Dresden, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dresden, Maine
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Location in Lincoln County and the state of Maine.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Lincoln |
| Incorporated | 1794 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 33.21 sq mi (86.01 km2) |
| • Land | 30.45 sq mi (78.87 km2) |
| • Water | 2.76 sq mi (7.15 km2) |
| Elevation | 210 ft (64 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,725 |
| • Density | 57/sq mi (21.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
04342
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| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-18475 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582446 |
Dresden is a small and historic town located in Lincoln County, Maine, in the United States. It officially became a town in 1794. According to the 2020 census, about 1,725 people live there.
Contents
History of Dresden
Dresden was first settled in 1752 by French and German families. These settlers were Huguenots, which means they were French Protestants. They were among the first French-speaking people to come to Maine.
At that time, the area was called Frankfort. A fort named Fort Shirley was built there around the same time as Fort Halifax (Maine). In 1760, the town was named Pownalborough. This happened when Lincoln County was created in what was then the Maine District of Massachusetts.
Pownalborough used to include the town of Wiscasset, which later became its own separate town. In 1794, the remaining area was officially named Dresden. A local judge, Jonathan Bowman, chose the name because he simply liked how it sounded.
Important Historic Sites
Dresden is located on the eastern side of the Kennebec River. The town has several historic places you can visit. One is an old brick school building. Another is the Pownalborough Courthouse, which was built in 1760. This courthouse was the very first government building east of the Kennebec River. Today, it's a museum that is open to the public.
The families who settled Dresden played an important part in the fight for American independence in Maine. Famous people like Robert Treat Paine, John Hancock, and John Adams even visited the Pownalborough Courthouse during the time of the American Revolution.
Geography of Dresden
Dresden covers a total area of about 33.21 square miles (86.01 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 30.45 square miles (78.87 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 2.76 square miles (7.15 square kilometers), is water.
Rivers and Natural Features
The town is watered by two main rivers: the Kennebec River and the Eastern River. The Eastern River flows into the Kennebec River near the southern tip of Green Point and the southeastern side of Swan Island. The Eastern River is a popular spot for fishing, especially for smelt during the winter when people fish through holes in the ice.
Dresden also has two other interesting natural spots. One is Blinn Hill, which is 440 feet (134 meters) high. From the top of Blinn Hill, you can see the White Mountains, which are more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away! The other notable feature is The Great Bog, a very old wetland area located close to Blinn Hill.
Population Information
Dresden's population has changed over many years. Here's a look at how many people have lived in the town during different census years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 700 | — | |
| 1810 | 1,096 | 56.6% | |
| 1820 | 1,338 | 22.1% | |
| 1830 | 1,559 | 16.5% | |
| 1840 | 1,647 | 5.6% | |
| 1850 | 1,419 | −13.8% | |
| 1860 | 1,247 | −12.1% | |
| 1870 | 990 | −20.6% | |
| 1880 | 1,032 | 4.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,043 | 1.1% | |
| 1900 | 882 | −15.4% | |
| 1910 | 815 | −7.6% | |
| 1920 | 620 | −23.9% | |
| 1930 | 629 | 1.5% | |
| 1940 | 631 | 0.3% | |
| 1950 | 729 | 15.5% | |
| 1960 | 766 | 5.1% | |
| 1970 | 787 | 2.7% | |
| 1980 | 998 | 26.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,332 | 33.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,625 | 22.0% | |
| 2010 | 1,672 | 2.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,725 | 3.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the 2010 census, there were 1,672 people living in Dresden. The town had 700 households. About 29% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Dresden was 45 years old.
Places to Visit
- Brick Schoolhouse Museum, Dresden Historical Society
Education
Dresden is part of the Kennebec Intra-District Schools Regional School Unit. This means it shares school services with other nearby towns. For the 2011 to 2012 school year, Dresden Elementary School had about 104 students.
Notable People from Dresden
- David Kidder, who was a US congressman.
- Jeffrey Pierce, a state legislator.
- Lewis Turco, a well-known poet, teacher, and writer.
See also
In Spanish: Dresden (Maine) para niños
