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Brownville, Maine facts for kids

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Brownville, Maine
General view c. 1910
General view c. 1910
Location in Piscataquis County and the state of Maine.
Location in Piscataquis County and the state of Maine.
Country United States
State Maine
County Piscataquis
Incorporated 1824
Communities Brownville
Brownville Junction
Knights Landing
Government
 • Type Board of Selectmen
Area
 • Total 44.62 sq mi (115.57 km2)
 • Land 44.03 sq mi (114.04 km2)
 • Water 0.59 sq mi (1.53 km2)
Elevation
781 ft (238 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,139
 • Density 26/sq mi (10.0/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
04414, 04481
Area code(s) 207
FIPS code 23-08325
GNIS feature ID 0582374

Brownville is a small and friendly town located in Piscataquis County, Maine, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,139 people lived here. The town includes a few smaller areas like Brownville, Knight's Landing, and Brownville Junction. Close to Brownville Junction, you can find part of the famous Appalachian Trail, known as the 100-Mile Wilderness.

Brownville's Past: A Look at History

How Brownville Began

The land where Brownville now stands was once bought by Moses Brown and Major Josiah Hill. They were from Newburyport, Massachusetts. In 1806, these early settlers built a dam and watermills on the Pleasant River. A dam helps control water flow, and watermills used the river's power to grind grain or saw wood.

At first, the area was called township T5 R8 NWP. In 1819, it became Brownville Plantation. It was named after Francis Brown, who was Moses Brown's nephew. He owned mills and traded goods. Finally, in 1824, the community officially became a town and was named Brownville.

Early Life and Industries

When people first settled in Brownville, they were given about 50 acres of land. They had to clear this land and farm it. They grew crops like hay, oats, potatoes, wheat, and various vegetables.

The water power from the Pleasant River was very important. It helped power many businesses. There were sawmills that cut wood, mills that made clapboard (a type of siding for houses), and gristmills that ground grain into flour. Factories also made shovel handles and carriages.

Slate and Iron Mining

Brownville was also known for its rich natural resources. There were many quarries where people dug up slate. Slate is a type of rock used for roofing tiles and blackboards. The slate from Brownville was so good that it won first prize at a big exhibition in 1876!

The Bangor & Piscataquis Slate Company opened in 1843 and had 60 workers. They produced a lot of roofing slate each year. Another big quarry, the Merrill Quarry, opened in 1846. It had about 80 workers and produced even more slate. Some quarries even brought in Welsh workers because they were skilled in slate mining. The last slate quarry closed in 1917.

Iron ore was also found near a place called Ore Mountain. In 1843, the Katahdin Iron Works was built. This was a factory where iron was made. Roads were built, and a blast furnace was set up to melt the iron ore. A hotel and houses were built for the workers. They used a lot of wood to make charcoal for the furnace. The iron works operated until 1856, producing thousands of tons of iron.

The Railroads Arrive

Moving the iron to places like Bangor was difficult and expensive. So, in 1881, the Bangor and Katahdin Iron Works Railway (B&KIW) was built to Brownville. It later connected to the Katahdin Iron Works in 1883.

In 1889, another important railway, the International Railway of Maine, was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). This line connected Montreal, Quebec, to Saint John, New Brunswick. It passed about three miles north of Brownville and crossed the B&KIW line. This crossing point became known as Brownville Junction.

Over the years, these railway lines changed hands. Today, the Canadian Pacific Railway owns them again. This helps connect Brownville Junction to the Port of Saint John in New Brunswick.

Local History Buff

A local historian named Bill Sawtell has written many books about Brownville's history. He has shared stories about the Katahdin Iron Works, the Highland Quarry, and the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad.

Brownville's Location and Climate

Where is Brownville?

Brownville covers an area of about 44.62 square miles (115.57 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The town is located between Sebec Lake and Schoodic Lake. The Pleasant River flows through Brownville.

Brownville's Weather

Brownville has a type of weather called a humid continental climate. This means it has big differences in temperature throughout the year. Summers are usually warm to hot, and sometimes humid. Winters are cold, and can sometimes be very cold.

Brownville's Population Over Time

Historical population
Census Pop.
1830 402
1840 568 41.3%
1850 787 38.6%
1860 793 0.8%
1870 860 8.4%
1880 896 4.2%
1890 1,074 19.9%
1900 1,570 46.2%
1910 1,808 15.2%
1920 1,743 −3.6%
1930 1,910 9.6%
1940 1,914 0.2%
1950 1,964 2.6%
1960 1,641 −16.4%
1970 1,490 −9.2%
1980 1,545 3.7%
1990 1,506 −2.5%
2000 1,259 −16.4%
2010 1,250 −0.7%
2020 1,139 −8.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

People in Brownville

According to the census in 2010, there were 1,250 people living in Brownville. These people lived in 527 households. Most of the people living in Brownville were White (97.3%).

About 29.4% of the households had children under 18 years old. The average household had about 2.37 people. The average age of people in Brownville was 44.5 years old. About 22.7% of the residents were under 18, and 17.4% were 65 or older.

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