Damariscotta, Maine
Encyclopedia
Damariscotta is a town
in Lincoln County
, Maine
, United States. The population was 2,041 at the 2000 census. A popular tourist resort area, the towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle
are linked by the Main Street bridge over the Damariscotta River
, forming the "Twin Villages." The name Damariscotta is an Indian name meaning "river of little fish".
, who left behind 2,500-year-old oyster
shell midden
s along the banks of the Damariscotta River. The Whaleback Shell Midden
is now a state historic site. The land became part of the Pemaquid Patent, granted by the Plymouth Council
in 1631 to Robert Aldsworth and Gyles Elbridge, merchants from Bristol, England. At Pemaquid (now Bristol
), they built a fort and trading post
.
Some colonists moved upriver from the village at Pemaquid about 1640 to settle what is today Damariscotta. But the settlements were attacked in 1676 during King Philip's War
, with the inhabitants either driven off or massacred. Attempts to rebuild alternated with further attacks during the French and Indian Wars
. The Province of Massachusetts Bay
constructed Fort William Henry at Pemaquid in 1692, but it was destroyed in 1696. Its replacement, Fort Frederick, in 1729, successfully resisted the region's final two attacks, and was pulled down at the Time of the Revolution so that the British could not occupy it. With peace at last, Damariscotta grew as a trade center. It was incorporated as a separate town on March 15, 1848, set off from parts of Bristol and Nobleboro
.
Damariscotta is an extreme corruption of the Algonquian
word Madamescontee, meaning "place of an abundance of alewives
," which are small, salty fish that spawn
in Damariscotta Lake. The main village is located at the lower falls
and head of navigation on the Damariscotta River. Early industries included two sawmill
s, a match
factory and a tannery
. Along the river were established several brickyards, which supplied much of the brick used to build Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. But shipbuilding
in particular brought Damariscotta wealth in the 1800s, when clipper ships were launched at the town's shipyard
s. During that time, many fine examples of Federal, Greek Revival and Italianate style architecture were erected, giving the old seaport a considerable charm which each summer attracts throngs of tourists.
The terminus of the Damariscotta River is the Great Salt Bay, which is the northernmost mating area for horseshoe crab
s in North America
, and the state's first marine protected area. Damariscotta is home of the Skidompha Public Library, whose name is an acronym formed from the first letter of several founders' surname
s.
, the town has a total area of 14.6 square miles (37.8 km²), of which, 12.4 square miles (32.1 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of it (14.87%) is water. Damariscotta is situated on the Damariscotta River
, a tidal estuary of the Gulf of Maine
. Hunt Hill, elevation 350 feet (108 m) above sea level, is the town's highest point.
of 2000, there were 2,041 people, 942 households, and 548 families residing in the town. The population density
was 164.4 people per square mile (63.4/km²). There were 1,151 housing units at an average density of 92.7 per square mile (35.8/km²).
There were 942 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.65.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 30.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $36,188, and the median income for a family was $47,105. Males had a median income of $31,953 versus $23,064 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,146. About 6.7% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 5.7% 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 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. The population was 2,041 at the 2000 census. A popular tourist resort area, the towns of Damariscotta and 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...
are linked by the Main Street bridge over the Damariscotta River
Damariscotta River
The Damariscotta River is a tidal river in Lincoln County, Maine, that empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Damariscotta is an old Abenaki word for "river of many fishes"...
, forming the "Twin Villages." The name Damariscotta is an Indian name meaning "river of little fish".
History
The area was once inhabited by the Wawenock (or Walinakiak, meaning "People of the Bays") Abenaki IndiansIndigenous 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...
, who left behind 2,500-year-old oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
shell midden
Midden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
s along the banks of the Damariscotta River. The Whaleback Shell Midden
Whaleback Shell Midden
Whaleback Shell Midden is a shell midden, or dump, consisting primarily of oyster shells located on the east side of the Damariscotta River in Maine. Other shell middens are located on the estuary in both Damariscotta and Newcastle...
is now a state historic site. The land became part of the Pemaquid Patent, granted by the Plymouth Council
Plymouth Council for New England
The Plymouth Council for New England was the name of a 17th century English joint stock company that was granted a royal charter to found colonial settlements along the coast of North America....
in 1631 to Robert Aldsworth and Gyles Elbridge, merchants from Bristol, England. At Pemaquid (now Bristol
Bristol, Maine
Bristol is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,644 at the 2000 census. A fishing and resort area, Bristol includes the villages of New Harbor, Pemaquid, Round Pond, Bristol Mills and Chamberlain. It includes the Pemaquid Archeological Site, a U.S. National...
), they built a fort and 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....
.
Some colonists moved upriver from the village at Pemaquid about 1640 to settle what is today Damariscotta. But the settlements were attacked in 1676 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...
, with the inhabitants either driven off or massacred. Attempts to rebuild alternated with further attacks during the French and Indian Wars
French and Indian Wars
The French and Indian Wars is a name used in the United States for a series of conflicts lasting 74 years in North America that represented colonial events related to the European dynastic wars...
. The Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
constructed Fort William Henry at Pemaquid in 1692, but it was destroyed in 1696. Its replacement, Fort Frederick, in 1729, successfully resisted the region's final two attacks, and was pulled down at the Time of the Revolution so that the British could not occupy it. With peace at last, Damariscotta grew as a trade center. It was incorporated as a separate town on March 15, 1848, set off from parts of Bristol and Nobleboro
Nobleboro, Maine
Nobleboro, founded in 1788, is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,626 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
.
Damariscotta is an extreme corruption of the Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
word Madamescontee, meaning "place of an abundance of alewives
Alewife
The alewife is a species of herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked form is also called a sawbelly or mooneye...
," which are small, salty fish that spawn
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
in Damariscotta Lake. The main village is located at the lower falls
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
and head of navigation on the Damariscotta River. Early industries included two 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 match
Match
A match is a tool for starting a fire under controlled conditions. A typical modern match is made of a small wooden stick or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by frictional heat generated by striking the match against a suitable surface...
factory and a tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
. Along the river were established several brickyards, which supplied much of the brick used to build Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. But 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...
in particular brought Damariscotta wealth in the 1800s, when clipper ships were launched at the town's shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s. During that time, many fine examples of Federal, Greek Revival and Italianate style architecture were erected, giving the old seaport a considerable charm which each summer attracts throngs of tourists.
The terminus of the Damariscotta River is the Great Salt Bay, which is the northernmost mating area for horseshoe crab
Horseshoe crab
The Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is a marine chelicerate arthropod. Despite its name, it is more closely related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions than to crabs. Horseshoe crabs are most commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the northern Atlantic coast of North America...
s in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and the state's first marine protected area. Damariscotta is home of the Skidompha Public Library, whose name is an acronym formed from the first letter of several founders' surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
s.
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 14.6 square miles (37.8 km²), of which, 12.4 square miles (32.1 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of it (14.87%) is water. Damariscotta is situated on the Damariscotta River
Damariscotta River
The Damariscotta River is a tidal river in Lincoln County, Maine, that empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Damariscotta is an old Abenaki word for "river of many fishes"...
, a tidal estuary of the Gulf of Maine
Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America.It is delineated by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and Cape Sable at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northeast. It includes the entire coastlines of the U.S...
. Hunt Hill, elevation 350 feet (108 m) above sea level, is the town's highest point.
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 2,041 people, 942 households, and 548 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 164.4 people per square mile (63.4/km²). There were 1,151 housing units at an average density of 92.7 per square mile (35.8/km²).
There were 942 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% 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, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.65.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 30.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $36,188, and the median income for a family was $47,105. Males had a median income of $31,953 versus $23,064 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 $23,146. About 6.7% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Kate AldrichKate AldrichKate Aldrich is an American mezzo soprano.She has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Hamburg State Opera, Teatro Regio of Torino, Los Angeles Opera, L'Opéra de Montréal, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, Teatro Nacional de São...
, mezzo-soprano - Anna BelknapAnna BelknapAnna Belknap is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Detective Lindsay Monroe on CSI: NY.-Personal life:...
, actress - Bud BlakeBud BlakeJulian Blake , better known as Bud Blake, was an American cartoonist who created the popular, long running comic strip Tiger, about a group of suburban boyhood pals. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Tiger began May 3, 1965...
, cartoonist - Charles A. BoutelleCharles A. BoutelleCharles A. Boutelle was an American seaman, shipmaster, naval officer, Civil War veteran, newspaper editor, publisher, conservative Republican politician, and nine-term Representative to the U.S. Congress from the 4th Congressional District of Maine. He remains the second longest-serving U.S...
, naval officer, congressman - Glenn ChadbourneGlenn ChadbourneGlenn Chadbourne is an American artist. He lives in Newcastle, Maine. He is best known for his work in the horror and fantasy genres, having created covers and illustrated books and magazines for publishers such as Cemetery Dance Publications, Subterranean Press, and Earthling Publications. Mr...
, illustrator - Vince ClarkeVince ClarkeVince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
, songwriter, involved with ErasureErasureErasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
and Depeche ModeDepeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
- Barbara CooneyBarbara CooneyBarbara Cooney was an American children's author and illustrator of more than 200 books and double Caldecott Medalist. She has written books for six decades...
, children's author and illustrator - Jessica DelfinoJessica DelfinoJessica Delfino is a controversial singer, songwriter, and comedienne based in New York City. Her songs tend to ridicule taboos and typically include jokes about vaginas and other sexual or dark topics. In her act, she plays an assortment of instruments including guitar, flying V ukulele and a...
, singer and songwriter, stand-up comic - Ezra B. FrenchEzra B. FrenchEzra Bartlett French was a United States Representative from Maine. He was born in Landaff, New Hampshire where he attended the common schools and pursued an academic course. Later, he studied law in Bath and Plymouth, New Hampshire and was admitted to the bar in 1833. He commenced practice in...
, congressman - Hilton KramerHilton KramerHilton Kramer is a U.S. art critic and cultural commentator.Kramer was educated at Syracuse University, Columbia University, Harvard University, Indiana University and the New School for Social Research. He worked as the editor of Arts Magazine, art critic for The Nation, and from 1965 to 1982,...
, art critic - Bob PageBob Page (blues musician)Bob Page is an American blues, stride and boogie-woogie piano player.Originally from Damariscotta, Maine, Page moved to Atlanta, Georgia in the early 1980s, and continued a career of recording and live performance in the southeast United States, as well as elsewhere in the US and Europe.In...
, musician - Sally Caldwell FisherSally Caldwell FisherSally Caldwell Fisher is an American painter.-Early life:Sally Caldwell Fisher was born and raised with several siblings in Michigan...
, artist