Farmington, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Farmington, Maine
Town
Downtown Farmington
Seal
Nicknames:  Farmtown, The Farm
Location in Franklin County, Maine
Farmington, Maine Location in Maine Show map of Maine Farmington, Maine Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Franklin
Incorporated	February 1, 1794
Villages	Farmington Farmington Falls Fairbanks West Farmington
Area
• Total	55.82 sq mi (144.57 km2 km2)
• Land	55.67 sq mi (144.18 km2 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.39 km2 km2)
Elevation	425 ft (130 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,592
• Density	136/sq mi (52.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP codes	04938, 04992, 04940
Area code(s)	207 Exchanges: 778,779,860

Farmington is a town in and the county seat of Franklin County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 7,592. Farmington is home to the University of Maine at Farmington, Nordica Memorial Auditorium, the Nordica Homestead, and the annual Farmington Fair.

History

The area was once territory of the Canibas tribe of Abenaki Indians. They had two camps located near Farmington Falls, with fields cleared for cultivation of maize and potatoes. Their fort's stockade enclosed about an acre at the center of what is today Farmington Falls village. A group from Topsham arrived in 1776 to explore the area and lay out a town, called Plantation No. 1 or Sandy River Plantation, but permanent settlement was delayed by the Revolutionary War.

In 1781, the first settlers arrived, the same year a sawmill was established. On February 1, 1794, Sandy River Plantation was incorporated as Farmington, named for its unusually fertile soil. Beginning with a cluster of log houses at Farmington Falls, the town grew quickly and prospered. Agriculture was an important early occupation, with hay a principal product. Orchards yielded apples and other fruit. Farmington became one of the largest wool producing towns in New England, with many herds of sheep grazing the hills and intervales.

The town's water power attracted industry, including five lumber mills, two sash, blind and door factories, two brickyards, a foundry, a rake factory, three gristmills, nearly a dozen carriage factories, a cheese factory, two corn canning factories, two reaper machine factories, a spool factory and a tannery. As a regional center for manufacturing, trade and agriculture, Farmington was designated county seat when Franklin County was formed in 1838. In 1859, the Androscoggin Railroad completed its line from Leeds Junction to Farmington, carrying freight and tourists.

In 1879, the town became the southern terminus for the narrow gauge Sandy River Railroad (later part of the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad), making it a gateway to the Rangeley Lake and Sugarloaf Mountain areas. Farmington suffered a devastating fire on October 22, 1886, when thirty-three houses, nineteen stores, three churches, the county jail and the post office were destroyed. The 1877 Methodist Church designed by noted architect Arthur H. Vinal survived. Farmington is today a college town and resort area.

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  Broadway c. 1905

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  Jacob Abbott home in 1906

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  Farmington Falls in 1907

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 55.82 square miles (144.57 km²), of which, 55.67 square miles (144.18 km²) of it is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km²) is water. Farmington is drained by Wilson Stream, Temple Stream, Beaver Brook and the Sandy River.

The town is crossed by U.S. Route 2 and Maine State Routes 4, 27, 43, 133, and 149. It borders the towns of Industry and New Sharon to the east, Chesterville to the south, Wilton to the southwest, Temple to the west, and Strong and New Vineyard to the north.

Farmington is divided up into four local areas and is sometimes mapped as such. These areas are West Farmington, Fairbanks, Farmington Falls, and Farmington (downtown). All areas except Fairbanks have their own zip code, but they are all still within Farmington's town limits.

Climate

Typically for Maine, Farmington has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) with cold (sometimes severely cold) winters and warm, often humid summers. Winters are cold and snowy, with forty nights per year under 0 °F or −17.8 °C and 68.6 days failing to top freezing. Snow cover peaks in February at typically around 18 inches or 0.46 metres, but the maximum reached is 84 inches or 2.13 metres on February 28, 1969. The coldest month since records began in 1893 has been January 1982 with an average of 3.4 °F or −15.9 °C, and the hottest July 1921 with an average of 73.3 °F or 22.9 °C, including twelve days over 90 °F or 32.2 °C, whilst the coldest winter was that of 1917/1918 with an average temperature of 10.45 °F or −12.0 °C. The hottest day was August 3, 1975 which reached 101 °F or 38.3 °C, whilst the coldest temperature has been −39 °F or −39.4 °C on January 20, 1994.

Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, with snowfall especially heavy in winter – the wettest calendar month has been December 1969 with 15.49 inches or 393.4 millimetres including 41.0 inches (1.04 m) of snow and a fall from a warm front of 9.97 inches or 253.2 millimetres of precipitation (mostly rain) on December 27 and 28. The snowiest season was that from July 1968 to June 1969 with total snowfall of 164.0 inches or 4.17 metres, whilst the least snowy was from July 1980 to June 1981 with 43.0 inches or 1.09 metres.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,760 people, 3,072 households, and 1,597 families residing in the town. The population density was 139.4 inhabitants per square mile (53.8/km²). There were 3,441 housing units at an average density of 61.8 per square mile (23.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.9% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 3,072 households, of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 48.0% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.75.

The median age in the town was 32.1 years. 16% of residents were under the age of 18; 27.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.3% male and 54.7% female.

Sites of interest

• Titcomb Mountain
• Sandy River
• Mount Blue Middle School
• University of Maine at Farmington

Farmington is home to a number of historic properties and districts. These include the Cutler Memorial Library, Farmington Historic District, First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Franklin County Courthouse, Free Will Baptist Meetinghouse, Greenacre, Chester Greenwood House, Merrill Hall, Nordica Homestead, Old Union Meetinghouse, Hiram Ramsdell House and the Tufts House.

Neighborhoods

• Downtown Farmington- The main part of town, The downtown has several banks, houses, stores, and public facilities in the town. The University of Maine at Farmington is located next to downtown. Downtown is at the Intersection of Main Street and Broadway Street.
• West Farmington- West Farmington is located at the junction of US Highway 2 and Maine State Route 43. Titcomb Mountain is in West Farmington. The Whistle Stop Rail-Trail startes at Oakes Street and continues to East Wilton, Wilton and Jay. Bikers, Hikers, ATVs, Snowmobiles, and Cross Country Skiers use the Trail. There is also a gas station called Madores. The Zip code is 04992.
• Farmington Falls- Farmington Falls is located at the junction of US Highway 2 and Maine State Route 41 and Maine State Route 156.There are some houses, a church, and a convenience store in the Community. The Sandy River passes through the town too. The zip code is 04940.
• Fairbanks- Fairbanks once housed a school, and has a trading post, along with some restaurants. It is located at the junction of Maine State Route 4 and Maine State Route 27. It is part of the 04938 Zip Code. The Lillian Nordica House is located in Fairbanks.
• Wilton Road- US Highway 2 in Maine passes through Farmington. This area has mostly businesses. There is a Walmart, Hannaford, KFC, Taco Bell, Subway, Pizza Hut and the Ford, GM, and Chrysler dealerships. There are 2 Dunkin Donuts off The Wilton Road. One near Big Lots and one at a Citgo Gas Station. There are other businesses located on Wilton Road. Between West Farmington and Subway, The Speed Limit is 30 MPH, and between Subway and the Comfort Inn at the Town Line it is 40 MPH. After The Comfort Inn it is 50 MPH until East Wilton. The Zip code on Wilton Road is 04938.
• Front Street- Front Street is a Street behind Downtown. There are a few houses before the intersection of Broadway. There is a new restaurant that serves Pizza, and Gelato called the Stone Hearth Cafe. The Narrow Gauge Square has a cinema, and an Eye Doctor, and well as a few stores. Prescott Field is the sports field for baseball, softball, and soccer for the Beavers at the University of Maine at Farmington. Prescott Field is the main way to get to the Sandy River swimming area too. Front Street has a Tavern, and a Farm supply store. Giffords is located on the corner of Main and Front Street. Front Street is considered the Main Street of Historic Farmington.

Prophecy

Farmington is the subject of a prophecy by the Quaker Licia Kuenning (formerly Lisa Bieberman) about a Coming New Order in the town. This was originally prophesied for Tuesday 6 June 2006 but, after gathering more than 80 people together with no apparent miracles on that date, is now prophesied "within the next few years".

Notable people

View of downtown

• Edward Abbott, clergyman, journalist, author
• Jacob Abbott, author, educator
• Elizabeth Akers Allen, author, journalist, poet
• Hiram Belcher, US congressman
• Supply Belcher, composer, musician
• Nathan Cutler, politician
• Robert Goodenow, US congressman
• Walter Gooley, state legislator
• Chester Greenwood, the inventor of earmuffs
• Wilhelmina Harper, librarian and author
• S. Clifton Ives, Methodist bishop
• Julia Harris May (1833–1912), founder of May School in Farmington
• Janet Mills, Governor of Maine, former state attorney general
• Peter Mills, politician
• Samuel P. Morrill, US congressman and minister
• Lillian Nordica, singer
• Thomas Parker, Judge, early donor to Bates College
• Dan Simoneau, cross country skier
• Charlie Webster, state legislator and Chair of the Maine Republican Party
• Seth Wescott, first Olympic gold medalist in Snowboard Cross
• Henry Clay Wood, U.S. Army officer who received the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War
• Chandler Woodcock, state senator

See also

In Spanish: Farmington (Maine) para niños