Orrington, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orrington, Maine
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 Orrington, Maine
Location in Maine
Orrington, Maine
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Penobscot |
| Area | |
| • Total | 27.33 sq mi (70.78 km2) |
| • Land | 24.99 sq mi (64.72 km2) |
| • Water | 2.34 sq mi (6.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 118 ft (36 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,812 |
| • Density | 153/sq mi (58.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
04474
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| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-55680 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582652 |
Orrington is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is located on the Penobscot River where the river meets the sea (called an estuary). In 2020, about 3,812 people lived there.
Contents
Exploring Orrington's Past
Orrington was once part of a larger area called Condustiegg or Kenduskeag Plantation. This area also included what are now the cities of Bangor and Brewer. Orrington officially became a town in 1788. Its main village was then called "New Worcester," which is now Brewer. Brewer later became its own town in 1812.
The name "Orrington" came from a mistake! The settlers wanted to name it "Orangetown," like a town in Maryland. But when it was written down in Massachusetts, where Maine was a territory back then, it was spelled "Orrington."
For many years, Orrington was important for shipping and ship building. Ships were built on Mill Creek in South Orrington. People even cut ice from the Penobscot River and shipped it to faraway places like the British West Indies.
Orrington's Location
Orrington is located on the estuary of the Penobscot River. An estuary is where a river meets the ocean.
The town covers a total area of about 27.33 square miles (70.78 square kilometers). Most of this is land (24.99 sq mi or 64.72 sq km), and a smaller part is water (2.34 sq mi or 6.06 sq km).
Getting Around Orrington
While nearby Bangor has bus services, Orrington itself does not.
Trains carry goods through Orrington. The tracks run along the Penobscot River. There are also special train facilities in Bangor and Hermon, Maine. These places make it easy to move goods between trains, trucks, and planes. They are close to Interstate 95 and Bangor International Airport.
Orrington's Economy
Orrington used to be home to the HoltraChem plant. This large factory made chemicals like chlorine for paper companies in Maine. In 2000, HoltraChem closed down. This meant 72 people lost their jobs. It was a big loss for the town.
As of 2002, the main industrial employer was the Penobscot Energy Recovery Corporation (PERC). This company burns waste to create energy. It employed 82 people.
Protecting the Environment
The HoltraChem site had a lot of pollution, especially from mercury. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is working to clean it up.
From 1967, HoltraChem released a lot of mercury into the river. Because of this, the amount of mercury in lobsters and crabs became too high. The Department of Marine Resources even had to close the fishing for these animals.
In 2000, some groups filed a lawsuit against the company that owned the plant. In 2021, a plan was approved to clean up the river. This plan also includes watching the river for a long time and funding projects to help the communities affected by the pollution.
People of Orrington
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 477 | — | |
| 1800 | 786 | 64.8% | |
| 1810 | 1,341 | 70.6% | |
| 1820 | 1,029 | −23.3% | |
| 1830 | 1,234 | 19.9% | |
| 1840 | 1,580 | 28.0% | |
| 1850 | 1,852 | 17.2% | |
| 1860 | 1,950 | 5.3% | |
| 1870 | 1,768 | −9.3% | |
| 1880 | 1,529 | −13.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,406 | −8.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,266 | −10.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,219 | −3.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,174 | −3.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,167 | −0.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,517 | 30.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,895 | 24.9% | |
| 1960 | 2,539 | 34.0% | |
| 1970 | 2,702 | 6.4% | |
| 1980 | 3,244 | 20.1% | |
| 1990 | 3,309 | 2.0% | |
| 2000 | 3,526 | 6.6% | |
| 2010 | 3,733 | 5.9% | |
| 2020 | 3,812 | 2.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Orrington's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 3,733 people living in Orrington. There were 1,478 households, which are groups of people living together. About 1,068 of these were families.
Most people in Orrington were White (98.2%). A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 0.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 30.7% of households had children under 18. Most households (60.5%) were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.53 people.
The average age in Orrington was 43.5 years old. About 21.9% of residents were under 18. About 13.5% were 65 years or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.6%) and females (50.4%).
Orrington's First Census in 1790
In 1790, the first US census counted 477 people in Orrington. There were 86 families. Most people were free white individuals. There was one other free person, and no slaves were recorded.
Education in Orrington
Orrington has a school for students from Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade. It's called Center Drive School, named after the road it's on. About 400 students attend this school. The school's mascot is the Eagles.
Famous People from Orrington
- Richard H. Campbell, a state lawmaker
- Ebenezer M. Chamberlain (1805–1861), a US congressman from Indiana
- Molly Kool (1916–2009), the first female ship captain in North America
- Benjamin Franklin Mudge (1817–1879), a geologist and paleontologist
- Enoch Mudge (1776–1850), the first American-born Methodist minister and a state congressman
- Thomas H. Mudge, a Methodist minister and theology professor
- Zachariah A. Mudge, a Methodist religious leader and writer
- Edward A. Pierce, a Wall Street banker who helped start Merrill Lynch
- J. Sumner Rogers, who founded the Michigan Military Academy
See also
In Spanish: Orrington para niños
