Alna, Maine Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Alna, Maine

Alna Meeting House, built in 1789

Seal

Location in Lincoln County and the state of Maine.

United States

Settled

1760

Incorporated

1794

Government

• Type

Town Meeting

Area

• Total

21.32 sq mi (55.22 km²)

• Land

20.90 sq mi (54.13 km²)

• Water

0.42 sq mi (1.09 km²)

Elevation

128 ft (39 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

710

• Density

34/sq mi (13.1/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (Eastern)

ZIP code

04535

Area code(s)

207

FIPS code

23-01010

GNIS feature ID

0582321

Website

http://alna.maine.gov

Alna is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 710 at the 2020 census. Alna is home to the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum and is noted for its historic architecture, including the early mill village of Head Tide.

History
Geography
Demographics
- 2010 census
Sites of interest
Notable people
See also

History

Pulpit at the Alna Meeting House

Originally a part of old Pownalborough, the town was settled around 1760 and incorporated in 1794 by the Massachusetts General Court as New Milford. But residents did not like the name, so it was changed in 1811 to Alna, Latin for alder, the tree which grows in profusion along the banks of the Sheepscot River.

Alna was the site of the first fish hatchery in Maine, started shortly after the Civil War. Between 1895 and 1933, the narrow gauge Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway operated three stations in the town: Head Tide, Alna Center, and Sheepscot. The latter now serves as the base of operations for a heritage railway in town.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.32 square miles (55.22 km²), of which 20.90 square miles (54.13 km²) is land and 0.42 square miles (1.09 km²) is water. Alna is drained by the Sheepscot River.

The town in crossed by Maine State Route 194 and Maine State Route 218. It borders the towns of Wiscasset to the south; Dresden to the west; Pittston, Whitefield and Jefferson to the north; and across the Sheepscot River, Newcastle to the east.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1800	636	—
1810	797	25.3%
1820	978	22.7%
1830	1,175	20.1%
1840	990	−15.7%
1850	916	−7.5%
1860	805	−12.1%
1870	747	−7.2%
1880	687	−8.0%
1890	512	−25.5%
1900	444	−13.3%
1910	457	2.9%
1920	320	−30.0%
1930	294	−8.1%
1940	339	15.3%
1950	350	3.2%
1960	347	−0.9%
1970	315	−9.2%
1980	425	34.9%
1990	571	34.4%
2000	675	18.2%
2010	709	5.0%
2020	710	0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 709 people, 295 households, and 210 families living in the town. The population density was 33.9 inhabitants per square mile (13.1/km²). There were 346 housing units at an average density of 16.6 per square mile (6.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.5% White, 0.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 295 households, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.8% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% 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 2.78.

The median age in the town was 45.7 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 35.2% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.