Lyman, Maine Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lyman, Maine
Town
Lyman Town Hall
Lyman, Maine Location in Maine
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	York
Incorporated	1780
Area
• Total	40.49 sq mi (104.87 km²)
• Land	38.99 sq mi (100.98 km²)
• Water	1.50 sq mi (3.88 km²)
Elevation	272 ft (83 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	4,525
• Density	116/sq mi (44.8/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	04002
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-41750
GNIS feature ID	0582572

Lyman is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is a part of the Portland metropolitan area. In 2020, about 4,525 people lived there. Lyman is also home to the Massabesic Experimental Forest, which it shares with the nearby town of Alfred.

History of Lyman
Geography of Lyman
- Land and Water
- Roads and Neighbors
Population of Lyman
- How Many People Live Here?
See also

History of Lyman

Early Days and First Settlers

In 1660, a group of people including John Sanders bought land from the Abenaki leader Sosowen. This land is now the town of Lyman. It was first called Swanfield and people started settling there in 1767.

Some of the first families to live in Swanfield were the Waterhouses, Love Roberts, Alexander Grant, and Thomas Lord. Other early settlers included the Goodwin brothers, who built one of the first mills. John Low, who helped run the town, also lived there.

Becoming a Town

Swanfield officially became a town on April 24, 1780. The government of Massachusetts named it Coxhall. This name probably came from a town in England called Coggeshall.

Later, on February 25, 1803, the town's name was changed to Lyman. This was done to honor Theodore Lyman. He was a rich merchant who had a successful shipping business.

Life and Work in Lyman

The farmers in Lyman found that the land was a bit bumpy. But the soil was good for growing crops. They grew grains, hay, and apples.

People also built watermills near the larger ponds. There were two sawmills at Swan Pond and another at Kennebunk Pond. Cutting and selling lumber was a big way for many people to earn money.

In 1782, a sawmill and a gristmill were built at Goodwin's Mills. This area became the main place for businesses in town. Part of this village is actually in the town of Dayton.

In 1947, large fires caused a lot of damage in Lyman. Today, Lyman is mostly a bedroom community. This means many people who live there travel to other towns for work.

Geography of Lyman

Land and Water

Lyman covers a total area of about 40.49 square miles (104.87 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 38.99 square miles (100.98 square kilometers). The rest, about 1.50 square miles (3.88 square kilometers), is water. The Kennebunk River flows through Lyman.

Roads and Neighbors

Several important roads cross through Lyman. These include U.S. Route 202 and State Routes 5, 35, and 111.

Lyman shares its borders with several other towns. To the northeast are Hollis and Dayton. To the southeast are Arundel and Kennebunk. Alfred is to the southwest, and Waterboro is to the northwest.

Population of Lyman

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	765	—
1800	995	30.1%
1810	1,248	25.4%
1820	1,387	11.1%
1830	1,503	8.4%
1840	1,478	−1.7%
1850	1,376	−6.9%
1860	1,307	−5.0%
1870	1,052	−19.5%
1880	1,004	−4.6%
1890	854	−14.9%
1900	687	−19.6%
1910	615	−10.5%
1920	415	−32.5%
1930	370	−10.8%
1940	385	4.1%
1950	499	29.6%
1960	529	6.0%
1970	864	63.3%
1980	2,509	190.4%
1990	3,390	35.1%
2000	3,795	11.9%
2010	4,344	14.5%
2020	4,525	4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

How Many People Live Here?

The census is a count of all the people living in an area. In 2010, there were 4,344 people living in Lyman. These people lived in 1,660 households. A household means all the people living in one home.

The average age of people in Lyman in 2010 was about 43 years old. About 21.5% of the residents were under 18 years old. About 13.2% of the residents were 65 years or older.

Lyman, Maine facts for kids

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