Newcastle, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Newcastle, Maine
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Damariscotta River c. 1920
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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 (district) | June 19, 1753 |
| Incorporated (town) | August 23, 1775 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 32.57 sq mi (84.36 km2) |
| • Land | 29.05 sq mi (75.24 km2) |
| • Water | 3.52 sq mi (9.12 km2) |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,848 |
| • Density | 64/sq mi (24.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
04553
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| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-48645 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582617 |
Newcastle is a small town located in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. In 2020, about 1,848 people lived here. The main village of Newcastle is on the Damariscotta River. It's often called one of the "Twin Villages" along with Damariscotta, which is just across the Main Street bridge.
Contents
History of Newcastle
Newcastle was first settled in the 1630s by fishermen and about 50 families. Back then, it was called Sheepscot Plantation. A plantation was like an early settlement or colony.
Around 1649–1650, a man named John Mason bought land from local sachems, who were Native American chiefs, named Chief Robinhood and Chief Jack Pudding. In 1665, the area was claimed by the Duke of York, a powerful English noble.
The settlement was renamed New Dartmouth. However, it was attacked and destroyed in 1676 during King Philip's War, a major conflict between Native Americans and English colonists. Some people returned after the war, but the village was destroyed again in 1689 during King William's War, another conflict. Because of these wars, the village was empty for about 40 years.
In 1730, Colonel David Dunbar helped people resettle the area. He renamed it Newcastle to honor the Duke of Newcastle, a very important person in England at the time.
In 1978, the village of Sheepscot, which is part of Newcastle, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special place with important historical buildings. It has 51 buildings in different old styles like Italianate, Greek Revival, and Federal.
Geography and Location
Newcastle covers about 32.57 square miles (84.36 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 3.52 square miles (9.12 square kilometers) is water, mainly from the Damariscotta River.
Major roads like U.S. Route 1 and state routes 194 and 215 pass through the town. Newcastle shares borders with several other towns:
It is also close to towns across the water, such as Wiscasset, Nobleboro, Damariscotta, Bristol, and South Bristol.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 896 | — | |
| 1800 | 996 | 11.2% | |
| 1810 | 1,232 | 23.7% | |
| 1820 | 1,243 | 0.9% | |
| 1830 | 1,544 | 24.2% | |
| 1840 | 1,712 | 10.9% | |
| 1850 | 2,012 | 17.5% | |
| 1860 | 1,791 | −11.0% | |
| 1870 | 1,729 | −3.5% | |
| 1880 | 1,534 | −11.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,282 | −16.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,075 | −16.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,066 | −0.8% | |
| 1920 | 993 | −6.8% | |
| 1930 | 914 | −8.0% | |
| 1940 | 994 | 8.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,021 | 2.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,101 | 7.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,076 | −2.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,227 | 14.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,538 | 25.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,748 | 13.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,752 | 0.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,848 | 5.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
How People Live in Newcastle (2010)
In 2010, there were 1,752 people living in Newcastle. There were 787 households, which means groups of people living together, and 505 families. The population density was about 60 people per square mile.
Most of the people living in Newcastle were White (97.8%). A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 0.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 23.8% of households had children under 18. Most households (52.9%) were married couples living together. The average age of people in Newcastle was 49.6 years old.
Places to Visit
Here are some interesting places in Newcastle:
- Frances Perkins Center
- Newcastle Historical Society & Museum
- Lincoln Academy (a high school)
- Second Congregational Church
- St. Andrew's Church
- St. Patrick's Church
Famous People from Newcastle
- Edwin Flye: He was a US congressman.
- William T. Glidden: He owned a clipper ship line and invested in railroads.
- Frances Perkins: She was the US Secretary of Labor under President Franklin Roosevelt. She helped create important programs like Social Security.
- Peter Throckmorton: He was an American pioneer in underwater archaeology, which means he studied old things found under the sea.
Images for kids
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Damariscotta River c. 1920
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Location in Lincoln County and the state of Maine.
See also
In Spanish: Newcastle (Maine) para niños
