Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Encyclopedia
Cape Elizabeth is a town
in Cumberland County
, Maine
, United States. The town is part of the Portland–South Portland
–Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
. Based on the 2000 census, Cape Elizabeth has a population of 9,068 and is the state's most affluent municipality (per household median income).
Cape Elizabeth is the location of the Beach to Beacon 10K road race that starts at Crescent Beach State Park
(the "beach") and ends at Portland Head Light
(the "beacon").
was visited about 1605 by Samuel de Champlain
and was the site of a trading post
in 1628. John Smith
explored and mapped New England in 1615, and gave names to places mainly based on the names used by Native Americans
. When Smith presented his map to King Charles I
, he suggested that the king should feel free to change any of the "barbarous names" for English ones. The king made many such changes, but only four survive today, one of which is Cape Elizabeth, which Charles named in honor of his sister, Elizabeth of Bohemia
.
The first habitation by European
s was on Richmond Island. Without title, Walter Bagnall (called "Great Walt") in 1628 established a trading post
, dealing in rum
and beaver
skins. "His principal purpose appears to have been to drive a profitable trade with the Indians," writes historian George J. Varney, "without scruple about his methods." His cheating caught up with him in October of 1631, however, when he was killed by the Indians, who also burned down his trading post.
Two months later, the Plymouth Company
granted Richmond Island to Robert Trelawney
and Moses Goodyear, merchants of Plymouth
, England, who made it a center for fisheries and trade
. By 1638, Trelawney employed 60 men in the fisheries. The first settlers on the mainland were George Cleeve and Richard Tucker, who settled in 1630 on the shore opposite the island, and near the Spurwink River. They worked at planting, fishing and trading. Two years later they were driven off by John Winter, Trelawny's agent. In 1636, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, lord proprietor of Maine, gave Cleeve and Tucker a grant of 1500 acres (6.1 km²) including the neck of land called Machegonne—now Portland
. In 1643 English Parliamentarian Alexander Rigby bought the large existing Plough of Lygonia patent which included the entire area including Cape Elizabeth.
The Cape Elizabeth settlement located on the Fore River would be known as Purpoodock. It was attacked during King Philip's War
in 1675.
During King William's War
, in Major Benjamin Church's second expedition a year later on 11 September 1690 he arrived with 300 men as Casco Bay. He went up Androscoggin River
to the English fort Pejepscot Fort (present day Brunswick, Maine
). From there he went 40 miles up river an attacked a native village. 3-4 native men shot in retreat; Church discovered 5 english captives in the wigwams; six or seven prisoners butchered as an examplee; nine prisoners taken. A few days later, in retaliation, the natives attacked Church at Cape Elizabeth on Purpooduc Point, killing 7 of his men and wounding 24 others. On September 26, Church returned to Portsmouth, Maine.
During Queen Anne's War
, the town was destroyed in 1703. It would be resettled about 1719 or 1720.
Cape Elizabeth became Maine
's twenty-third town on November 1, 1765 when it separated from Falmouth, as Portland was then known. Its first town meeting was held on December 2, 1765. South Portland
separated in 1895 from Cape Elizabeth, which contains a number of houses designed by John Calvin Stevens
.
In 1872, construction of an artillery
base began around Portland Head Light
, which in 1899 would be named Fort Williams, after Major General Seth Williams of the Civil War
. The fort was to guard the southern entrance to Portland Harbor. Active between 1899 and 1962, the fort was then purchased by the town for about $200,000. Today, Fort Williams Park
includes Portland Head Light
and museum, some remains of the military fort, the ruins of Goddard Mansion, tennis courts, a baseball diamond and grandstand, and other recreation facilites. The park is maintained by the town which has repeatedly opted out of parking fees to ensure the park is maintained for use free of charge to the public.
, the town has a total area of 58.4 square miles (151.3 km²), of which, 14.7 square miles (38.1 km²) of it is land and 43.7 square miles (113.2 km²) of it is water. The nearest city is Portland
. Cape Elizabeth shares a border with South Portland
to the North, and Scarborough to the South.
The town includes two islands. Ram Island is a small and unoccupied island directly adjacent to Ram Island Ledge, home of the recently privatized Ram Island Ledge Light
. The 226 acre Richmond Island, originally inhabited by Native Americans then English Settlers, is now uninhabited except by a small herd of sheep. It is privately owned by the Sprague Family, the most prominent property owners in Cape Elizabeth, whose substantial estate also includes Ram Island Farm (on the mainland).
Cape Elizabeth is home of three coastal parks: Fort Williams Park
, Two Lights State Park
, and Crescent Beach State Park
. Additionally, The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, a private non-profit corporation, protects 560 acres of land on 22 different parcels for public use, maintaining a large system of connecting non-motorized trails on most.
of 2000, there were 9,068 people, 3,488 households, and 2,605 families residing in the town. The population density
was 615.5 people per square mile (237.7/km²). There were 3,724 housing units at an average density of 252.8 per square mile (97.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98% White, 0.3% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races
, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 3,488 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples
living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $72,359 (2007 est. 92,604 aol.realestate.com), and the median income for a family was $86,126 in 2000. Males had a median income of $61,128 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $37,983. About 1.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
, the town's only public schools. The Cape Elizabeth School Department offices are located across the street in Cape Elizabeth Town Hall. No private educational institutions, with the exception of preschools and day care centers, are located in Cape Elizabeth. The High School had its first graduating class in 1877.
Cape Elizabeth is home to one of the oldest continually operating pre-schools in the greater Portland area, Ledgemere Country Day School. The school first opened its doors in 1935 and has been operating in the same location ever since, though under a number of different owners.
Town Council Incumbents (Term Expires):
The School Board Incumbents (Term Expires):
, a weekly that began publishing in 2001, also serves the town, as well as the neighboring communities of Scarborough and South Portland. The earliest newspaper in town was the Casket, published in 1868 by George Libby, a realtor. The Coast Watch was a weekly newspaper started in 1895, lasting 20 years. In 1881, the Cape Elizabeth Sentinel was published in Ferry Village, now a part of South Portland. This weekly lasted nearly 30 years.
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 Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
, 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 town is part of the Portland–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...
. Based on the 2000 census, Cape Elizabeth has a population of 9,068 and is the state's most affluent municipality (per household median income).
Cape Elizabeth is the location of the Beach to Beacon 10K road race that starts at Crescent Beach State Park
Crescent Beach State Park
Crescent Beach State Park is a state park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States. Located outside of Portland, the Park opened in 1966.-References:...
(the "beach") and ends at Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine that sits at the entrance of the shipping channel into Casco Bay. The headlight was the first built by the United States government, and is now a part of Fort Williams Park.-History:...
(the "beacon").
History
At the southern tip of the promontory, Richmond IslandLudovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox
Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox and 1st Duke of Richmond was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was the son of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox and his wife Catherine de Balsac. Stewart was involved in the Plantation of Ulster in Ireland and the colonization of Maine in New England...
was visited about 1605 by Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
and was the site of a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
in 1628. John Smith
John Smith of Jamestown
Captain John Smith Admiral of New England was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was knighted for his services to Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania and friend Mózes Székely...
explored and mapped New England in 1615, and gave names to places mainly based on the names used by Native Americans
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...
. When Smith presented his map to King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, he suggested that the king should feel free to change any of the "barbarous names" for English ones. The king made many such changes, but only four survive today, one of which is Cape Elizabeth, which Charles named in honor of his sister, Elizabeth of Bohemia
Elizabeth of Bohemia
Elizabeth of Bohemia was the eldest daughter of King James VI and I, King of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Anne of Denmark. As the wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, she was Electress Palatine and briefly Queen of Bohemia...
.
The first habitation by European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s was on Richmond Island. Without title, Walter Bagnall (called "Great Walt") in 1628 established a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
, dealing in rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
and beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
skins. "His principal purpose appears to have been to drive a profitable trade with the Indians," writes historian George J. Varney, "without scruple about his methods." His cheating caught up with him in October of 1631, however, when he was killed by the Indians, who also burned down his trading post.
Two months later, the Plymouth Company
Plymouth Company
The Plymouth Company was an English joint stock company founded in 1606 by James I of England with the purpose of establishing settlements on the coast of North America.The Plymouth Company was one of two companies, along with the London Company, chartered with such...
granted Richmond Island to Robert Trelawney
Robert Trelawney
Robert Trelawney was an English merchant and colonist who settled lands in Maine USA and a politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1640 to 1642....
and Moses Goodyear, merchants of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, England, who made it a center for fisheries and trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
. By 1638, Trelawney employed 60 men in the fisheries. The first settlers on the mainland were George Cleeve and Richard Tucker, who settled in 1630 on the shore opposite the island, and near the Spurwink River. They worked at planting, fishing and trading. Two years later they were driven off by John Winter, Trelawny's agent. In 1636, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, lord proprietor of Maine, gave Cleeve and Tucker a grant of 1500 acres (6.1 km²) including the neck of land called Machegonne—now 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...
. In 1643 English Parliamentarian Alexander Rigby bought the large existing Plough of Lygonia patent which included the entire area including Cape Elizabeth.
The Cape Elizabeth settlement located on the Fore River would be known as Purpoodock. It was attacked during King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
in 1675.
During King William's War
King William's War
The first of the French and Indian Wars, King William's War was the name used in the English colonies in America to refer to the North American theater of the Nine Years' War...
, in Major Benjamin Church's second expedition a year later on 11 September 1690 he arrived with 300 men as Casco Bay. He went up Androscoggin River
Androscoggin River
The Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
to the English fort Pejepscot Fort (present day Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
). From there he went 40 miles up river an attacked a native village. 3-4 native men shot in retreat; Church discovered 5 english captives in the wigwams; six or seven prisoners butchered as an examplee; nine prisoners taken. A few days later, in retaliation, the natives attacked Church at Cape Elizabeth on Purpooduc Point, killing 7 of his men and wounding 24 others. On September 26, Church returned to Portsmouth, Maine.
During Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War , as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession was known in the British colonies, was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars fought between France and England, later Great Britain, in North America for control of the continent. The War of the...
, the town was destroyed in 1703. It would be resettled about 1719 or 1720.
Cape Elizabeth became 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...
's twenty-third town on November 1, 1765 when it separated from Falmouth, as Portland was then known. Its first town meeting was held on December 2, 1765. 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...
separated in 1895 from Cape Elizabeth, which contains a number of houses designed by John Calvin Stevens
John Calvin Stevens
John Calvin Stevens was an American architect who worked in two related styles — the Shingle Style, in which he was a major innovator, and the Colonial Revival style, which dominated national domestic architecture for the first half of the 20th century...
.
In 1872, construction of an artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
base began around Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine that sits at the entrance of the shipping channel into Casco Bay. The headlight was the first built by the United States government, and is now a part of Fort Williams Park.-History:...
, which in 1899 would be named Fort Williams, after Major General Seth Williams of 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...
. The fort was to guard the southern entrance to Portland Harbor. Active between 1899 and 1962, the fort was then purchased by the town for about $200,000. Today, Fort Williams Park
Fort Williams Park
Fort Williams Park is a 90 acre park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine encompassing numerous historical sites. Perhaps most famous for having Portland Head Light on its grounds, the park also encompasses the decommissioned and largely demolished United States Army post "Fort Williams", which was...
includes Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine that sits at the entrance of the shipping channel into Casco Bay. The headlight was the first built by the United States government, and is now a part of Fort Williams Park.-History:...
and museum, some remains of the military fort, the ruins of Goddard Mansion, tennis courts, a baseball diamond and grandstand, and other recreation facilites. The park is maintained by the town which has repeatedly opted out of parking fees to ensure the park is maintained for use free of charge to the public.
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 58.4 square miles (151.3 km²), of which, 14.7 square miles (38.1 km²) of it is land and 43.7 square miles (113.2 km²) of it is water. The nearest city is 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...
. Cape Elizabeth shares a border with 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...
to the North, and Scarborough to the South.
The town includes two islands. Ram Island is a small and unoccupied island directly adjacent to Ram Island Ledge, home of the recently privatized Ram Island Ledge Light
Ram Island Ledge Light
Ram Island Ledge Light is a lighthouse in Casco Bay, Maine, United States.-History:In 1855 an iron spindle was erected to protect sailors from dangerous underwater ledges surrounding Ram Island Ledge. The ledge continued to be the site of repeated shipwrecks...
. The 226 acre Richmond Island, originally inhabited by Native Americans then English Settlers, is now uninhabited except by a small herd of sheep. It is privately owned by the Sprague Family, the most prominent property owners in Cape Elizabeth, whose substantial estate also includes Ram Island Farm (on the mainland).
Cape Elizabeth is home of three coastal parks: Fort Williams Park
Fort Williams Park
Fort Williams Park is a 90 acre park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine encompassing numerous historical sites. Perhaps most famous for having Portland Head Light on its grounds, the park also encompasses the decommissioned and largely demolished United States Army post "Fort Williams", which was...
, Two Lights State Park
Two Lights State Park
Two Lights State Park is a State Park located on Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It is a popular point of destination for Maine residents and the many visitors who enjoy the state's rocky coast, named for two nearby lighthouses called the Cape Elizabeth Lights...
, and Crescent Beach State Park
Crescent Beach State Park
Crescent Beach State Park is a state park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States. Located outside of Portland, the Park opened in 1966.-References:...
. Additionally, The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, a private non-profit corporation, protects 560 acres of land on 22 different parcels for public use, maintaining a large system of connecting non-motorized trails on most.
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 9,068 people, 3,488 households, and 2,605 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 615.5 people per square mile (237.7/km²). There were 3,724 housing units at an average density of 252.8 per square mile (97.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98% White, 0.3% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 3,488 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% 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, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $72,359 (2007 est. 92,604 aol.realestate.com), and the median income for a family was $86,126 in 2000. Males had a median income of $61,128 versus $32,500 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 $37,983. About 1.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
The Cape Elizabeth School Department consists of Pond Cove Elementary School, Cape Elizabeth Middle School, and Cape Elizabeth High SchoolCape Elizabeth High School
Cape Elizabeth High School is a public high school in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States.-Awards and recognition:During the 2004–05 school year, Cape Elizabeth School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an...
, the town's only public schools. The Cape Elizabeth School Department offices are located across the street in Cape Elizabeth Town Hall. No private educational institutions, with the exception of preschools and day care centers, are located in Cape Elizabeth. The High School had its first graduating class in 1877.
Cape Elizabeth is home to one of the oldest continually operating pre-schools in the greater Portland area, Ledgemere Country Day School. The school first opened its doors in 1935 and has been operating in the same location ever since, though under a number of different owners.
Government and Politics
Cape Elizabeth has a Town Council-Town Manager form of government. The seven member Town Council is elected at large on a non-partisan basis for staggered three year terms. The Cape Elizabeth School Board is also a seven member body elected at large on a non-partisan basis for staggered three year terms.Town Council Incumbents (Term Expires):
- Frank J. Governali (12/2013)
- Caitlin Jordan (12/2013)
- Anne Swift-Kayatta 12/2011
- James T. Walsh (12/2012)
- Sara W. Lennon (12/2012)
- Jessica L. Sullivan (12/2012)
- David Sherman (12/2011) *Chairman
The School Board Incumbents (Term Expires):
- Michael Moore (12/2013)
- Kim Monaghan-Derrig (12/2013)
- John C. Christie II (12/2012) *Vice-chairman
- David C. Hillman (12/2012)
- Mary K. Williams-Hewitt (12/2012)
- Katharine N. Ray (12/2011)
- Mary Townsend (12/2011) *Chairman
Media
Cape Elizabeth is served by a community newspaper, the Cape Courier. The non-profit, bi-weekly paper is largely supported by volunteers, and was started by Ellen Van Fleet and Jan Soland in 1988. The CurrentCurrent Publishing
Current Publishing is a publishing company in southern Maine that puts out six weekly newspapers. Lee Hews is the company's publisher. Jane P. Lord is the executive editor, and Ben Bragdon is the managing editor.-Publications:...
, a weekly that began publishing in 2001, also serves the town, as well as the neighboring communities of Scarborough and South Portland. The earliest newspaper in town was the Casket, published in 1868 by George Libby, a realtor. The Coast Watch was a weekly newspaper started in 1895, lasting 20 years. In 1881, the Cape Elizabeth Sentinel was published in Ferry Village, now a part of South Portland. This weekly lasted nearly 30 years.
Sites of interest
- Fort Williams Park Museum
- Portland Head Light Museum
- Crescent Beach State ParkCrescent Beach State ParkCrescent Beach State Park is a state park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States. Located outside of Portland, the Park opened in 1966.-References:...
Notable people
- Eliot CutlerEliot CutlerEliot Cutler is an American lawyer and was an Independent candidate in Maine's 2010 gubernatorial race.Born and raised in Bangor, Maine, Cutler graduated from Harvard College and later earned a degree from Georgetown Law....
, lawyer, entrepreneur, politician - Bette DavisBette DavisRuth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
, actress - John FordJohn FordJohn Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
, film director - Dorothy Bush KochDorothy Bush KochDorothy Walker Bush Koch, often called "Doro", , is the daughter of the 41st President of the United States George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, and the youngest sibling of George W. Bush, the 43rd President...
, sister of former President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... - Jean Ginn MarvinJean Ginn MarvinJean Ginn Marvin is an American politician prominentin the state of Maine. She represented Cape Elizabeth in the Maine House of Representatives from 1994 to 2000 as a member of the 117th, 118th, and 119th Legislatures...
, state legislator - Gary MerrillGary MerrillGary Fred Merrill was an American film and television character actor whose credits included more than fifty feature films, a half-dozen mostly short-lived TV series, and dozens of television guest appearances....
, actor - Joan Benoit Samuelson, marathon runner
- Paul J. Ledman, author of A Maine Town Responds