Monson, Maine Facts for Kids

Monson is a small town in Maine, a state in the United States. It's located in Piscataquis County. In 2020, about 609 people lived there. Monson is special because it's on Maine State Route 15, a road that leads north to the famous Moosehead Lake area. It's often called a "gateway" to this beautiful region. From Monson, you can even travel all the way to Quebec, a province in Canada.

This town is also well-known among hikers! It's the last town on the famous Appalachian Trail before (or after) the challenging Hundred-Mile Wilderness. Because of this, you'll often see many hikers in town. They stop to rest before or after their long journey. Several places in Monson welcome these hikers.

A Look Back in Time: Monson's History
Where is Monson? The Town's Geography
Who Lives in Monson? Population Facts
Learning in Monson: Education
Famous Faces: Notable People from Monson
See also

A Look Back in Time: Monson's History

A flooded slate quarry in Monson

Monson officially became a town on February 8, 1822. The state government made this happen. It was named after a town called Monson, Massachusetts. Before it became a town, the land was given to two schools, Hebron Academy and Monson Academy, in 1811.

The first person to settle here arrived in 1816. On April 22, 1822, the town held its first town meeting. This was where people gathered to form their local government. Monson is even mentioned in a book called The Maine Woods by Henry David Thoreau, a famous writer.

The Slate Industry: A Rock Solid Business

In 1870, something important was found in Monson: slate! A resident who had moved from Wales discovered it while riding his horse. Slate is a type of rock that can be split into thin, flat pieces. It's often used for roofs or blackboards.

Over the next few years, many slate quarries (places where slate is dug out) were opened. This made the town's population grow. It also brought a lot of money to the people living there. To move the heavy slate, a special train track called the Monson Railroad was built in 1883. Small trains carried slate and people to a bigger railroad in Abbot until 1943.

The slate business started to slow down after World War I. Most of the quarries closed. However, some companies like Sheldon Slate Product Company and Monson Maine Slate Co. kept working into the 2000s. Did you know that the headstone for John F. Kennedy's grave is made from Monson slate?

Moosehead Manufacturing: Making Furniture

In 1945, a company called Moosehead Woodcrafters bought some old slate company buildings. They started a new business called Moosehead Manufacturing. This company made furniture for over 60 years! They closed down in 2007.

Moosehead Manufacturing had another factory in Dover-Foxcroft. They sold their furniture all over Maine, the United States, and even to countries like Japan. This company created many jobs for people in Monson and nearby towns. It was common for parents and their children to work there together. The company was very important to Monson's economy.

Monson Today: A Growing Tourist Spot

For a long time, Monson's neighbors to the north were more popular for tourism. Monson used to have a hotel and even a steamboat for trips on Lake Hebron in the late 1800s. But these businesses declined.

Since the 1990s, tourism in Monson has started to grow again. With the furniture factory closing, many people now see Monson as a place for tourists. You can see this with new antique shops, a pub, and other businesses opening on Main Street.

Where is Monson? The Town's Geography

Monson covers a total area of about 49.10 square miles (127.17 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 46.78 square miles (121.16 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 2.32 square miles (6.01 square kilometers), is water.

Who Lives in Monson? Population Facts

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1830	411	—
1840	548	33.3%
1850	654	19.3%
1860	708	8.3%
1870	604	−14.7%
1880	827	36.9%
1890	1,237	49.6%
1900	1,116	−9.8%
1910	1,243	11.4%
1920	1,079	−13.2%
1930	1,181	9.5%
1940	977	−17.3%
1950	855	−12.5%
1960	852	−0.4%
1970	669	−21.5%
1980	804	20.2%
1990	744	−7.5%
2000	666	−10.5%
2010	686	3.0%
2020	609	−11.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

According to the 2020 census, 609 people lived in Monson. In 2010, there were 686 people and 308 households. Most of the people living in Monson are White. About 19.1% of the residents were under 18 years old. The average age in town was about 50.4 years.

Learning in Monson: Education

Monson used to have its own school called Monson Academy. It started classes in 1847. The school building was rebuilt in 1861 after fires. Monson Academy stayed open until 1968. After that, students in grades 7 through 12 started taking buses to schools in Dover-Foxcroft.

The Monson Academy had a successful basketball team known as the Slaters. Their colors were orange and black. Many of their trophies and school items are kept at the Monson Museum. You can see a plaque near where the school used to be, close to the Monson Community Center.

Monson Elementary School opened in the 1980s. An addition was built in the 1990s for a new library and classrooms. However, Monson Elementary closed after the 2008–2009 school year. Now, all public school students from Monson attend schools through MSAD 68. Younger students go to SeDoMoCha, and high school students go to Foxcroft Academy.

The old school building became a community center for a while. In 2017, it was bought by the Libra Foundation to become a space for artists. The gym is still owned by the town and is used for events like craft fairs and yard sales.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Monson

Berenice Abbott: An American photographer famous for her black-and-white pictures of New York City buildings in the 1930s.
Mary Louise Graffam: A teacher and missionary who witnessed the Armenian genocide.
Levi William Humphrey: A politician who was a member of the Canadian House of Commons.
George Pullen Jackson: An American educator and music expert.
Carl Sprinchorn: A Swedish-born American painter.
Ben H. Williams: An American labor leader.

Monson, Maine facts for kids

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