Lisbon Falls, Maine
Encyclopedia
Lisbon Falls is a census-designated place
(CDP) in the town
of Lisbon
, located in Androscoggin County
, Maine
, United States
. The population of Lisbon Falls was 4,420 at the 2000 census
. It is included in both the Lewiston
-Auburn
, Maine metropolitan statistical area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England city and town area
.
called the falls
Anmecangin, meaning "much fish." The area was once part of Little River Plantation, a portion of which was incorporated in 1799 as Thompsonborough, then renamed in 1802 after Lisbon, Portugal. In 1806, Lisbon annexed the remainder of Little River Plantation. With water power from the Androscoggin River
, Lisbon Falls became a small mill town
. Before it burned down in 1987, the Worumbo Mill
was the main mill in Lisbon Falls. It had been incorporated in 1864, and was world famous for its woolen
s. Especially well known were its vicuna
wool products, which became famous when President Eisenhower's
Chief of Staff, Sherman Adams
, received a vicuna sport coat as a gift from a wealthy industrialist and had to resign due to the resulting scandal. The town's primary employment is at a gypsum
mill and the nearby Bath Iron Works
, a General Dynamics
Company.
The horror writer Stephen King
attended Lisbon Falls High School
. The fictional town of Castle Rock, which he used in several stories, is thought to be based on Lisbon Falls. King utilized the town's actual name, description, and citizens in his 2011 novel, 11/22/63
.
The town is also famous for its Moxie Days, a celebration of the Moxie
soft drink, which is sold at Frank Anicetti's corner store. The store's official name is The Kennebec Fruit Company, but it is commonly referred to as The Moxie Store and is recognizable by its bright yellow paint job. Moxie Days in Lisbon Falls is attended by thousands from around the world each summer.
Lisbon Falls was also home to John Gould
, famous Maine humorist and author. He was the author of "Farmer Takes a Wife", "The Fastest Hound Dog in the State of Maine" and "Tales From Raphsody Home, What They Don't Tell You About Senior Living". In his book On Writing, Stephen King recounts his experience working for John Gould at the Lisbon Enterprise, a weekly newspaper that Gould published.
Eugene Elcik, Author of Fiction, a Lisbon Falls, Maine native.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.56%) is water. Lisbon Falls is drained by the Sabattus River
, Little River and Androscoggin River
.
of 2000, there were 4,420 people, 1,707 households, and 1,206 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 1,162.4 people per square mile (449.1/km²). There were 1,798 housing units at an average density of 472.8/sq mi (182.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.99% White, 0.63% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races
, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 1,707 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,224, and the median income for a family was $42,476. Males had a median income of $31,735 versus $20,688 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $16,838. About 8.5% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in the town
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...
of Lisbon
Lisbon, Maine
Lisbon is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,077 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan statistical area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England city and town area...
, located in Androscoggin County
Androscoggin County, Maine
Androscoggin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the county's population was 107,702. Its county seat is Auburn...
, 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 of Lisbon Falls was 4,420 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. It is included in both the Lewiston
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
-Auburn
Auburn, Maine
Auburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
, Maine metropolitan statistical area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England city and town area
New England City and Town Area
A New England City and Town Area or NECTA is a geographic and statistical entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, for use in describing aspects of the New England region of the United States...
.
History
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...
called the 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...
Anmecangin, meaning "much fish." The area was once part of Little River Plantation, a portion of which was incorporated in 1799 as Thompsonborough, then renamed in 1802 after Lisbon, Portugal. In 1806, Lisbon annexed the remainder of Little River Plantation. With water power from the 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...
, Lisbon Falls became a small mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
. Before it burned down in 1987, the Worumbo Mill
Worumbo Mill
Worumbo Mill is an historic mill on the bank of the Androscoggin River in Lisbon Falls, Maine.The mill was built in 1864 and added to the National Historic Register in 1973....
was the main mill in Lisbon Falls. It had been incorporated in 1864, and was world famous for its woolen
Woolen
Woolen or woollen is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn...
s. Especially well known were its vicuna
Vicuña
The vicuña or vicugna is one of two wild South American camelids, along with the guanaco, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes. It is a relative of the llama, and is now believed to share a wild ancestor with domesticated alpacas, which are raised for their fibre...
wool products, which became famous when President Eisenhower's
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Chief of Staff, Sherman Adams
Sherman Adams
Llewelyn Sherman Adams was an American politician, best known as White House Chief of Staff for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the culmination of a relatively short political career that also included a stint as Governor of New Hampshire...
, received a vicuna sport coat as a gift from a wealthy industrialist and had to resign due to the resulting scandal. The town's primary employment is at a gypsum
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
mill and the nearby Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
, a General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
Company.
The horror writer Stephen King
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...
attended Lisbon Falls High School
Lisbon Falls High School
Lisbon Falls High School is an historic school on 4 Campus Avenue in Lisbon Falls, Maine.The school was built in 1904 by William R. Miller and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007....
. The fictional town of Castle Rock, which he used in several stories, is thought to be based on Lisbon Falls. King utilized the town's actual name, description, and citizens in his 2011 novel, 11/22/63
11/22/63
11/22/63 is a novel by Stephen King about a time traveler who attempts to prevent the John F. Kennedy assassination which occurred on November 22, 1963 . The novel was officially announced on the author's official site on March 2, 2011. A short excerpt was released online on June 1, 2011...
.
The town is also famous for its Moxie Days, a celebration of the Moxie
Moxie
Moxie is a carbonated beverage that was one of the first mass-produced soft drinks in the United States. It continues to be regionally popular today....
soft drink, which is sold at Frank Anicetti's corner store. The store's official name is The Kennebec Fruit Company, but it is commonly referred to as The Moxie Store and is recognizable by its bright yellow paint job. Moxie Days in Lisbon Falls is attended by thousands from around the world each summer.
Lisbon Falls was also home to John Gould
John Gould (columnist)
John Thomas Gould was an American humorist, essayist, and columnist who wrote a column for the Christian Science Monitor for over sixty years from a farm in Lisbon Falls, Maine...
, famous Maine humorist and author. He was the author of "Farmer Takes a Wife", "The Fastest Hound Dog in the State of Maine" and "Tales From Raphsody Home, What They Don't Tell You About Senior Living". In his book On Writing, Stephen King recounts his experience working for John Gould at the Lisbon Enterprise, a weekly newspaper that Gould published.
Eugene Elcik, Author of Fiction, a Lisbon Falls, Maine native.
Geography
Lisbon Falls is located at 44°0′8"N 70°3′36"W (44.002177, -70.060102).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 CDP has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.56%) is water. Lisbon Falls is drained by the Sabattus River
Sabattus River
The Sabattus River is an tributary of the Androscoggin River in Maine. It rises at the outlet of Sabattus Pond in the town of Sabattus and flows south into the town of Lisbon, reaching the Androscoggin just southeast of Lisbon Center and about upstream of Lisbon Falls...
, Little River and 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...
.
View of Lisbon Falls in 1906
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 4,420 people, 1,707 households, and 1,206 families residing in the CDP. 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 1,162.4 people per square mile (449.1/km²). There were 1,798 housing units at an average density of 472.8/sq mi (182.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.99% White, 0.63% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.07% 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 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 1,707 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% 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, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,224, and the median income for a family was $42,476. Males had a median income of $31,735 versus $20,688 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 CDP was $16,838. About 8.5% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.