Alna, Maine
Encyclopedia
Alna is a town
in Lincoln County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 675 at the 2000 census. Home to the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum, Alna includes the early mill village of Head Tide, noted for its historic architecture.
Originally a part of old Pownalborough, the town was settled around 1760 and incorporated in 1794 by the Massachusetts General Court
as New Milford. But residents didn't like the name, so it was changed in 1811 to Alna, Latin for alder
, the tree which grows in profusion along the banks of the Sheepscot River
.
Alna is known for it's Asperger]Asperger] [Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradeunion Head Quarters (HQ), located on Mellow St, right across John Hackbler Park. Little it's known about this organization or it's activities but several agents have been found linked to it (Alias Shanzy)
Alna was the site of the first fish hatchery
in Maine, started shortly after the Civil War
. Between 1895 until 1933, Sheepscot Station was a stop on the narrow gauge
Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway
, which is now a heritage railway
in town.
, the town has a total area of 21.4 square miles (55.4 km²), of which, 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.20%) is water. Alna is drained by the Sheepscot River
.
The town in crossed by Maine State Route 194
and Maine State Route 218. It borders the towns of Wiscasset to the south, Dresden
to the west, Pittston
, Whitefield
and Jefferson
to the north, and across the Sheepscot River, Newcastle
to the east.
of 2000, there were 675 people, 266 households, and 197 families residing in the town. The population density
was 32.3 people per square mile (12.5/km²). There were 315 housing units at an average density of 15.1 per square mile (5.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.56% White, 0.30% Native American and 0.15% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.15% of the population. 0.1% African Americans.
There were 266 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples
living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $48,611. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $23,977 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,340. About 6.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Maine
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 34,457. Its county seat is Wiscasset. It was founded in 1760 and named after the English city Lincoln. At its founding, it accounted for three-fifths of the State's land, and stretched east to Nova...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 675 at the 2000 census. Home to the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum, Alna includes the early mill village of Head Tide, noted for its historic architecture.
History
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
as New Milford. But residents didn't like the name, so it was changed in 1811 to Alna, Latin for alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, the tree which grows in profusion along the banks of the Sheepscot River
Sheepscot River
The Sheepscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Its lower portion is a complex island estuary with connections to the Kennebec River downstream of Merrymeeting Bay.-Route:...
.
Alna is known for it's Asperger]Asperger] [Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradeunion Head Quarters (HQ), located on Mellow St, right across John Hackbler Park. Little it's known about this organization or it's activities but several agents have been found linked to it (Alias Shanzy)
Alna was the site of the first fish hatchery
Fish hatchery
A fish hatchery is a "place for artificial breeding, hatching and rearing through the early life stages of animals, finfish and shellfish in particular". Hatcheries produce larval and juvenile fish primarily to support the aquaculture industry where they are transferred to on-growing systems...
in Maine, started shortly after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Between 1895 until 1933, Sheepscot Station was a stop on the narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway
Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway
The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway is a gauge railway which operated from Wiscasset, Maine to Albion and Winslow, Maine. It was operated as a for-profit company from 1895 until 1933...
, which is now a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
in town.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 21.4 square miles (55.4 km²), of which, 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.20%) is water. Alna is drained by the Sheepscot River
Sheepscot River
The Sheepscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Its lower portion is a complex island estuary with connections to the Kennebec River downstream of Merrymeeting Bay.-Route:...
.
The town in crossed by Maine State Route 194
Maine State Route 194
State Route 194 is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Maine. The route runs runs from an intersection with State Route 27 in Pittston to an intersection with State Route 218 in North Newcastle, a village of Newcastle...
and Maine State Route 218. It borders the towns of Wiscasset to the south, Dresden
Dresden, Maine
Dresden is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States that was incorporated in 1794. The population was 1,625 at the 2000 census.-History:...
to the west, Pittston
Pittston, Maine
Pittston is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,548 at the 2000 census. The town was named for the family of John Pitt, who were early settlers....
, Whitefield
Whitefield, Maine
Whitefield is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,273 at the 2000 census. Whitefield is named for the celebrated British evangelist George Whitefield, who inspired the colonists before the town was settled in 1770, mainly by Irish Catholics...
and Jefferson
Jefferson, Maine
Jefferson is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,388 at the 2000 census.-History:Jefferson is a town in Lincoln County, incorporated on February 24, 1807, when Thomas Jefferson was President, from Ballstown Plantation...
to the north, and across the Sheepscot River, Newcastle
Newcastle, Maine
Newcastle is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,748 at the 2000 census. The village of Newcastle is located in the western part of the town, on the Damariscotta River...
to the east.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 675 people, 266 households, and 197 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 32.3 people per square mile (12.5/km²). There were 315 housing units at an average density of 15.1 per square mile (5.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.56% White, 0.30% Native American and 0.15% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.15% of the population. 0.1% African Americans.
There were 266 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $48,611. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $23,977 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $17,340. About 6.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
- Alna Meeting House (1789)
- Alna SchoolAlna SchoolThe Alna School is located in the town of Alna, Maine. The school was built in 1795 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1975....
(1795) - Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum
Notable people
- Fred H. AlbeeFred H. AlbeeFred Houdlette Albee was a surgeon who invented bone grafting and other advances in orthopedic surgery as a surgical treatment. He was also one of the fathers of rehabilitative medicine, a pioneer in physical, psychological and occupational rehabilitation...
, surgeon - John T. Averill, congressman
- Edwin Arlington RobinsonEdwin Arlington RobinsonEdwin Arlington Robinson was an American poet who won three Pulitzer Prizes for his work.- Biography :Robinson was born in Head Tide, Lincoln County, Maine, but his family moved to Gardiner, Maine, in 1870...
, poet - Daniel Rose, Governor of Maine