Limerick, Maine
Encyclopedia
Limerick is a town in York County
, Maine
, United States
. It is part of the Portland
–South Portland
–Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
. The population was 2,240 at the 2000 census.
, whose village was located on the Salmon Falls River
. In 1668, Francis Small
of Kittery
, a trader, bought from Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) a large tract of land, for which he exchanged two blanket
s, two gallons of rum
, two pounds of gunpowder
, four pounds of musket
balls and twenty strings of bead
s. Small thereupon sold half of his interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of Eliot
, one of the wealthiest merchants in the Piscataqua
region.
Settlement was delayed, however, by the ongoing French and Indian Wars
, which finally ended with the 1763 Treaty of Paris
. In 1773, the heirs of Francis Small and Nicholas Shapleigh promised a township to lawyer James Sullivan of Biddeford
if he defended their larger claims. Sullivan accepted and in 1775 helped settle Limerick Plantation, named after Limerick
in Ireland
, his father's birthplace. It would be incorporated on March 6, 1787. Among the early settlers was Dr. Joshua Leavitt, for whom Leavitt Brook in Limerick is named. The town of New Limerick
in Aroostook County would be settled by people from Limerick, Maine.
The village grew along the old Sokokis Trail (now Route 5
), which connected the Sokokis village at Pequawket (now Fryeburg) to the tribe's coastal encampment at what is today Saco
. Endowed with good soil, Limerick became a thriving farming community. Chief crops included hay
, apple
s, grape
s and cranberries
. Cattle
and dairy
products were important. In addition, the town had four blacksmith
shops, four shoemakers
, two hatmakers, two harness makers and three tanneries
. Various brooks provided water power for industry, including four furniture
factories and a clothing
factory. There were also gristmill
s, shingle
mills and lumber
mills. In 1826 the Morning Star
, a Free Will Baptist abolitionist newspaper, was founded in the town. In 1846, James Bradbury established the Limerick Manufacturing Company at Brown Brook. It was bought in 1857 by Joshua Holland. The firm produced the nationally famous Holland Blankets, which were supplied to troops during the Civil War
. A village once called Hollandville developed around the mill.
, the town has a total area of 28.2 square miles (73 km²), of which, 27.1 square miles (70.2 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (3.90%) is water. Set among hills and lakes, Limerick is drained by Leavitt Brook, Brown Brook and Spencer Brook.
The town borders Newfield
, Parsonsfield
, Cornish
, Waterboro
and Limington
. Maine State routes 5
, 11, and 160 cross through Limerick.
of 2000, there were 2,240 people, 850 households, and 607 families residing in the town. The population density
was 82.5 people per square mile (31.9/km²). There were 1,279 housing units at an average density of 47.1 per square mile (18.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.21% White, 0.31% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.04% from other races
, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.36% of the population.
There were 850 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,845, and the median income for a family was $44,917. Males had a median income of $32,829 versus $24,036 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,844. About 7.5% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
, both of which is in Waterboro.
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...
. It is part of the Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
–South Portland
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
–Biddeford
Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area
The Portland–South Portland–Biddeford Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Greater Portland, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Maine, anchored by the city of Portland and the smaller cities of South Portland and Biddeford...
. The population was 2,240 at the 2000 census.
History
This was territory of the Newichewannock 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...
, whose village was located on 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....
. In 1668, 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...
of Kittery
Kittery, Maine
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...
, a trader, bought from Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) a large tract of land, for which he exchanged two blanket
Blanket
A blanket is a type of bedding, generally speaking, a large piece of cloth, intended to keep the user warm, especially while sleeping. Blankets are distinguished from sheets by their thickness and purpose; the thickest sheet is still thinner than the lightest blanket. Blankets are generally used...
s, two gallons of 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...
, two pounds of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
, four pounds of musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
balls and twenty strings of bead
Bead
A bead is a small, decorative object that is usually pierced for threading or stringing. Beads range in size from under to over in diameter. A pair of beads made from Nassarius sea snail shells, approximately 100,000 years old, are thought to be the earliest known examples of jewellery. Beadwork...
s. Small thereupon sold half of his interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh 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....
, one of the wealthiest merchants in the Piscataqua
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...
region.
Settlement was delayed, however, by the ongoing 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...
, which finally ended with the 1763 Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
. In 1773, the heirs of Francis Small and Nicholas Shapleigh promised a township to lawyer James Sullivan 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...
if he defended their larger claims. Sullivan accepted and in 1775 helped settle Limerick Plantation, named after Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, his father's birthplace. It would be incorporated on March 6, 1787. Among the early settlers was Dr. Joshua Leavitt, for whom Leavitt Brook in Limerick is named. The town of New Limerick
New Limerick, Maine
New Limerick is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 523 at the 2000 census. The town was settled in 1775 and incorporated on March 18, 1837 from New Limerick Plantation...
in Aroostook County would be settled by people from Limerick, Maine.
The village grew along the old 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....
), which connected the Sokokis village at Pequawket (now Fryeburg) to the tribe's coastal encampment at what is today Saco
Saco, Maine
Saco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
. Endowed with good soil, Limerick became a thriving farming community. Chief crops included hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s and cranberries
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
. Cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
products were important. In addition, the town had four blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shops, four shoemakers
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
, two hatmakers, two harness makers and three tanneries
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...
. Various brooks provided water power for industry, including four furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
factories and a clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
factory. There were also gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s, shingle
Roof shingle
Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat rectangular shapes laid in rows from the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive higher row overlapping the joints in the row below...
mills and lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
mills. In 1826 the Morning Star
The Morning Star (19th century U.S. newspaper)
The Morning Star was a weekly newspaper owned and published by Freewill Baptists in 19th century New England, which campaigned vigorously for the abolition of slavery long before such a political stance was widely considered to be respectable in America....
, a Free Will Baptist abolitionist newspaper, was founded in the town. In 1846, James Bradbury established the Limerick Manufacturing Company at Brown Brook. It was bought in 1857 by Joshua Holland. The firm produced the nationally famous Holland Blankets, which were supplied to troops during 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...
. A village once called Hollandville developed around the mill.
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 28.2 square miles (73 km²), of which, 27.1 square miles (70.2 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (3.90%) is water. Set among hills and lakes, Limerick is drained by Leavitt Brook, Brown Brook and Spencer Brook.
The town borders Newfield
Newfield, Maine
Newfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,328 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowbrook Museum Village, Newfield is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
, Parsonsfield
Parsonsfield, Maine
Parsonsfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,584 at the 2000 census. Parsonsfield includes the villages of Kezar Falls, Parsonsfield, and North, East and South Parsonsfield...
, Cornish
Cornish, Maine
Cornish is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,269 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
, Waterboro
Waterboro, Maine
Waterboro is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,214 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
and Limington
Limington, Maine
Limington is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,403 at the 2000 census. Limington is a tourist destination with historic architecture. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:In 1668, Francis Small...
. Maine State routes 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....
, 11, and 160 cross through Limerick.
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 2,240 people, 850 households, and 607 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 82.5 people per square mile (31.9/km²). There were 1,279 housing units at an average density of 47.1 per square mile (18.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.21% White, 0.31% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.04% 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 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.36% of the population.
There were 850 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% 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, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,845, and the median income for a family was $44,917. Males had a median income of $32,829 versus $24,036 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 $18,844. About 7.5% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Limerick students grades K-5 attend the Line Elementary School which is also shared by Newfield and which resides in Newfield. It is part of Regional School Unit 57. Students in grades 6-8 attend Massabesic Middle School and students in grades 9-12 attend Massabesic High SchoolMassabesic High School
Massabesic High School, Pronounced "MASS-UH-BEE-SlK" is a public high school located in Waterboro, Maine, United States...
, both of which is in Waterboro.
Site of interest
Notable people
- Alpheus FelchAlpheus FelchAlpheus Felch was the fifth Governor of Michigan and U.S. Senator from Michigan.-Early life:Felch was born in Limerick, Maine. He was left an orphan at the age of three and lived with his grandfather Abijah Felch, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War...
, senator, fifth governor of Michigan - Moses MacDonaldMoses MacdonaldMoses Macdonald was a United States Representative from Maine. He was born in Limerick, Maine, where he received an academic education. Later, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1837, and commenced practice in Biddeford, Maine in 1837.Macdonald was a member of the Maine House of...
, congressman - Annie Carroll MooreAnnie Carroll MooreAnne Carroll Moore was an American educator and advocate for children's libraries. She was named Annie after an aunt, and officially changed her name to Anne in her fifties, to avoid confustion with Annie E...
, children's librarian - James Sullivan, seventh governor of Massachusetts