Mattawamkeag, Maine
Encyclopedia
Mattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County
, Maine
, United States
located where the Mattawamkeag River
joins the Penobscot River
. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.
The European & North American Railway
built up the Penobscot River valley from Bangor and reached Mattawamkeag in 1869. By October 1871 the line was completed from Mattawamkeag to Vanceboro
where it connected through to Saint John
, New Brunswick
, Canada
. The Maine Central Railroad
leased the Bangor-Vanceboro E&NA in 1882 and purchased it in 1955.
In 1889 the International Railway of Maine was completed between Megantic, Quebec
, Canada
to Mattawamkeag, where it interchanged with the Maine Central. The parent company of the International Railway, Canadian Pacific
, obtained running rights from Maine Central for Mattawamkeag to Vanceboro where it regained CPR trackage in New Brunswick. This placed Mattawamkeag on the transcontinental mainline of the Canadian Pacific, running from Saint John to Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
. In 1974, CPR purchased the Mattawamkeag-Vanceboro railway tracks from Maine Central. In 1988, CPR transferred trackage east of Megantic to its subsidiary Canadian Atlantic Railway
. In 1994, Canadian Atlantic was sold, with the line running through Mattawamkeag being purchased by J.D. Irving and is now operated as Eastern Maine Railway
.
Maine Central was purchased by Guilford Transportation Industries in 1981 and became part of Guilford Rail System. Mattawamkeag is the eastern terminus of GRS, running west to Upstate New York through the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
, the town has a total area of 37.8 square miles (97.9 km²), of which, 37.4 square miles (96.9 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (0.98%) is water.
of 2000, there were 825 people, 338 households, and 234 families residing in the town. The population density
was 22.0 people per square mile (8.5/km²). There were 393 housing units at an average density of 10.5 per square mile (4.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.06% White, 0.36% Native American, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.12% of the population.
There were 338 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,403, and the median income for a family was $32,000. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $19,063 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $12,573. About 7.8% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.
Penobscot County, Maine
Penobscot County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. For U.S. Census statistical purposes, it is part of the Bangor, Maine, New England County Metropolitan Area . As of 2010, the population was 153,923...
, 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...
located where the Mattawamkeag River
Mattawamkeag River
The Mattawamkeag River is a river in Maine. From the confluence of its East Branch and West Branch in Haynesville, about west of the Canada – United States border, the river runs south and west to its mouth on the Penobscot River in Mattawamkeag....
joins the Penobscot River
Penobscot River
The Penobscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to , making it the second longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. Its drainage basin contains .It arises from four branches...
. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.
Railroad history
Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad.The European & North American Railway
European and North American Railway
The European and North American Railway is the name for three historic Canadian and American railways which were built in New Brunswick and Maine....
built up the Penobscot River valley from Bangor and reached Mattawamkeag in 1869. By October 1871 the line was completed from Mattawamkeag to Vanceboro
Vanceboro, Maine
Vanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
where it connected through to Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Maine Central Railroad
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...
leased the Bangor-Vanceboro E&NA in 1882 and purchased it in 1955.
In 1889 the International Railway of Maine was completed between Megantic, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Mattawamkeag, where it interchanged with the Maine Central. The parent company of the International Railway, Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, obtained running rights from Maine Central for Mattawamkeag to Vanceboro where it regained CPR trackage in New Brunswick. This placed Mattawamkeag on the transcontinental mainline of the Canadian Pacific, running from Saint John to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In 1974, CPR purchased the Mattawamkeag-Vanceboro railway tracks from Maine Central. In 1988, CPR transferred trackage east of Megantic to its subsidiary Canadian Atlantic Railway
Canadian Atlantic Railway
The Canadian Atlantic Railway is a historic Canadian and U.S. railway that existed from 1988 to 1994.The CAR was created in September 1988 as a business unit of CP Rail System to serve the Maritime Provinces and state of Maine...
. In 1994, Canadian Atlantic was sold, with the line running through Mattawamkeag being purchased by J.D. Irving and is now operated as Eastern Maine Railway
Eastern Maine Railway
Eastern Maine Railway can refer to two separate railroad companies:*Eastern Maine Railway *Eastern Maine Railway , the U.S. half of the New Brunswick Southern Railway...
.
Maine Central was purchased by Guilford Transportation Industries in 1981 and became part of Guilford Rail System. Mattawamkeag is the eastern terminus of GRS, running west to Upstate New York through the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Historic building
The George W. Smith Homestead (1874) in Mattawamkeag is listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
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 37.8 square miles (97.9 km²), of which, 37.4 square miles (96.9 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (0.98%) is water.
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 825 people, 338 households, and 234 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 22.0 people per square mile (8.5/km²). There were 393 housing units at an average density of 10.5 per square mile (4.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.06% White, 0.36% Native American, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.12% of the population.
There were 338 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% 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, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,403, and the median income for a family was $32,000. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $19,063 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 $12,573. About 7.8% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.