Winthrop, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Winthrop, Maine
Town
Lake Annabessacook
Motto(s):  "We Play Outside"
Location in Kennebec County and the state of Maine.
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Kennebec
Settled	1765
Incorporated	1771
Villages	Winthrop East Winthrop Sturtevant Hill Winthrop Center
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	37.90 sq mi (98.16 km2)
• Land	31.22 sq mi (80.86 km2)
• Water	6.68 sq mi (17.30 km2)
Elevation	305 ft (93 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,121
• Density	196/sq mi (75.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	04364
Area code(s)	207
GNIS feature ID	582824

Winthrop is a small town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. It's part of the wider Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta areas. In 2020, about 6,121 people lived here. However, Winthrop's population often doubles in the summer! This is because many people own seasonal camps on the beautiful lakes and ponds.

Winthrop is a popular spot for fun outdoor activities. It has two main villages: Winthrop (the main town center) and East Winthrop. It's also known as the heart of the Winthrop Lakes Region.

Winthrop's Story: A Look Back in Time

Winthrop was once part of a large land purchase made by the Council for New England. When it was first settled in 1765 by Timothy Foster, people called it "Pondtown." This name came from all the lakes and ponds nearby.

On April 26, 1771, Pondtown officially became a town. It was renamed Winthrop after John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts. A nearby town, Readfield, was later formed from part of Winthrop in 1791. The land in Winthrop was good for farming, especially for growing hay, grain, and apples. It became well-known for its orchards and raising cattle.

Early industries grew around the lakes. In 1768, John Chandler built a sawmill at the spot where Maranacook Lake flows into Annabessacook Lake. He later added a gristmill to grind grain. Other businesses soon followed, like places to process cloth (a fulling mill), make leather (a tannery), and fix metal (a blacksmith shop).

By 1886, Winthrop was busy with several factories. It had a sawmill that produced a lot of lumber each year. There were also factories making oilcloth, window sashes, and blinds. A foundry and machine shop also operated here. When the Maine Central Railroad arrived, it brought both goods and visitors. This helped Winthrop become a popular summer resort, which it still is today!

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  Upper Dam Bridge around 1905

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  Maranacook Lake around 1905

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  The Elmhurst in 1908

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  Main Street around 1910

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  Public library, opened in 1916

Exploring Winthrop's Areas

Winthrop has different areas, often named by their direction. While the exact borders can vary, here are some of the main villages and neighborhoods:

• Winthrop is the central part of town, often called "The Village." It's located between northern Annabessacook Lake and southern Maranacook Lake. This is where you'll find most of the shops, restaurants, businesses, the public beach, and the library. About 43% of Winthrop's people live in this central area.
• North Area (Maranacook) wraps around Maranacook Lake. This area includes the popular Memorial Drive, also known as "The Drive." It has great public boat launches and is home to many summer and year-round houses, plus rental cabins.
• East Winthrop is next to Manchester and south of Readfield. It borders most of Cobbosseecontee Lake and all of Little Cobbosseecontee, Upper & Lower Narrows. East Winthrop has its own post office and ZIP code (04343) for mail delivered to post office boxes. This area offers amazing views of the Cobbosseecontee lakes.
• South Area (Annabessacook) borders Monmouth and goes around Annabessacook Lake. You'll find popular lakeside places here, like the Augusta West Resort and the historic Annabessacook Farm Bed & Breakfast.
• West Area (Mt. Pisgah area) stretches from Wilson Pond up to Berry Pond. The southern part of this area is where Mount Pisgah is located. This is a great spot for fishing, as Wilson Pond has many warm-water fish like bass and perch.

Winthrop's Location and Landscape

Winthrop is a town with both businesses and homes, located about 10 miles west of Augusta, Maine's capital city. About 10% of the homes in Winthrop are used only during certain seasons, like summer. The main downtown area is nestled between Maranacook and Annabessacook Lakes.

The town covers about 37.90 square miles (98.16 square kilometers). Most of this is land (31.22 sq mi or 80.86 sq km), and about 6.68 square miles (17.30 sq km) is water. Hoyt Brook helps drain water from the town.

Several important roads pass through Winthrop, including U. S. Route 202 and state routes 11, 41, 100, 133, and 135. Winthrop shares its borders with Manchester to the east, West Gardiner to the southeast, Monmouth to the south, Leeds and Wayne to the west, and Readfield to the north.

Winthrop is also home to Mt. Pisgah, which is the highest point in Kennebec County at 807 feet (246 meters) above sea level. The name "Pisgah" comes from a Hebrew word meaning "summit" or "lookout." There's a hiking trail that leads to a historic fire lookout tower on Mt. Pisgah. This tower was used from 1949 to 1992 to spot fires. Even though it's no longer used, it still stands today, and on a clear day, you can even see Mount Washington in New Hampshire from the top!

Winthrop's Population Changes

Winthrop has grown a lot over the years, especially in the 20th century when its population tripled. However, its growth has slowed down recently. In the 2010 census, the population actually went down a little for the first time in almost 100 years.

For a long time, Winthrop was the largest town in Kennebec County that wasn't a city. But in the 2010 census, Oakland became slightly larger in population.

Winthrop in 2010

In 2010, there were 6,092 people living in Winthrop. There were 2,598 households, and 1,740 families. The town had about 195.3 people per square mile.

Most of the people in Winthrop were White (97.6%). A small percentage were Black (0.3%), Native American (0.2%), Asian (0.3%), or from two or more races (1.4%). About 1.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Looking at age groups, 22.3% of the people were under 20 years old. The largest group was those aged 45 to 64, making up 34.2% of the population. The average age in Winthrop was 46 years old. Females made up 51.6% of the population, and males made up 48.4%.

Learning in Winthrop: Schools and Education

Winthrop Public Schools is the school district for Winthrop. It serves about 840 students from Pre-Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The schools are managed by the Winthrop School Committee, which has five elected members. These members serve for two years and hold public meetings every month.

Winthrop has three main schools:

• Winthrop Grade School for Pre-K to 5th grade, with about 395 students.
• Winthrop Middle School for 6th to 8th grade, with about 205 students.
• Winthrop High School for 9th to 12th grade, with about 242 students.

Winthrop also offers adult education programs through Monmouth/Winthrop Adult Education.

Fun Places to Visit in Winthrop

Winthrop has several interesting places to explore:

• Camp Mechuwana is a United Methodist Camp. It was started in 1948 and is located on 230 acres of forest land. The camp is right next to Lake Annabessacook and Lower Narrows Pond.
• The Charles M. Bailey Public Library serves Winthrop and nearby towns. It was founded in 1916 and is on Bowdoin Street. The library hosts many cultural events, like talks, film series, and music performances.
• Cobbossee Lighthouse is special because it's the only active lighthouse on inland waters in Maine.
• Moses Bailey House is a historic home.
• Mt. Pisgah is the highest point in Kennebec County. It has a hiking trail that leads to a historic fire lookout tower. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Washington in New Hampshire from the top!

The Winthrop Lakes Region: A Great Place to Play

View of Islands, Lake Cobbosseecontee

Winthrop is right in the middle of the Winthrop Lakes Region. This area is located between Lewiston and Augusta, Maine. It's centered around six big lakes: Androscoggin Lake, Annabessacook Lake, Cobbosseecontee Lake, Echo Lake, Maranacook Lake, and Parker Pond. There are also many smaller lakes and ponds.

Besides Winthrop, the region includes the towns of Fayette, Readfield, and Mount Vernon to the north. To the east is Manchester, to the south is Monmouth, and to the west are Wayne and Leeds.

The Winthrop Lakes Region is a very popular place for outdoor fun in central Maine. With over three dozen Lakes and ponds, there are lots of chances for boating, hiking, cycling, camping, and fishing. The area also hosts many events, concerts, and festivals along the lake shores.

Here are some of the bodies of water in the Winthrop Lakes Region:

*Cobbosseecontee Lake (often called Cobbossee) is known across the country as one of the best lakes for bass fishing. Cobbossee also has the only active lighthouse on inland waters in Maine, called Ladies Delight Light.

Famous People from Winthrop

Many notable people have connections to Winthrop, including:

• John T. Averill, a US congressman
• Hannah Johnston Bailey, an activist for peace, temperance, and women's right to vote
• Samuel P. Benson, a US congressman
• Del Bissonette, a MLB player and coach
• Thomas Fillebrown, who led the American Dental Association
• Patrick Flood, a state legislator in Maine
• Olga Fonda, an actress and model
• Henry H. Goddard, a psychologist
• Craig Hickman, a writer, farmer, and state legislator
• Ezekiel Holmes, an agricultural expert and politician
• Elizabeth Armstrong Reed, a scholar and author
• Ben Roy, a comedian and musician
• Jerrold Speers, a politician and lawyer
• Barbara Walsh, a journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize
• Benjamin White, a US congressman
• George F. Wilson, an MLB catcher
• Henry Clay Wood, a U.S. Army officer who received the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War

See also

In Spanish: Winthrop (Maine) para niños