Albion, Maine Facts for Kids

Albion is a small town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. In 2020, about 2,006 people lived there. It is a quiet place with a rich history, located in the beautiful state of Maine.

History of Albion
Geography of Albion
Population and People
- What the 2010 Census Showed
Famous People from Albion
Transportation in Albion
See also

History of Albion

Albion was first settled in 1790. It was known as Freetown Plantation back then. A minister named Daniel Lovejoy was one of the first settlers. His son, Elijah Parish Lovejoy, later became a famous minister too.

The town officially became a town on March 9, 1804. It was called the Town of Fairfax at that time. Over the years, Albion's borders changed a bit. It gained some land from Winslow in 1810. It also gave up some land in 1813, 1816, and 1818. This land later became part of China.

The town's name changed two more times. On March 10, 1821, it was renamed Ligonia. Then, on February 25, 1824, it was finally named Albion, which is the name it still has today.

Geography of Albion

Albion covers an area of about 39.46 square miles (102.20 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 38.83 square miles (100.57 square kilometers). The rest is water, which is about 0.63 square miles (1.63 square kilometers). The main body of water in Albion is Lovejoy Pond, which is quite large at 379 acres.

Several important roads pass through Albion. These include U.S. Route 202 and Maine State Routes 9 and 137.

Albion shares its borders with several other towns. To the northwest is Benton. To the north is Unity Township. Unity is to the northeast. To the east is Freedom. To the south, you'll find China and Palermo. Finally, to the west is Winslow.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1810	924	—
1820	1,204	30.3%
1830	1,393	15.7%
1840	1,624	16.6%
1850	1,604	−1.2%
1860	1,554	−3.1%
1870	1,356	−12.7%
1880	1,191	−12.2%
1890	1,042	−12.5%
1900	878	−15.7%
1910	922	5.0%
1920	900	−2.4%
1930	923	2.6%
1940	974	5.5%
1950	992	1.8%
1960	974	−1.8%
1970	1,056	8.4%
1980	1,551	46.9%
1990	1,736	11.9%
2000	1,946	12.1%
2010	2,041	4.9%
2020	2,006	−1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, the town of Albion had 2,041 people living there. There were 819 households, which are like homes where people live. Out of these, 568 were families.

About 30.9% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Many households, about 54%, were married couples living together. Some households had a single parent, either a mom (8.5%) or a dad (6.8%). About 30.6% of households were not families, meaning individuals or groups of friends living together.

The average age of people in Albion was 42.6 years. About 23.5% of the residents were under 18 years old. This means a good number of kids and teenagers live in Albion. About 14.6% of the people were 65 years or older. The town had a fairly even number of males and females. About 49.5% were male and 50.5% were female.

Famous People from Albion

Albion has been home to some notable individuals:

Edward Sturgis Ingraham: He was an educator and a mountaineer. He played a big part in helping to create Mount Rainier National Park.
Elijah P. Lovejoy (1802–1837): He was the son of Daniel Lovejoy, one of Albion's first settlers. Elijah was an abolitionist, which means he worked to end slavery. He was also an editor for a newspaper called the Alton Observer.
Owen Lovejoy (1811–1864): Owen was Elijah's brother. He was also a minister and a strong abolitionist. He later became a congressman for Illinois, helping to make laws for the country.

Transportation in Albion

Albion used to be the end point for a special railroad called the Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad. This was a "two-foot gauge" railroad, which means its tracks were narrower than standard tracks. It ran north from the seaport of Wiscasset, Maine.

The railroad reached Albion in November 1895. The goal was to extend it even further north, all the way to Quebec City in Canada. However, the railroad faced financial problems. It went through different owners and even changed its name a couple of times, becoming the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway. But in 1933, during the Great Depression, the railroad finally stopped running. People started using cars and trucks more, which made railroads less necessary.

Albion, Maine facts for kids

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