Bowdoinham, Maine
Encyclopedia
Bowdoinham is a town
in Sagadahoc County
, Maine
, United States. The population was 2,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland
–South Portland
–Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
. The town is located on the west side of Merrymeeting Bay
.
settlement. About 1720, the mouth of the Cathance River
was first settled by Captain Gyles Watkins. But during Dummer's War
, in the summer of 1723 all buildings in the region were burned and cattle
killed by the Norridgewock
s and their 250 Indian
allies from New France
. The Kennebec River
region was abandoned. When Gov. William Dummer
's Treaty of 1725 brought peace, it was resettled about 1730 by Abraham and Jonas Preble from York
.
Litigation from two conflicting claims, however, slowed the town's development. On July 3, 1637, Sir Ferdinando Gorges
, the lord proprietor of Maine, had granted this part of New Somersetshire to Sir Richard Edgcumbe of Mount Edgcumbe House
, situated at Cremyll
in Cornwall
, England. But the Kennebec Company conveyed it in 1752 to William Bowdoin of Boston, older brother of James Bowdoin
. The contested ownership went to court, whereupon Bowdoin won because Edgcumbe's grant was found obsolete and indefinite. On September 18, 1762, the Massachusetts General Court
incorporated it as Bowdoinham, named for William Bowdoin. It originally included Richmond
, set off in 1823, and portions of Topsham and the Plantation of West Bowdoinham, set off in 1788 as Bowdoin
.
Farmers grew apple
s, wheat
, hay
and potato
es. They also raised sheep. Shipbuilding
was an important early industry which faded over time, with the first vessel launched in 1768, and the last of any size in 1912. By 1886, the town had three sawmill
s, a gristmill
, plaster
mill, two clothing
factories, a cheese
factory and about a dozen ice
companies. It also produced boot
s and shoes
, tinware
, carriage
s and harness
. Once a site of wharves
to ship lumber
and other goods, Cathance Landing became the town's business center called Bowdoinham Village.
, the town has a total area of 39.1 square miles (101.3 km²), of which, 34.4 square miles (89.1 km²) of it is land and 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²) of it (12.11%) is water. Situated beside Merrymeeting Bay
, Bowdoinham is drained by the Cathance River
, Abagadasset River
, Muddy River
and Kennebec River
.
The town is crossed by Interstate 295
and state routes 24, 125 and 138. It borders the towns of Richmond
to the north, Bowdoin
to the west, and Topsham to the south.
of 2000, there were 2,612 people, 1,027 households, and 752 families residing in the town. The population density
was 75.9 people per square mile (29.3/km²). There were 1,107 housing units at an average density of 32.2 per square mile (12.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.70% White, 0.38% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 1,027 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% 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 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,779, and the median income for a family was $52,372. Males had a median income of $33,322 versus $28,810 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,118. About 10.0% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 16.7% 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 Sagadahoc County
Sagadahoc County, Maine
Sagadahoc County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 35,293. Its county seat is Bath. In total area, it is the smallest county in Maine....
, 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. The population was 2,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
–South Portland
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
–Biddeford
Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area
The Portland–South Portland–Biddeford Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Greater Portland, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Maine, anchored by the city of Portland and the smaller cities of South Portland and Biddeford...
. The town is located on the west side of Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay is a large freshwater tidal bay in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, and Cumberland counties, in the U.S. state of Maine. Merrymeeting Bay's unusual geography defies common landform terms. It is not what is usually meant by the word bay. It is somewhat like an estuary except for being fresh...
.
History
Fort Richmond was built upriver in 1719, protecting the area and encouraging EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
settlement. About 1720, the mouth of the Cathance River
Cathance River
The Cathance River is a river in Maine flowing into Merrymeeting Bay.It rises in Bowdoin at the junction of West Cathance and East Cathance streams and flows south into Topsham. Turning east and then northeast, it reaches tidewater at the village of Cathance within Topsham and continues northeast...
was first settled by Captain Gyles Watkins. But during Dummer's War
Dummer's War
Dummer's War , also known as Lovewell's War, Father Rale's War, Greylock's War, the Three Years War, the 4th Indian War or the Wabanaki-New England War of 1722–1725, was a series of battles between British settlers of the three northernmost British colonies of North America of the time and the...
, in the summer of 1723 all buildings in the region were burned and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
killed by the Norridgewock
Norridgewock
The Norridgewock were a band of the Abenaki Native Americans/First Nations, an Eastern Algonquian tribe of the United States and Canada. The tribe occupied an area in Maine to the west and northwest of the Penawapskewi tribe, which was located on the western bank of the Penobscot River...
s and their 250 Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
allies from New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
. The Kennebec River
Kennebec River
The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
region was abandoned. When Gov. William Dummer
William Dummer
William Dummer was Acting Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1723 to 1728.-Family:Dummer was born in Boston and died in Newbury, Massachusetts, the son of Jeremiah Dummer, the first American born silversmith, and Anna Atwater...
's Treaty of 1725 brought peace, it was resettled about 1730 by Abraham and Jonas Preble from York
York, Maine
York is a town in York County, Maine, United States at the southwest corner of the state. The population in the 2000 census was 12,854. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, three sandy beaches, and...
.
Litigation from two conflicting claims, however, slowed the town's development. On July 3, 1637, Sir Ferdinando Gorges
Ferdinando Gorges
Sir Ferdinando Gorges , the "Father of English Colonization in North America", was an early English colonial entrepreneur and founder of the Province of Maine in 1622, although Gorges himself never set foot in the New World.-Biography:...
, the lord proprietor of Maine, had granted this part of New Somersetshire to Sir Richard Edgcumbe of Mount Edgcumbe House
Mount Edgcumbe House
Mount Edgcumbe House is a stately home in south-east Cornwall. It is a Grade II listed building and the gardens are listed as Grade I in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England....
, situated at Cremyll
Cremyll
Cremyll is a coastal village in south-east Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately one mile west of Plymouth.Cremyll is on the Rame Peninsula facing Plymouth Sound. The Cremyll Ferry carries foot passengers and cyclists from Cremyll to Plymouth...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England. But the Kennebec Company conveyed it in 1752 to William Bowdoin of Boston, older brother of James Bowdoin
James Bowdoin
James Bowdoin II was an American political and intellectual leader from Boston, Massachusetts during the American Revolution. He served in both branches of the Massachusetts General Court in the colonial era and was president of the state's constitutional convention...
. The contested ownership went to court, whereupon Bowdoin won because Edgcumbe's grant was found obsolete and indefinite. On September 18, 1762, the Massachusetts General Court
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...
incorporated it as Bowdoinham, named for William Bowdoin. It originally included Richmond
Richmond, Maine
Richmond is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,298 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
, set off in 1823, and portions of Topsham and the Plantation of West Bowdoinham, set off in 1788 as Bowdoin
Bowdoin, Maine
Bowdoin is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,727 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
.
Farmers grew apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
and potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es. They also raised sheep. Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
was an important early industry which faded over time, with the first vessel launched in 1768, and the last of any size in 1912. By 1886, the town had three sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s, a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
, plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
mill, two clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
factories, a cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
factory and about a dozen ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
companies. It also produced boot
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
s and shoes
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
, tinware
Tinware
Tinware is any item made of prefabricated tinplate. Usually tinware refers to kitchenware made of tinplate, often crafted by tinsmiths. Many cans used for canned food are tinware as well. Something that is tinned after being shaped and fabricated is not considered tinware.-Properties:Tinware is...
, carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s and harness
Horse harness
A horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
. Once a site of wharves
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
to ship lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
and other goods, Cathance Landing became the town's business center called Bowdoinham Village.
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 39.1 square miles (101.3 km²), of which, 34.4 square miles (89.1 km²) of it is land and 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²) of it (12.11%) is water. Situated beside Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay is a large freshwater tidal bay in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, and Cumberland counties, in the U.S. state of Maine. Merrymeeting Bay's unusual geography defies common landform terms. It is not what is usually meant by the word bay. It is somewhat like an estuary except for being fresh...
, Bowdoinham is drained by the Cathance River
Cathance River
The Cathance River is a river in Maine flowing into Merrymeeting Bay.It rises in Bowdoin at the junction of West Cathance and East Cathance streams and flows south into Topsham. Turning east and then northeast, it reaches tidewater at the village of Cathance within Topsham and continues northeast...
, Abagadasset River
Abagadasset River
The Abagadasset River is a river in Richmond and Bowdoinham, Maine, flowing into Merrymeeting Bay, part of the estuary of the Kennebec River.-References:**...
, Muddy River
Muddy River (Merrymeeting Bay)
The Muddy River is a river in Topsham, Maine, which empties into Merrymeeting Bay.-References:**...
and Kennebec River
Kennebec River
The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
.
The town is crossed by Interstate 295
Interstate 295 (Maine)
Interstate 295 is a -long connector in the U.S. state of Maine from I-95 in Scarborough to I-95 in West Gardiner.-Route description:...
and state routes 24, 125 and 138. It borders the towns of Richmond
Richmond, Maine
Richmond is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,298 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
to the north, Bowdoin
Bowdoin, Maine
Bowdoin is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,727 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
to the west, and Topsham to the south.
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 2,612 people, 1,027 households, and 752 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 75.9 people per square mile (29.3/km²). There were 1,107 housing units at an average density of 32.2 per square mile (12.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.70% White, 0.38% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 1,027 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% 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 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,779, and the median income for a family was $52,372. Males had a median income of $33,322 versus $28,810 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 $21,118. About 10.0% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
- Bowdoinham Historical Society
- Bowdoinham Wildlife Management Area
- Merrymeeting BayMerrymeeting BayMerrymeeting Bay is a large freshwater tidal bay in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, and Cumberland counties, in the U.S. state of Maine. Merrymeeting Bay's unusual geography defies common landform terms. It is not what is usually meant by the word bay. It is somewhat like an estuary except for being fresh...
- The Sands
- Mailly Waterfront Park
Notable people
- Seth BerrySeth BerrySeth Allan Berry is an American educator and Democratic politician from the state of Maine. Elected in 2006, 2008, and 2010, he has served in the 123rd, 124th and 125th Maine House of Representatives as the representative for Maine's 67th district...
, educator and politician - Gardner ColbyGardner ColbyGardner Colby was a prominent businessman and Christian philanthropist. He is the namesake of Colby College in Maine and the town of Colby, Wisconsin.Colby was born in Bowdoinham, Maine in 1810 and spent part of his childhood in Waterville, Maine...
, businessman, philanthropist, namesake of Colby College - Robert Browne Hall, composer of marching music
- Arthur B. PattenArthur B. PattenArthur Bardwell Patten was a distinguished United States Congregational Church clergyman who served congregations in New England and the Pacific coast. He was the author of books, hymn texts and poems...
, clergyman and author - Frank SandfordFrank SandfordFrank Weston Sandford was the founder and leader of an apocalyptic Christian sect, informally called "Shiloh" and eventually known officially as "The Kingdom." Sandford was early attracted to premillennialism, the Higher Life movement, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, and divine healing;...
, religious leader - Pop WilliamsPop WilliamsWalter Merrill "Pop" Williams was a professional baseball pitcher whose playing career spanned nine seasons, including three in Major League Baseball. He was born in Bowdoinham, Maine on May 19, 1874. Williams batted right-handed and threw left-handed...
, baseball pitcher - Ethan Burnette, Filmmaker, photographer, writer, artist.