Boothbay Harbor, Maine Facts for Kids

Boothbay Harbor is a charming town located in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. In 2020, about 2,027 people lived there. This town includes areas like Bayville, Mount Pisgah, and Sprucewold. It also has the villages of Isle of Springs and West Boothbay Harbor. During the summer, Boothbay Harbor is a very popular spot for yachting (sailing and boating) and for tourists to visit.

History of Boothbay Harbor
Geography and Location
Climate
Population and People
- How Many People Live Here?
Local News and Media
Places to Visit and See
Famous People from Boothbay Harbor
Gallery
See also

History of Boothbay Harbor

Early Settlements and Native Americans

The Abenaki people, who lived in this area first, called it Winnegance. The first Europeans to arrive were English fishermen in 1623. They set up an outpost called Cape Newagen. In 1666, an Englishman named Henry Curtis bought the right to settle Winnegance from the Abenaki leader, Sachem Mowhotiwormet.

However, the English settlers faced challenges. They were forced to leave their homes by the Abenaki in 1676 during a conflict called King Philip's War. The colonists returned after the war ended. But in 1689, during King William's War, they were driven out again. Winnegance was then left empty for about 40 years.

Becoming a Town: Townsend and Boothbay

In 1730, Colonel David Dunbar started a new settlement. He named it Townsend after Lord Charles Townshend. In 1764, this settlement officially became the town of Boothbay. Even with challenges during the French and Indian Wars and some troubles during the Revolutionary War, the settlement grew. Its large, deep, and safe harbor was a big reason for its success.

During the Penobscot Expedition in 1779, Boothbay was a meeting point for the American naval fleet. This was before their difficult battle with the British at Castine.

Growth and Modern Boothbay Harbor

In 1842, a part of Boothbay, then called Townsend, separated and became its own town, Southport. The harbor continued to grow as a center for fishing. In bad weather, it could shelter many ships, sometimes 400 to 500 vessels, often Friendship Sloops.

By 1881, the area had a busy fishery and a company that made fish oil. There was also an ice company, two places to repair boats (called marine railways), a company that made fertilizer, and a factory for canning lobsters. On February 16, 1889, this busy community officially became the town of Boothbay Harbor.

During World War II and into the 1950s, the Frank L. Sample shipyard in Boothbay Harbor built minesweepers for the United States Navy. Some scenes for the 1956 movie Carousel were filmed here. Today, Boothbay Harbor is a popular tourist spot. Visitors enjoy the state aquarium, art galleries, restaurants, and boat tours for whale watching or exploring coastal islands.

Geography and Location

Where is Boothbay Harbor?

Boothbay Harbor is located in the southern part of Lincoln County. It sits at the end of a peninsula that reaches into the Gulf of Maine, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. To the west, you'll find the Sheepscot River, and to the east is Linekin Bay.

The main part of town is at the northern end of Boothbay Harbor itself. This harbor connects to Linekin Bay further south. A narrow waterway called Townsend Gut separates Boothbay Harbor from Southport Island to the southwest.

Neighboring Towns and Areas

The town of Boothbay Harbor shares its northern and eastern borders with the town of Boothbay. To the south is the town of Southport. Across the Sheepscot River to the west are the towns of Westport and Georgetown.

Within Boothbay Harbor, you'll find several communities. The island community of Isle of Springs is in the western part. West Boothbay Harbor is in the west-central part. Bayville is near the eastern border, close to East Boothbay.

Roads and Waterways

Two main state roads, Route 27 and Route 96, pass through the town. Route 27 goes south into Southport and north about 13 miles (21 km) to Wiscasset. Route 96 heads east about 2 miles (3.2 km) to the village of East Boothbay and ends about 5 miles (8.0 km) away at Ocean Point.

The town of Boothbay Harbor covers a total area of about 9.22 square miles (23.87 km²). About 5.70 square miles (14.76 km²) of this is land, and 3.52 square miles (9.11 km²), or 38.17%, is water.

Climate

Boothbay Harbor experiences a climate typical of coastal Maine.

Climate data for Boothbay Harbor (Newcastle Weather Station)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	29.7 (−1.3)	33.1 (0.6)	41.5 (5.3)	53.2 (11.8)	65.3 (18.5)	73.2 (22.9)	78.6 (25.9)	76.9 (24.9)	67.8 (19.9)	56.8 (13.8)	45.3 (7.4)	34.4 (1.3)	54.6 (12.6)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	12.1 (−11.1)	15.4 (−9.2)	24.5 (−4.2)	34.0 (1.1)	44.0 (6.7)	52.5 (11.4)	58.3 (14.6)	57.3 (14.1)	49.5 (9.7)	39.4 (4.1)	30.5 (−0.8)	18.5 (−7.5)	36.3 (2.4)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	4.35 (110)	3.22 (82)	4.42 (112)	4.24 (108)	4.00 (102)	3.58 (91)	3.11 (79)	2.75 (70)	3.83 (97)	4.10 (104)	4.70 (119)	4.63 (118)	46.93 (1,192)
Source: NOAA

Population and People

How Many People Live Here?

The population of Boothbay Harbor has changed over the years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	1,699	—
1900	1,926	13.4%
1910	2,021	4.9%
1920	2,025	0.2%
1930	2,076	2.5%
1940	2,121	2.2%
1950	2,290	8.0%
1960	2,252	−1.7%
1970	2,320	3.0%
1980	2,207	−4.9%
1990	2,347	6.3%
2000	2,334	−0.6%
2010	2,165	−7.2%
2020	2,027	−6.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 2,165 people living in Boothbay Harbor. Most residents (97.1%) were White. A small percentage were African American (0.6%), Native American (0.3%), or Asian (0.8%). About 0.7% of the population was Latino.

The average age in town was 55.8 years. About 11.6% of residents were under 18 years old, and 33.2% were 65 years or older.

Local News and Media

If you want to know what's happening in the Boothbay Region, you can read the local newspaper, the Boothbay Register. The Lincoln County News also covers news in Boothbay Harbor. For daily news, the Portland Press Herald is available.