Westmanland is a town in

Aroostook County Aroostook County ( ; ) is the northernmost county in the U.S. state of Maine. It is located along the Canada–United States border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,105. The county seat is Houlton, with offices in Caribou and Fo ...

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 79 at the 2020 census.

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.

History

Starting in 1870, a Swedish-immigrant colony was established by the State of Maine in Aroostook County. On March 23, 1870, the Maine State Legislature passed an Act authorizing a Board of Immigration and William W. Thomas, Jr. was named Commissioner of Immigration. Thomas went to Sweden, recruited immigrants and led them first into New Sweden township followed by the townships of Westmanland and

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

. In 1879 the first group of immigrants settled in Westmanland. Victor Lindberg, from the Swedish province of

Västmanland Västmanland ( or ) is a historical Swedish province, or , in middle Sweden. It borders Södermanland, Närke, Värmland, Dalarna and Uppland. Västmanland means "West Man Land" or, less literally, "The Land of the Western Men", where the "we ...

, arrived in the area of Westmanland during 1881. He is credited with naming the new plantation Westmanland when it was organized June 1, 1892.''Westmanland History'' (Maine's Swedish Colony)
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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 62 people, 31 households, and 19 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 102 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.4%

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 ...

and 1.6% Native American. There were 31 households, of which 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% 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, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.47. The median age in the town was 55 years. 16.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 0% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.1% were from 25 to 44; 46.8% were from 45 to 64; and 21% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 54.8% male and 45.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 71 people, 33 households, and 17 families living in the town. The

was 2.0 people per square mile (0.8/km). There were 123 housing units at an average density of 3.4 per square mile (1.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 94.37%

and 5.63% Native American. There were 33 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were

living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% 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 2.83. In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $30,750, and the median income for a family was $33,750. Males had a median income of $22,917 versus $23,750 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 $13,551. There were 15.0% of families and 8.3% of the population living 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 no one under eighteen and 37.5% of those over 64.

Notable person

* Adm. Gregory G. Johnson, former commander U.S. Naval Forces, Europe and Allied Forces, Southern Europe

References

Other sources

* Lenentine, Charlotte ''The Swedish People of Northern Maine'' (University of Maine. 1950) * Hede, Richard ''Maine's Swedish Colony 1870–1970 Centennial Book'' (1970)

External links

Maine's Swedish Colony
{{authority control Swedish-American culture in Maine Towns in Aroostook County, Maine Towns in Maine Populated places established in 1879 1879 establishments in Maine