Rockport, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rockport, Maine
Town
View of Rockport Harbor
Location in Knox County and the state of Maine
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Knox
Incorporated	1891
Villages	Rockport Glen Cove Oakland Park Rockville West Rockport
Area
• Total	33.34 sq mi (86.35 km2)
• Land	21.64 sq mi (56.05 km2)
• Water	11.70 sq mi (30.30 km2)
Elevation	223 ft (68 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,644
• Density	168/sq mi (65.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	04856
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-63660
GNIS feature ID	0582699

Rockport is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. It's located about 35 miles (56.3 km) southeast of Augusta, the state capital. In 2020, the population was 3,644 people. Rockport is a popular place for tourists and is known as an art colony, a community where many artists live and work.

History of Rockport

Rockport was first settled in 1769 by Robert Thorndike. It was originally called "the River" or Goose River Village. Until 1852, it was part of a larger area known as Megunticook Plantation, which became the town of Camden in 1791.

Early industries in Rockport were very important. People built ships, harvested ice, and made lime. Lime was so important that in 1817, 300 barrels of it were sent to Washington, DC. This lime was used to help rebuild the United States Capitol building after it was damaged during the War of 1812.

In 1852, the people of Goose River decided to change their village's name to Rockport. They chose this name because of the many rocky areas in the town.

Becoming Its Own Town

On February 25, 1891, Rockport officially separated from Camden. This happened because of a disagreement about the cost of building a bridge. When Rockport became its own town, it took about half of Camden's population, three-quarters of its land, and, most importantly, the profitable lime and ice businesses.

Rockport's Art Scene

Rockport has a long history as a place for artists. Famous artists and art groups have played a big part in the town's life. Bay Chamber Concerts started in 1961, continuing the summer music lessons from the Curtis Institute.

Mary Louise Curtis Bok was very important in starting both Bay Chamber Concerts and the Curtis Institute. She owned a lot of land in Rockport and helped make the inner harbor area much more beautiful. Mary Lea Park, next to the Rockport Opera House, is named after her and a famous violinist named Lea Luboshutz.

Andre the Seal and Belted Galloways

Rockport was also home to Andre the Seal. Andre was a seal adopted by the Goodridge family in 1961. He became a huge tourist attraction in Rockport Harbor until he passed away in 1986. Harry Goodridge, who cared for Andre, wrote a book about him called A Seal Called Andre. A movie called Andre was made in 1994 based on the book, though a sea lion played Andre in the film. A statue of Andre now stands by the harbor to honor him.

Rockport is also famous for its Belted Galloway cattle. These cows are raised at Aldermere Farm, a 136-acre farm run by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust. The Belted Galloways are very popular and are often called "Oreo cookie" cows because of their black and white markings.

Rockport in Movies

Several movies have been filmed in Rockport:

• The Man Without a Face (1993) starring Mel Gibson
• Casper (1995)
• In the Bedroom (2001)

In 2008, Forbes magazine named Rockport one of the prettiest towns in America.

Geography of Rockport

Rockport covers about 33.34 square miles (86.35 km²). About 21.64 square miles (56.05 km²) is land, and 11.70 square miles (30.30 km²) is water. The town is located next to Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine, which are part of the Atlantic Ocean. Varnah Brook and Goose River flow through Rockport.

Neighboring Towns

Rockport is connected by U. S. Route 1 and state routes 17 and 90. It shares borders with several other towns:

• Rockland to the south
• Warren to the southwest
• Union to the west
• Hope to the northwest
• Camden to the north

Rockport's Climate

Rockport has a humid continental climate. This means it has big differences in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot, and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold.

Population and People

In 2010, there were 3,330 people living in Rockport. The town had 1,422 households, with 967 of them being families. The population density was about 153.9 people per square mile (59.4 per km²).

Most of the people in Rockport (97.6%) were White. About 0.3% were African American, 0.5% Native American, and 0.4% Asian. About 1.1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Rockport was 48.8 years. About 22% of the residents were under 18 years old. About 19.9% were 65 years or older. The town had slightly more females (51.8%) than males (48.2%).

Places to Visit in Rockport

Tidal Island

View of the harbor

The McCobb Spite House

• Aldermere Farm—home of the "Oreo cookie" cows
• Bay Chamber Concerts
• Camden Area History Center
• Camden-Rockport Historical Society
• Center for Maine Contemporary Art
• Indian Island Light
• Maine Media Workshops
• Rockport Opera House

Education in Rockport

• Maine School Administrative District 28 runs schools for students from kindergarten to 8th grade.
• Camden Hills Regional High School is where older students attend.

Famous People from Rockport

• Stephen Bowen, a politician and former Commissioner of Education.
• Gabriel Byrne, an Irish actor who lives here.
• Lew Dietz, a writer.
• Andre the Seal, the famous harbor seal.
• Harry Goodridge, author and Andre the Seal's caretaker.
• T. Allen Lawson, an artist.
• Thomas Tertius Noble, an English organist and composer who passed away here.
• Bidu Sayão, a Brazilian opera singer who lived and died here.
• Ada Bampton Tremaine, a person known for helping others (philanthropist).
• Molly White, a software engineer and writer.

See also

In Spanish: Rockport (Maine) para niños