Westbrook, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Westbrook, Maine
City
Seal
Location in Cumberland County and the state of Maine.
Westbrook, Maine Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Cumberland
Incorporated	1814
Named for	Colonel Thomas Westbrook
Government
• Type	Strong Mayor
Area
• Total	17.36 sq mi (44.96 km2)
• Land	17.19 sq mi (44.52 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.44 km2)
Elevation	75 ft (23 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,400
• Density	1,186.81/sq mi (458.23/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	04092, 04098
Area code	207
FIPS code	23-82105
GNIS feature ID	0578237
Website	www.westbrookmaine.com

Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. It is a close neighbor to Portland. In 2020, 20,400 people lived there. This made it the fastest-growing city in Maine between 2010 and 2020. Westbrook is part of the larger Portland metropolitan area.

History of Westbrook

Westbrook was first called Saccarappa. This name came from the Saccarappa Falls on the Presumpscot River. It used to be part of a town called Falmouth. On February 14, 1814, it became its own town named Stroudwater.

Soon after, its name changed to Westbrook. This was to honor Colonel Thomas Westbrook. He was a commander during a war called Father Rale's War. He was also an early settler and ran mills in the area. In 1871, Westbrook split into two towns. One was the Westbrook we know today, and the other was Deering. Deering later became part of Portland in 1898. In 1891, Westbrook officially became a city.

Early Industries and Mills

The Saccarappa Falls and Congin Falls were very important. They provided water power for the first mills in the city. In 1829, a sawmill was built at Saccarappa Falls. This made Westbrook known for its lumber. Other businesses started up too. They made things like grain bags, machines, water wheels, and carriages. They also made boots, shoes, moccasins, and bricks.

The Portland Manufacturing Company built a cotton textile mill. It made fabrics like "sheetings, stripes and ducks." A paper mill was built at Cumberland Mills. This area was once an Indian planting ground called Ammoncongin. By 1859, this mill made 1,000 tons of paper each year. In 1867, it became known as the S. D. Warren Paper Mill.

Transportation and Development

The Cumberland and Oxford Canal opened in 1832. It connected Portland to Harrison. It went through Westbrook and Sebago Lake. This canal was the main way to ship goods until 1871. Then, the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad made it less important. You can still see parts of the canal today. Some spots include Beaver Pond and near Westbrook High School. In 1885, the city opened Woodlawn Cemetery. It is the largest and newest burial ground in the city.

Gallery

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  Old Warren House c. 1912

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  Bridge Street c. 1912

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  Cumberland Mills c. 1907

Geography of Westbrook

Westbrook is located at 43°41′7″N 70°21′26″W / 43.68528°N 70.35722°W / 43.68528; -70.35722.

The city covers about 17.33 square miles (44.96 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Bodies of Water

Presumpscot River, looking upstream towards One Riverfront Plaza and Saccarappa Falls

Two main rivers flow through Westbrook. The Presumpscot River runs through the middle of the city. It has two famous waterfalls: Saccarappa Falls and Congin Falls. The smaller Stroudwater River flows through the southwest part of the city. Westbrook also has a part of Highland Lake.

Roads and Neighboring Towns

Westbrook is easy to get to by major roads. These include Interstate 95, U.S. Route 302, and State Routes 22 and 25.

Westbrook shares borders with several towns:

• Portland to the east
• South Portland and Scarborough to the south
• Gorham and Windham to the west
• Falmouth to the north

The Ice Disk

In January 2019, something cool happened! A huge, natural ice disk formed on the Presumpscot River. It was about 100 yards wide. This unusual sight got a lot of attention on social media and in the news around the world. It even brought more visitors to Westbrook for a short time.

Population of Westbrook

In 2010, there were 17,494 people living in Westbrook. By 2020, the population grew to 20,400. This shows that Westbrook is a growing city in Maine.

Economy of Westbrook

Westbrook is now mostly a suburb of the bigger city of Portland. However, Westbrook has its own growing businesses and a developing downtown area.

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a large international company. Its main office is in Westbrook. Many businesses are located in two industrial parks: the Col. Westbrook Industrial Park and Five Star Industrial Park. There are also businesses near Maine Turnpike Exit 48.

The city is home to Sappi Ltd.'s Westbrook Paper Mill. This mill used to be called the S. D. Warren Paper Mill. It was once the city's biggest employer and taxpayer. It employed over 3,000 people. Today, the mill focuses on making special papers. It employs about 300 people. IDEXX Laboratories is now the city's largest taxpayer. Westbrook was also where the first Sebago-Moc shoe factory was located.

Westbrook is home to the TV station WMTW. This station is the local ABC channel for southern Maine. Its studios are located off County Road.

Mercy Hospital has a small community hospital in Westbrook called Mercy Westbrook. It has a minor emergency room. Spring Harbor Hospital is also in Westbrook. It is the only private hospital in southern Maine that helps people with mental health.

Education in Westbrook

Old Bridge Street School c. 1920

Westbrook's public schools are part of the Westbrook School Department.

• Westbrook High School – Their sports teams are called the Blue Blazes.
• Westbrook Middle School (grades 5–8) – Their teams are the Falcons. This school used to be Fred C. Wescott Junior High School.
• Congin Elementary School (grades K–4) – Their teams are the Cougars.
• Canal School Elementary School (grades K–4) – Their teams are the Coyotes.
• Saccarappa Elementary School (grades K–4) – Their teams are the Shining Stars.

The old Wescott Junior High School building is now the Westbrook Community Center. Westbrook Middle School is in a new building near Westbrook High School.

Libraries in Westbrook

• Walker Memorial Library
• Warren Memorial Library (closed in 2009)

Neighborhoods in Westbrook

Westbrook has several distinct neighborhoods. People who live there generally know them, but they don't have special legal meaning. Unlike Portland, there are no official signs for these neighborhoods. Some of the well-known neighborhoods include:

• Birdland
• Cumberland Mills
• Deer Hill
• Frenchtown
• The Hamlet
• Prides Corner
• Old Millbrook
• Westbrook Pointe
• Woodland
• Colonial Village
• Highland Lake

Recreation in Westbrook

Riverbank Park

Civil War Memorial in Riverbank Park

Bashka Paeff created this 1920 sculpture honoring John Warren owner of the Cumberland Paper Mills.

Westbrook has many places for fun and sports. Besides the sports fields at Westbrook High School and other schools, the city has several public areas and facilities:

• Bicentennial Park & Skate Park
• Riverbank Park
• Westbrook River Walk – a path along the Presumpscot River in the downtown area.
• Cornelia Warren Memorial Trail – another path along the Presumpscot River.
• Westbrook River Trail – a path along the Presumpscot River north and east of the Sappi paper mill.
• Rocky Hill – a network of trails behind the Wescott Community Centre.
• Warren Little League Complex
• Lincoln Street skating rink – for ice hockey in winter, roller hockey in warmer months.
• East Bridge Street skating rink – used only in winter.
• Stroudwater Street skating rink – used only in winter.
• East Bridge Street ballfields
• Warren League Grounds
• Warren Pool – an outdoor public pool open in summer.
• Davan Pool – an indoor pool open all year.

Sites of Interest

• Acorn Productions Performing Arts Center
• Westbrook Historical Society & Museum
• Warren Memorial Fountain

Notable People from Westbrook

Walker Memorial Library c. 1912, designed by Frederick A. Tompson

Many interesting people have come from Westbrook, including:

• Benjamin Paul Akers, a sculptor.
• John Cumberland, a professional baseball player.
• Kevin Eastman, a cartoonist who helped create the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
• Artt Frank, a musician.
• Scott Garland (also known as Scotty 2 Hotty), a professional wrestler.
• George Gore, a professional baseball player.
• Curtis Jonathan Hussey (also known as Fandango), another professional wrestler.
• Rudy Vallée, a famous musician, band leader, and actor.
• Thomas Westbrook, the person Westbrook is named after.

See also

In Spanish: Westbrook (Maine) para niños