Kittery, Maine
Encyclopedia
Kittery is a town in York County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island
, the seaside district of Kittery Point
, and part of the Isles of Shoals
. The town is a tourist destination known for its many outlet store
s.
Kittery is part of the Portland
–South Portland
–Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
.
in Devon, England
. Shapleigh arrived in 1635 aboard the ship Benediction, which he co-owned with another prominent settler, Captain Francis Champernowne, a cousin of Sir Ferdinando Gorges
, lord proprietor of Maine. Together with the Pepperrell family, they established fisheries offshore at the Isles of Shoals
, where fish were caught, salted, and exported back to Europe
. Other pioneers were hunters, trappers, and workers of the region's abundant timber
. The settlement at the mouth of the Piscataqua River
was protected by Fort McClary
.
Kittery originally extended from the Atlantic Ocean
inland up the Salmon Falls River
, including the present-day towns of Eliot
, South Berwick
, Berwick and North Berwick. Located opposite Portsmouth
, New Hampshire
, the town developed into a center for trade
and shipbuilding
. After the death of Gorges, Maine in 1652 became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
. Francis Small
was a pioneer resident of Kittery, and operated a trading post near the confluence of the Ossipee River
and Saco River
. Here major Indian trails converged—the Sokokis Trail (now Route 5
), the Ossipee Trail (now Route 25), and the Pequawket Trail (now Route 113
) -- a location conducive towards lucrative fur trade
with Indians, but also with risks of living isolated in the wilderness
. Small became the largest property owner in the history of Maine, and became known as "the great landowner."
In 1663, John Josselyn
would write: "Towns there are, are not many in this province. Kittery, situated not far from Passacataway (Portsmouth), is the most populous."
During the Revolution
, the first vessels of the U.S. Navy were constructed on Badger's Island
, including the 1777 USS Ranger
commanded by John Paul Jones
. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
, the nation's first federal navy yard, was established in 1800 on Fernald's Island. It connects to the mainland by two bridges. The facility rebuilt the USS Constitution
, and built the Civil War
USS Kearsarge
. Seavey's Island was annexed and became site of the now defunct Portsmouth Naval Prison
.
Kittery has some fine early architecture
, including the Sir William Pepperrell House
, built in 1733, and the Lady Pepperrell House
, built in 1760. The John Bray House, built in 1662, is believed to be the oldest surviving house in Maine. Located at the John Paul Jones State Historic Site on U.S. 1
is the Maine Sailors' and Soldiers' Memorial by Bashka Paeff
. Further northeast up the road, the town has developed factory outlet shopping, very popular with tourists. Kittery Point is home to Seapoint Beach and Fort Foster Park, originally a harbor defense. In 1996, the movie Thinner
, based on the 1984 Richard Bachman
novel Thinner
, was filmed in Kittery. The Saturday morning cartoon DinoSquad
is based in Kittery/Kittery Point.
, a formerly private, preparatory school which became public and town-run in 1967.
, the town has a total area of 21.0 square miles (54.4 km²), of which, 17.8 square miles (46.2 km²) of it is land and 3.2 square miles (8.2 km²) of it (15.14%) is water. Situated beside the Gulf of Maine
and Atlantic Ocean
, Kittery is drained by Spruce Creek, Chauncey Creek and the Piscataqua River
.
The town is crossed by Interstate 95
, U.S. Route 1
, Maine State Route 101
, Maine State Route 103
, and Maine State Route 236
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 9,543 people, 4,078 households, and 2,528 families residing in the town. The population density
was 535.5 people per square mile (206.8/km²). There were 4,375 housing units at an average density of 245.5 per square mile (94.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.98% White, 1.78% Black or African American
, 0.18% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races
, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 4,078 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,200, and the median income for a family was $53,343. Males had a median income of $37,096 versus $29,850 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $24,153. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
York County, Maine
York County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, the population was 197,131. Its county seat is Alfred.Founded in 1636, it is the oldest county in Maine and one of the oldest in the United States....
, 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 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island
Badger's Island
Badger's Island is located in the Piscataqua River at Kittery, Maine, directly opposite Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It carries U.S. Route 1 between the states, connecting to the Kittery mainland by the Badger's Island Bridge, and to New Hampshire by the Memorial Bridge...
, the seaside district of Kittery Point
Kittery Point, Maine
Kittery Point is a census-designated place in the town of Kittery, York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,135 at the 2000 census. Located beside the Atlantic, it is home to Fort McClary State Historic Site and, on Gerrish Island, Fort Foster Park...
, and part of the Isles of Shoals
Isles of Shoals
The Isles of Shoals are a group of small islands and tidal ledges situated approximately off the east coast of the United States, straddling the border of the states of New Hampshire and Maine.- History :...
. The town is a tourist destination known for its many outlet store
Outlet store
An outlet store or factory outlet is a brick and mortar or online retail store in which manufacturers sell their stock directly to the public. Traditionally, a factory outlet was a store attached to a factory or warehouse, sometimes allowing customers to watch the production process like in the...
s.
Kittery 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...
.
History
Settled about 1623, Kittery was incorporated in 1647, and today bills itself as "the oldest incorporated town in Maine." It was named after the birthplace of a founder, Alexander Shapleigh, from his manor of Kittery Court at KingswearKingswear
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth...
in Devon, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Shapleigh arrived in 1635 aboard the ship Benediction, which he co-owned with another prominent settler, Captain Francis Champernowne, a cousin of 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:...
, lord proprietor of Maine. Together with the Pepperrell family, they established fisheries offshore at the Isles of Shoals
Isles of Shoals
The Isles of Shoals are a group of small islands and tidal ledges situated approximately off the east coast of the United States, straddling the border of the states of New Hampshire and Maine.- History :...
, where fish were caught, salted, and exported back to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Other pioneers were hunters, trappers, and workers of the region's abundant timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
. The settlement at the mouth of the Piscataqua River
Piscataqua River
The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
was protected by Fort McClary
Fort McClary
Fort McClary is a former defensive fortification of the United States military located along the southern coast of Maine at Kittery Point, the seaside district of Kittery. Used primarily throughout the 19th century, it was built to protect approaches to the nearby Piscataqua River...
.
Kittery originally extended from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
inland up the Salmon Falls River
Salmon Falls River
The Salmon Falls River is a tributary of the Piscataqua River in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire. It rises at Great East Lake and flows south-southeast for approximately , forming the border between Maine and New Hampshire....
, including the present-day towns of Eliot
Eliot, Maine
Eliot is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,204 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
, South Berwick
South Berwick, Maine
South Berwick is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,220 at the 2010 census. South Berwick is home to Berwick Academy, a private, co-educational university-preparatory day school founded in 1791...
, Berwick and North Berwick. Located opposite Portsmouth
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, the town developed into a center for 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...
and 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...
. After the death of Gorges, Maine in 1652 became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
. Francis Small
Francis Small
Francis Small was an enterprising trader and landowner residing primarily in Kittery, Maine. He made the first recorded land purchase in what is now Maine, and proceeded to amass so much that he was called "the great landholder." He possessed the largest number of acres of anyone who ever lived...
was a pioneer resident of Kittery, and operated a trading post near the confluence of the Ossipee River
Ossipee River
The Ossipee River is an river in eastern New Hampshire and western Maine in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows southeast to the Atlantic Ocean at Saco, Maine....
and Saco River
Saco River
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
. Here major Indian trails converged—the Sokokis Trail (now Route 5
Maine State Route 5
State Route 5 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways, running from the an intersection with Route 9 in Old Orchard Beach, to an intersection with Route 120 in Andover. Route 5 is long....
), the Ossipee Trail (now Route 25), and the Pequawket Trail (now Route 113
Maine State Route 113
State Route 113 is a state highway in southwestern Maine . It runs from an intersection with Maine State Route 25 in Standish north to the town of Gilead, where it ends at U.S. Route 2 near the New Hampshire border...
) -- a location conducive towards lucrative fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
with Indians, but also with risks of living isolated in the wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
. Small became the largest property owner in the history of Maine, and became known as "the great landowner."
In 1663, John Josselyn
John Josselyn
John Josselyn was a seventeenth-century English traveler to New England who wrote with credulity about what he saw and heard during his sojourn there before returning to England. Yet his books give some of the earliest and most complete information on New England flora and fauna in colonial times,...
would write: "Towns there are, are not many in this province. Kittery, situated not far from Passacataway (Portsmouth), is the most populous."
During the Revolution
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the first vessels of the U.S. Navy were constructed on Badger's Island
Badger's Island
Badger's Island is located in the Piscataqua River at Kittery, Maine, directly opposite Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It carries U.S. Route 1 between the states, connecting to the Kittery mainland by the Badger's Island Bridge, and to New Hampshire by the Memorial Bridge...
, including the 1777 USS Ranger
USS Ranger (1777)
The first USS Ranger was a sloop-of-war in the Continental Navy, and received the second salute to an American fighting vessel by a foreign power The first USS Ranger was a sloop-of-war in the Continental Navy, and received the second salute to an American fighting vessel by a foreign power The...
commanded by John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
, the nation's first federal navy yard, was established in 1800 on Fernald's Island. It connects to the mainland by two bridges. The facility rebuilt the USS Constitution
USS Constitution
USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named by President George Washington after the Constitution of the United States of America, she is the world's oldest floating commissioned naval vessel...
, and built 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...
USS Kearsarge
USS Kearsarge (1861)
USS Kearsarge, a Mohican-class sloop-of-war, is best known for her defeat of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama during the American Civil War. The Kearsarge was the only ship of the United States Navy named for Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire...
. Seavey's Island was annexed and became site of the now defunct Portsmouth Naval Prison
Portsmouth Naval Prison
Portsmouth Naval Prison is a former U.S. Navy and Marine Corps prison on the grounds of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard . The building has the appearance of a castle. The reinforced concrete naval prison was occupied from 1908 until 1974....
.
Kittery has some fine early architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, including the Sir William Pepperrell House
William Pepperrell House
William Pepperrell House is a historic house on State Route 103 in Kittery Point, Maine.The building was completed in 1683 and was home to William Pepperrell, a military hero best known for commanding the 1745 Siege of Louisbourg during King George's War. The house was added to the National...
, built in 1733, and the Lady Pepperrell House
Lady Pepperrell House
Lady Pepperrell House is a historic house on State Route 103 in Kittery Point, Maine, United States. It is owned privately but open to the public several times a year....
, built in 1760. The John Bray House, built in 1662, is believed to be the oldest surviving house in Maine. Located at the John Paul Jones State Historic Site on U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maine
In the U.S. state of Maine, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway serving the eastern part of the state. It parallels the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire north through Portland, Brunswick, and Belfast to Calais, and then the St. Croix River and the rest of the Canadian border...
is the Maine Sailors' and Soldiers' Memorial by Bashka Paeff
Bashka Paeff
Bashka Paeff was an American sculptor active near Boston, Massachusetts.-Biography:Paeff was born in Minsk, Russia, and emigrated to the United States as an infant. In 1914 she attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she studied with Bela Pratt, and was sometimes called the...
. Further northeast up the road, the town has developed factory outlet shopping, very popular with tourists. Kittery Point is home to Seapoint Beach and Fort Foster Park, originally a harbor defense. In 1996, the movie Thinner
Thinner (film)
Thinner is a 1996 horror film directed by Tom Holland and written by Michael McDowell with the screenplay by Tom Holland. The film is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.-Plot:...
, based on the 1984 Richard Bachman
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
novel Thinner
Thinner (novel)
Thinner is a 1984 novel by Stephen King, published under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman. It would be the last novel which King released under the Richard Bachman pseudonym until the release of The Regulators in 1996 . The photo is claimed to have been taken by Claudia Inez Bachman...
, was filmed in Kittery. The Saturday morning cartoon DinoSquad
DinoSquad
Dino Squad is an American animated television series that was produced by DIC Entertainment and aired on the KEWLopolis block on CBS from November 3, 2007 - September 12, 2009. Reruns of the show currently air in syndication as part of the Cookie Jar Kids Network block...
is based in Kittery/Kittery Point.
Education
Kittery is home to Robert William Traip AcademyRobert William Traip Academy
Robert William Traip Academy is a public high school located in Kittery, Maine. It serves the towns of Kittery and Kittery Point, Maine. It was founded in 1905 as a private preparatory high school and remained as such until 1967, when it became part of the...
, a formerly private, preparatory school which became public and town-run in 1967.
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 21.0 square miles (54.4 km²), of which, 17.8 square miles (46.2 km²) of it is land and 3.2 square miles (8.2 km²) of it (15.14%) is water. Situated beside 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...
and Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, Kittery is drained by Spruce Creek, Chauncey Creek and the Piscataqua River
Piscataqua River
The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
.
The town is crossed by Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maine
In the U.S. state of Maine, Interstate 95 is a long highway running from the New Hampshire border near Kittery, to the Canadian border near Houlton. It is the only two-digit Interstate Highway in Maine...
, U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
, Maine State Route 101
Maine State Route 101
State Route 101 is a short state highway in extreme southern Maine. It follows a southeast-northwest trajectory, signed as south–north. Route 101 begins at an intersection with U.S...
, Maine State Route 103
Maine State Route 103
State Route 103 is a long state highway in extreme southern Maine. The route is signed east–west, but forms a half-loop, with most of its eastern segment skirting the Piscataqua River and the state border with New Hampshire.-Route description:...
, and Maine State Route 236
Maine State Route 236
State Route 236, also known as the Dow Highway, is a long state highway in southwestern Maine. It runs from south to north, from an intersection with State Route 103 in Kittery to an intersection with State Route 9 in Berwick, just east of the border with New Hampshire.-Route description:The...
.
Demographics
- See also Kittery (CDP), MaineKittery (CDP), MaineKittery is a census-designated place in the town of Kittery in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,884 at the 2000 census...
and Kittery Point, MaineKittery Point, MaineKittery Point is a census-designated place in the town of Kittery, York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,135 at the 2000 census. Located beside the Atlantic, it is home to Fort McClary State Historic Site and, on Gerrish Island, Fort Foster Park...
for village demographics
As of the census
Census
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 9,543 people, 4,078 households, and 2,528 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 535.5 people per square mile (206.8/km²). There were 4,375 housing units at an average density of 245.5 per square mile (94.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.98% White, 1.78% Black or African American
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...
, 0.18% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% 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 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 4,078 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% 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, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,200, and the median income for a family was $53,343. Males had a median income of $37,096 versus $29,850 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 $24,153. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
- Fort Foster Historic Site
- Fort McClary State Historic Site
- The Kittery Outlets
Notable people
- William BadgerWilliam Badger (shipbuilder)William Badger was a master shipbuilder operating in Kittery, Maine, United States who built more than 100 vessels.-Life and career:...
, master shipbuilder - John Haley BellamyJohn Haley BellamyJohn Haley Bellamy was a noted New England folk artist, known for his highly stylized carved wooden eagles and other decorative items for ships and homes. Bellamy was born in Kittery, Maine in 1836, and stayed there for much of his career. Later in his life he lived and worked elsewhere in New...
, woodcarver, folk artist - George BerryGeorge Berry (captain)George Berry was a Captain in the French and Indian War.-Early years:He was born in Kittery, Maine and he married Elizabeth Frink in 1727. He had four sons and one daughter .-War record:...
, captain, shipbuilder - Dennis C. Blair, admiral
- Scott BrownScott BrownScott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
, senator from Massachusetts (2010–present) - Tunis CravenTunis CravenTunis Augustus Macdonough Craven was an officer in the United States Navy. His career included service in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War.-Early Life:...
, naval officer - Shem DrowneShem DrowneDeacon Shem Drowne was a colonial coppersmith and tinplate worker in Boston, Massachusetts and was America's first documented weathervane maker. He is most famous for the grasshopper weathervane atop of Faneuil Hall, well known as a symbol of Boston.-Background:He was born near Sturgeon Creek in...
, metalworker, creator of Boston's Grasshopper Weathervane - Monique EdwardsMonique EdwardsMonique Diane Edwards is an American actress.-Life and career:Edwards was born in Kittery, Maine. She is a multi-talented actress, singer, director, and humanitarian who is steadily building a solid reputation in television, feature films, the stage, and commercials. She was born in Maine, but...
, actress - William Dean HowellsWilliam Dean HowellsWilliam Dean Howells was an American realist author and literary critic. Nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters", he was particularly known for his tenure as editor of the Atlantic Monthly as well as his own writings, including the Christmas story "Christmas Every Day" and the novel The Rise of...
, writer, magazine editor - Sandi JacksonSandi JacksonSandra Lee "Sandi" Jackson , , was elected to the Chicago City Council as an alderman of the 7th ward of the City of Chicago in the 2007 municipal elections held on February 27, 2007. She succeeds Darcel A. Beavers who had been appointed by Chicago Mayor Richard M...
, Chicago city alderman - Jeremiah O'BrienJeremiah O'BrienCaptain Jeremiah O’Brien was a captain in the Massachusetts State Navy. Prior to its existence Captain Jeremiah O’Brien (1744–1818) was a captain in the Massachusetts State Navy. Prior to its existence Captain Jeremiah O’Brien (1744–1818) was a captain in the Massachusetts State...
, naval officer - John O'HurleyJohn O'HurleyJohn George O'Hurley is an American actor, voice actor, and television personality. He is known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and was the host of the game show Family Feud from 2006 to 2010.-Early life:...
, television actor - Sir William PepperrellWilliam PepperrellSir William Pepperrell, 1st Baronet was a merchant and soldier in Colonial Massachusetts. He is widely remembered for organizing, financing, and leading the 1745 expedition that captured the French garrison at Fortress Louisbourg during King George's War...
, merchant, soldier - Randy PriceRandy PriceRandy Price is a television newscaster with WCVB-TV in Boston, Massachusetts, after being the lead anchor at WHDH-TV from 1998 to 2009. He is considered the U.S.'s first openly gay newscaster....
, newscaster - Arthur ShawcrossArthur ShawcrossArthur John Shawcross was an American serial killer, also known as The Genesee River Killer in Rochester, New York...
, serial killer - Hunt SlonemHunt SlonemHunt Slonem is an artist who combines abstract expressionism and representational imagery. He is best known for his paintings of tropical birds, based on a personal aviary in which he keeps about 100 live birds of various species. His fascination with exotica can be traced to his experiences as a...
, artist - Francis SmallFrancis SmallFrancis Small was an enterprising trader and landowner residing primarily in Kittery, Maine. He made the first recorded land purchase in what is now Maine, and proceeded to amass so much that he was called "the great landholder." He possessed the largest number of acres of anyone who ever lived...
, trader and landowner - Celia ThaxterCelia ThaxterCelia Laighton Thaxter was an American writer of poetry and stories. She was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.-Life and work:...
, poet - John TreworgieJohn TreworgieJohn Treworgie was the last Proprietary Governor of Newfoundland. Treworgie had worked as an agent at a Kittery, Maine trading post from 1635 to 1650...
, last proprietary governor of NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400... - William WhippleWilliam WhippleWilliam Whipple, Jr. was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Hampshire....
, signer of the Declaration of Independence - Jess Abbott, guitarist of the Minneapolis-based band Now, NowNow, NowNow, Now, formerly known as Now, Now Every Children and abbreviated NNEC, is an American indie rock band formed in Blaine, Minnesota and based in Minneapolis...
Further reading
- Stackpole, Everett S. Old Kittery and its Families. Published 1903. Full image at books.google
- History of Whaleback Light
- Seacoast Forts of Portsmouth Harbor from American Forts Network