Boothbay, Maine Facts for Kids

Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,003 at the 2020 census. It includes the neighborhoods of Back Narrows, Dover, Linekin, Oak Hill, Ocean Point, Spruce Shores, and the villages of East Boothbay and Trevett. The surrounding Boothbay Region is a center of summer tourist activity, and a significant part of its population does not live there year-round. Five shipyards are located in the town, the largest of which is Washburn & Doughty.

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

History

Welcome to Boothbay sign featuring the motto Pelegrinis cibum dedimus, Latin for "We fed the Pilgrims"

The Abenaki people who lived in the region called it Winnegance. The first European presence in the region was an English fishing outpost called Cape Newagen in 1623. An Englishman by the name of Henry Curtis purchased the right to settle Winnegance from the Abenaki Sachem Mowhotiwormet in 1666. However, the English were driven from their settlements by the Abenaki in 1676 during King Philip's War. The colonists returned after the war ended. In 1689, during King William's War, they were driven out again. Winnegance was abandoned entirely, and remained a desolate waste for 40 years.

Colonel David Dunbar, governor of the Territory of Sagadahock, established a settlement called Townsend, after Lord Charles Townshend, in 1730, and convinced approximately 40 families of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, largely from the north of Ireland, to settle there. Some were veterans of the Revolution of 1688. The settlement survived and was incorporated as the town of Boothbay on November 3, 1764. In 1842, Townsend, now called Southport, split from Boothbay and was incorporated as its own town, followed by Boothbay Harbor in 1889.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 71.80 square miles (185.96 km²), of which 21.93 square miles (56.80 km²) is land and 49.87 square miles (129.16 km²) is water. Situated on the Cape Newagen peninsula extending into the Gulf of Maine, Boothbay lies between the Sheepscot River and Damariscotta River. The town includes Damariscove Island.

Boothbay is crossed by State Routes 27 and 96. It borders the towns of Edgecomb to the north, and Boothbay Harbor to the south. Separated by water, it is near the towns of Westport to the west, and South Bristol to the east.

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

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	997	—
1800	1,246	25.0%
1810	1,582	27.0%
1820	1,950	23.3%
1830	2,286	17.2%
1840	2,631	15.1%
1850	2,504	−4.8%
1860	2,857	14.1%
1870	3,200	12.0%
1880	3,575	11.7%
1890	1,718	−51.9%
1900	1,766	2.8%
1910	1,700	−3.7%
1920	1,432	−15.8%
1930	1,345	−6.1%
1940	1,370	1.9%
1950	1,559	13.8%
1960	1,617	3.7%
1970	1,814	12.2%
1980	2,308	27.2%
1990	2,648	14.7%
2000	2,960	11.8%
2010	3,120	5.4%
2020	3,003	−3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,120 people, 1,386 households, and 963 families living in the town. The population density was 142.3 inhabitants per square mile (54.9/km²). There were 2,474 housing units at an average density of 112.8 per square mile (43.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.0% White, 0.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 1,386 households, of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.5% were non-families. Of all households, 23.8% were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.63.

The median age in the town was 51.7 years; 17.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.9% were from 25 to 44; 35.1% were from 45 to 64; and 24.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.3% male and 50.7% female.

Sites of interest

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
- Bosarge Family Education Center
Damarsicove Island
- Damariscove Lifesaving Station
Knight-Corey House
Fisherman Island
Hodgdon Yachts
Old Gray House
Ram Island Light
Washburn & Doughty

Notable people

George Herbert Baker, painter
Brenda Bettinson, artist
Cole Brauer, sailor
Deborah Bronk, oceanographer
Mabel Conkling, sculptor
Robert H. Conn, government official
Francis C. Florini, politician
Richard Ford, author
Matthew Forgues, racewalker
Jane Gilbert, actress
Woodbury S. Grover, politician
Palmer Hayden, artist
John B. Hayes, admiral
Dorothy M. Healy, English professor and historian
Paul LePage, Governor of Maine
Beth Orcutt, oceanographer
Joseph Pollia, sculptor
Christopher Reeve, actor
Daniel Rose, politician
Dixie Selden, painter
Holly Stover, politician
T. J. Southard, shipbuilder, businessman, and politician
John Welsh, biologist

Boothbay, Maine facts for kids

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