Andover, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Andover, Maine
Town
Main Street c. 1906
Seal
Andover, Maine Location in Maine Show map of Maine Andover, Maine Location in the United States Show map of the United States Andover, Maine Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Oxford
Incorporated	1804
Area
• Total	57.46 sq mi (148.82 km2)
• Land	57.42 sq mi (148.72 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2)
Elevation	669 ft (204 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	752
• Density	14.3/sq mi (5.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	04216
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-01325
GNIS feature ID	0582325

Andover is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 752 at the 2020 census. Set among mountains and crossed by the Appalachian Trail, Andover is home to the Lovejoy Covered Bridge and is the site of the Andover Earth Station.

History

The land which became known as Andover was originally purchased in 1788 by a group of proprietors mostly from Andover, Massachusetts. The original proprietors were Jonathan Abbot, Philip Abbott, Ebenezer Adams, Ingalls Bragg, Samuel Farnum, Samuel Johnson, Abiel Lovejoy, Benjamin Poor, Eben Poor, Jr., and Theodore Stevens, all of Andover, Massachusetts; John York of Bethel, Massachusetts; Joseph Frye of Fryeburg, Massachusetts; and Josiah Bean, Ezekiel Merrill, and Thomas Poor of Methuen, Massachusetts. The town was first settled in 1789 by Ezekiel Merrill and his family who were transported there from Bethel, Maine, in canoes managed by members of the local Pequawket tribe. The first saw-mill was built on the East Branch of the Ellis River by Col. Thomas Poor in 1791 and was used to provide the lumber for the still standing Merrill-Poor House.

The town was incorporated on June 23, 1804, as East Andover, and then renamed Andover in 1820 when Maine separated from Massachusetts.

Occupations for early inhabitants primarily included agriculture and lumbering. As the town developed, local factories made doors, sash, blinds, starch, cheese, boots, shoes, edge-tools, carriages, and harness. The town also had a tannery. Located on an intervale surrounded by mountains, Andover is noted for "its grand and beautiful scenery," with streams abounding in trout. After the Civil War, the town became a popular destination for sportsmen, especially fishermen attracted by the nearby Richardson Lakes. A hotel was built to accommodate the influx of tourists.

In 1960, Andover was selected to be site of the Andover Earth Station, completed in 1962. It was the location of the first live transatlantic television signal broadcast by satellite Telstar 1.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 57.46 square miles (148.82 km²), of which 57.42 square miles (148.72 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) is water. Crossed by the Appalachian Trail, Andover is drained by the Ellis River, a tributary of the Androscoggin River. The river is home to many fish and wildlife, from which avid hunters and fisherman try their luck.

The town is crossed by state routes 5 and 120. It borders the towns of Roxbury and Byron to the east, Rumford to the south, Newry to the southwest, Andover West Surplus to the west, and Andover North Surplus to the north.

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 system, Andover has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 821 people, 385 households, and 253 families living in the town. The population density was 14.3 inhabitants per square mile (5.5/km²). There were 603 housing units at an average density of 10.5 per square mile (4.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.8% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 0.5% from two or more races.

There were 385 households, of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.57.

The median age in the town was 51.1 years. 15.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 to 44; 35.3% were from 45 to 64; and 23.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

Sites of interest

Lovejoy Covered Bridge

• Andover Earth Station
• Andover Elementary School
• Andover Hook and Ladder Company Building
• Andover Public Library
• East Andover
• Lovejoy Bridge
• Merrill-Poor House

Notable people

• Charlie Akers, Olympic biathlete
• Robert W. Duplessie, politician
• Molly Ockett, Abenaki healer
• John Orville Newton, principal and politician
• Henry Varnum Poor, financial analyst
• John A. Poor, lawyer, editor, and entrepreneur

See also

In Spanish: Andover (Maine) para niños