Mechanic Falls, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mechanic Falls, Maine
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Location of Mechanic Falls, Maine
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 Mechanic Falls, Maine
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Androscoggin |
| Incorporated | 1893 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Manager / Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.16 sq mi (28.9 km2) |
| • Land | 11.00 sq mi (28.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2) |
| Elevation | 217 ft (66 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,107 |
| • Density | 283/sq mi (109.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP codes |
04256
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| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-38740 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0569502 |
Mechanic Falls is a small town located in Androscoggin County, Maine, in the United States. In 2020, about 3,107 people lived there. It's part of the larger Lewiston-Auburn area, which is a group of towns and cities close together.
Contents
History of Mechanic Falls
The area where Mechanic Falls is located was first given out in 1765. It was called Bakerstown Plantation. This land was given to Captain Thomas Baker and other soldiers. They received it for their help in the 1690 Battle of Quebec.
In 1795, Bakerstown Plantation became the town of Poland. Later, in 1802, Minot was created from part of Poland. The Little Androscoggin River became the border between these two towns. The village of Mechanic Falls grew up around this river.
People started settling the Poland part of Mechanic Falls in 1830. The Minot part was settled in 1836 by Dean Andrews. He liked the area because it had good soil for farming. It also had strong water power from the falls, which was great for mills. The town was named "Mechanic Falls" because of the "mechanics" (skilled workers) who operated the early factories and machines there.
Mechanic Falls grew into a small mill town. This growth really sped up after the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad arrived in the late 1840s. The railroad connected the village directly to bigger cities like Portland and Montreal. This made it easier for businesses to trade goods.
In 1850, the first paper mill opened in Mechanic Falls. In 1873, the Evans Rifle Manufacturing Company started making repeating rifles. These rifles were very popular with famous frontiersmen like Kit Carson and Buffalo Bill Cody. Other factories in town made things like canned foods, bricks, candy, carriages, and steam engines.
A very important business was J.W. Penney and Sons. John Witham Penney started making steam engines and machinery in 1872. In 1886, his two sons joined him. This company became one of the biggest machine shops in Maine. It played a huge role in the success of Mechanic Falls.
On March 22, 1893, Mechanic Falls officially became its own town. Later, in 1981, the last paper mill in town closed. Today, Mechanic Falls has many different types of businesses.
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Geography and Location
Mechanic Falls covers a total area of about 11.16 square miles (28.9 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 11.00 square miles (28.48 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.16 square miles (0.41 square kilometers), is water. The town gets its water from the Little Androscoggin River.
Several state roads pass through Mechanic Falls, including Route 11, Route 26, Route 121, and Route 124. The town shares its borders with other towns: Poland to the south, Oxford to the northwest, and Minot to the northeast.
Population Changes Over Time
The population of Mechanic Falls has changed over the 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. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,687 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,678 | −0.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,614 | −3.8% | |
| 1930 | 2,033 | 26.0% | |
| 1940 | 1,999 | −1.7% | |
| 1950 | 2,061 | 3.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,195 | 6.5% | |
| 1970 | 2,193 | −0.1% | |
| 1980 | 2,616 | 19.3% | |
| 1990 | 2,919 | 11.6% | |
| 2000 | 3,138 | 7.5% | |
| 2010 | 3,031 | −3.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,107 | 2.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 3,031 people living in Mechanic Falls. There were 1,206 households, which are groups of people living together. About 34.7% of these households had children under 18. The average age of people in the town was about 39.8 years old.
Places to Visit
- Mechanic Falls Historical Society
- The Samuel Penney House c. 1902
Education in Mechanic Falls
Mechanic Falls is part of Regional School Unit #16. The Superintendent of Schools for this district is Kenneth Healey.
The schools in this area include:
- Elm Street School
- Minot Consolidated School
- Poland Community School
- Bruce Whittier Middle School
- Poland Regional High School
Notable People from Mechanic Falls
Many interesting people have connections to Mechanic Falls:
- Mike Bordick – A professional baseball player who played shortstop in Major League Baseball.
- Bill Dunlop – A record-setting sailor who crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a very small boat.
- David Dunn – He served as the 18th governor of Maine.
- Frank Haven Hall – An inventor who created the Hall Braille Writer and other devices to help people read Braille.
- Marshall Kirk – A librarian and writer.
- Lewis L. Millett – A brave officer in the Korean War who received the Medal of Honor.
- Freelan Oscar Stanley – The inventor of the Stanley Steamer car. He also built the famous Stanley Hotel. He was a schoolmaster in Mechanic Falls from 1874 to 1881.
- Flora E. Strout (1867–1962) – A teacher and social reformer.
- "Edward L. Thayer" – A baseball player who supposedly played one game in 1876. He was listed as being born in Mechanic Falls, but it was actually a different player using a fake name.
See also
In Spanish: Mechanic Falls (Maine) para niños
