Cousins Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cousins Island, Maine
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Location in Cumberland County and the state of Maine.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Cumberland |
| Town | Yarmouth |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.98 sq mi (5.14 km2) |
| • Land | 1.06 sq mi (2.75 km2) |
| • Water | 0.92 sq mi (2.39 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 528 |
| • Density | 497.64/sq mi (192.21/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-08500 |
Cousins Island is a small island located in Casco Bay, which is part of Yarmouth in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. It's known as a census-designated place, which means it's an area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. In 2020, about 528 people lived there. Cousins Island is also part of the larger Portland area.
Contents
Connecting to Cousins Island
Cousins Island is easy to reach! It's connected to mainland Yarmouth by a bridge called the Ellis C. Snodgrass Memorial Bridge. Most people just call it the Cousins Island Bridge. This bridge was built in 1955.
You can also take a ferry from Cousins Island to Chebeague Island. The ferry ride on the Islander takes about 15 minutes. It's a fun way to explore nearby islands.
The Wyman Power Station
On the southwestern side of Cousins Island, you'll find the Wyman Power Station. This is a large power plant that uses oil to create electricity. It can produce a lot of power, up to 823 megawatts!
The Wyman Power Station is a special type of plant called a peaking power plant. This means it only starts up and runs when there's a very high demand for electricity. For example, on super hot summer days when everyone is using air conditioning, this plant helps make sure there's enough power for everyone.
The Wyman Energy Center also has a big lithium-ion battery system. This battery helps store energy and makes sure the electricity supply stays steady. It was the first and largest system of its kind in New England when it was built.
How Cousins Island Got Its Name
Cousins Island, along with the Cousins River and Littlejohn Island, used to be known as the Hogg Islands. They were all named after an Englishman named John Cousins (who lived from about 1596 to 1682). He came from a place called Marlborough in England.
John Cousins became the owner of Cousins Island in 1645. He bought it from Richard Vines, who worked for Sir Ferdinando Gorges. A couple of years later, John Cousins sold about half of the island to Richard Bray. Richard Bray then settled on the island with another person named William Wise.
Heritage Radio Station WYAR
Did you know Cousins Island has its own radio station? Heritage Radio station WYAR was started in 1998 by Gary King. He set it up in the basement of his home on Cousins Island. Gary King passed away in 2019, but the radio station is still on the air today!
Geography
Cousins Island is a mix of land and water. According to the United States Census Bureau, the total area is about 5.1 square kilometers (or 1.98 square miles). Out of this, about 2.7 square kilometers (1.06 square miles) is land, and the rest, about 2.4 square kilometers (0.92 square miles), is water. So, almost half of the area is water!
See also
In Spanish: Cousins Island para niños
