle Island, Minot Island, Ensign Island (#1 and #2), Lime Island, Flat Island, Hutchins Island, Little Island, Little Bermuda, Joe's Rock, and Birch Point. Semi-submerged features include Haskell Ledge, Minor Ledge, and Minot Island Ledge. The main island consists of two wider landmasses separated by a narrow

isthmus An isthmus (; : isthmuses or isthmi) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea count ...

called The Narrows. Neighborhoods and villages (small clusters of buildings) are distributed across the two: * Up Island, the northern landmass ** Pripet, also known as Warren's Landing or Beckett's Landing – the historic site of a kiln and steamboat wharf ** North Islesboro – historic village and current site of a general store ** Ryder's Cove – historic summer vacation spot and steamboat destination * Down Island, the southern landmass ** Islesboro Village, also known as Guinea Village – near Islesboro Harbor ** Hewes Point – historic summer vacation spot and steamboat destination ** Town Center – town offices, community center, and post office ** Grindle Point – current ferry landing, with historic lighthouse ** Dark Harbor – historic summer vacation spot and steamboat destination

Size and features

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. There is one large pond, called Meadow Pond, in the northern portion of the Island, the work of beavers that have dammed a narrow place. Ice was once harvested from this pond for export to places as far away as India. Hewes Point was named for Paola Hewes, an early pioneer settler.

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, Islesboro 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 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 566 people, 270 households, and 161 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 850 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.9%

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 ...

, 0.7%

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, 0.2% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.5% 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 0.9% of the population. There were 270 households, of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% 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, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. Of all households 34.4% were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.57. The median age in the town was 52.1 years. 17.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.4% were from 25 to 44; 37.5% were from 45 to 64; and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 603 people, 280 households, and 176 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 741 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.18%

, 0.17%

, 0.17% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population. There were 280 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were

living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. Of all households 30.7% were made up of individuals, and 13.6% 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 2.69. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $39,643, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $24,750 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 $25,653. About 5.5% of families and 7.2% 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 8.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Islesboro Central School is one of four island schools in Maine that cover all grades (K–12), the others being North Haven, Vinalhaven, and Mount Desert Island. It is also unique that it allows mainland students to pay tuition to attend from grades 5 through 12. The "

magnet A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nickel, ...

" students, and some teachers, who live on the mainland take the ferry across every morning where they are met with a school bus to take them to school. Students come from a range of midcoast towns to attend ICS. The number of the students in the school fluctuates, but is around 100 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The school is a member of the Busline League for middle school sports, and is in Class D, South, in the Maine Principals' Association. The competitive sports offered through the school include cross country running, sailing, soccer, basketball, and Ultimate Frisbee.

Notable people

* Winthrop Aldrich, banker and US Ambassador to the UK * Kirstie Alley, actress * John Judson Ames, editor and proprietor of the first newspaper in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

* Honor Blackman, actress * C. Douglas Dillon, diplomat and politician * Joan Dillon, American born duchess and princess * Ruth Draper, dramatist * Charles Dana Gibson, illustrator * Isabel Gillies, actress and author * Ved Mehta, author * Sister Parish, interior decorator * Kelly Preston, actressTour John Travolta and Kelly Preston's Shingle Style Home in Maine , Architectural Digest
Retrieved 2017-04-27. * George Stevens Jr., film director * John Train, investment advisor and author *

John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He began acting in television before transitioning into a leading man in films. List of awards and nominations received by John Travolta, His accolades include a Primetime Em ...

, actor * Lily Tuck, writer

References

External links

Official Web Page

The Alice L. Pendleton Library

Islesboro Community Center

Islesboro Island Trust

Islesboro Comprehensive Plan

Islesboro Central School District

Maine Genealogy: Islesboro, Waldo County, Maine

{{authority control Islands of Maine Islands of Waldo County, Maine Populated coastal places in Maine Towns in Waldo County, Maine Coastal islands of Maine