Standish, Maine
Encyclopedia
Standish is a town
in Cumberland County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 9,874 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Standish Corner, Sebago Lake Village and Steep Falls, and the localities known as Richville, Standish Neck and Two Trails. Standish is part of the Portland
-South Portland
-Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
.
granted the township to Captain Moses Pearson and Captain Humphrey Hobbs, together with their respective companies, for services during the French and Indian Wars
.
It was to be called Pearson and Hobbs Town, but Hobbs died and none of his company took possession. In 1752, the land was surveyed and divided into 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) lots, although some soldiers sold their rights for whatever they could get. Those that did settle found their cabins razed by Indians trying to drive them away. In response, the veterans built at Standish Corner a stockade
d fort, which provided protection until Indian hostilities ceased in 1759 with the Fall of Quebec. Pearsontown Plantation was incorporated as Standish on November 30, 1785. The town is named in honor of Captain Myles Standish
.
Much of Standish is sandy plains covered with pine
, yet farmer
s found considerable arable land
. Watermill
s at various streams produced lumber
, headings, shooks, barrel staves
, carriage
s, clothing
, flour
, ice
, plaster
and packing boxes. The Cumberland and Oxford Canal
opened in 1832, increasing trade between Sebago Lake
and Portland
. It was followed by the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, which on September 12, 1870 began regular passenger service between Portland and Sebago Lake Station. Tourists could arrive by train
in the morning, ride a side-wheel steamboat
the whole length of the lakes, then return to the city by evening. The cost of the excursion in 1876 was $1.75 from Portland to Naples
, and $2.00 from Portland to Bridgton, North Bridgton or Harrison
. Standish also had railroad depot
s at Richville and Steep Falls. In 1998, Frye Island
in Sebago Lake was set off and incorporated as a separate town. Today, Standish is both a recreational area and suburb of Portland.
, the town has a total area of 83.7 square miles (216.8 km²), of which, 59.1 square miles (153.1 km²) of it is land and 24.6 square miles (63.7 km²) of it (29.42%) is water. Situated beside Sebago Lake
, Standish is drained by Sebago Lake, the Saco River
, which is the town's (and Cumberland County's
) southwestern border and the Presumpscot River which is the town's eastern border. The eastern portion of Standish is part of the Presumpscot River Watershed http://presumpscotcoalition.org/geo.html.
The town is crossed by state routes 11, 25, 25A, 35
, 35A, 114, and 237. It borders the towns of Windham
and Gorham
to the southeast, Buxton
and Hollis
to the south, Limington
to the west, and Baldwin
and Sebago
to the northwest.
of 2000, there were 9,285 people, 3,205 households, and 2,464 families residing in the town. The population density
was 157.2 people per square mile (60.7/km²). There were 3,987 housing units at an average density of 67.5 per square mile (26.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.39% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races
, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 3,205 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,278, and the median income for a family was $53,461. Males had a median income of $36,235 versus $26,204 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,504. About 1.9% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and none 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 Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
, 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 9,874 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Standish Corner, Sebago Lake Village and Steep Falls, and the localities known as Richville, Standish Neck and Two Trails. Standish 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
This was once hunting and fishing territory of the Abenaki tribe whose main village was at Pequawket (now Fryeburg) up the Pequawket Trail (Route 113). In 1750, the Massachusetts General CourtMassachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
granted the township to Captain Moses Pearson and Captain Humphrey Hobbs, together with their respective companies, for services 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...
.
It was to be called Pearson and Hobbs Town, but Hobbs died and none of his company took possession. In 1752, the land was surveyed and divided into 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) lots, although some soldiers sold their rights for whatever they could get. Those that did settle found their cabins razed by Indians trying to drive them away. In response, the veterans built at Standish Corner a stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
d fort, which provided protection until Indian hostilities ceased in 1759 with the Fall of Quebec. Pearsontown Plantation was incorporated as Standish on November 30, 1785. The town is named in honor of Captain Myles Standish
Myles Standish
Myles Standish was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims as military advisor for Plymouth Colony. One of the Mayflower passengers, Standish played a leading role in the administration and defense of Plymouth Colony from its inception...
.
Much of Standish is sandy plains covered with pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
, yet farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s found considerable arable land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
. Watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s at various streams produced 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....
, headings, shooks, barrel staves
Barrel
A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of vertical wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. Traditionally, the barrel was a standard size of measure referring to a set capacity or weight of a given commodity. A small barrel is called a keg.For example, a...
, carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s, 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...
, flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
, ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
, plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
and packing boxes. The Cumberland and Oxford Canal
Cumberland and Oxford Canal
The Cumberland and Oxford Canal was opened in 1832 to connect the largest lakes of southern Maine with the seaport of Portland, Maine. The canal followed the Presumpscot River from Sebago Lake through the towns of Standish, Windham, Gorham, and Westbrook. The Canal diverged from the river at...
opened in 1832, increasing trade between Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine. The lake is deep at its deepest point, with a mean depth of , covers about in surface area, has a length of and a shoreline length of . The surface is around above sea level, so the deep bottom is below the present...
and 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...
. It was followed by the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, which on September 12, 1870 began regular passenger service between Portland and Sebago Lake Station. Tourists could arrive by train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
in the morning, ride a side-wheel steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
the whole length of the lakes, then return to the city by evening. The cost of the excursion in 1876 was $1.75 from Portland to Naples
Naples, Maine
Naples is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The population was 3,274 at the 2000 census, and it is home to part of Sebago Lake State Park. Naples is a resort area.-History:The area...
, and $2.00 from Portland to Bridgton, North Bridgton or Harrison
Harrison, Maine
Harrison is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,315 at the 2000 census. A historic resort area, Harrison straddles Long Lake and Crystal Lake...
. Standish also had railroad depot
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
s at Richville and Steep Falls. In 1998, Frye Island
Frye Island, Maine
Frye Island is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. Located in Sebago Lake, the island is accessed via a public car ferry from Raymond Neck, or by private boat. All residents of the resort town are seasonal...
in Sebago Lake was set off and incorporated as a separate town. Today, Standish is both a recreational area and suburb of Portland.
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 83.7 square miles (216.8 km²), of which, 59.1 square miles (153.1 km²) of it is land and 24.6 square miles (63.7 km²) of it (29.42%) is water. Situated beside Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine. The lake is deep at its deepest point, with a mean depth of , covers about in surface area, has a length of and a shoreline length of . The surface is around above sea level, so the deep bottom is below the present...
, Standish is drained by Sebago Lake, the 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...
, which is the town's (and Cumberland County's
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
) southwestern border and the Presumpscot River which is the town's eastern border. The eastern portion of Standish is part of the Presumpscot River Watershed http://presumpscotcoalition.org/geo.html.
The town is crossed by state routes 11, 25, 25A, 35
Maine State Route 35
Maine State Route 35 runs the course of western Maine, from Bethel to Kennebunk. It passes through Oxford, Cumberland and York Counties. It is known in its lower sections for both its unusually windy course as well as its notoriously poor paving, as a result of winter frost heaves. Its northern...
, 35A, 114, and 237. It borders the towns of Windham
Windham, Maine
Windham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 17,001 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of South Windham and North Windham...
and Gorham
Gorham, Maine
Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. In addition to an urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town also encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct...
to the southeast, Buxton
Buxton, Maine
Buxton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 7,452...
and Hollis
Hollis, Maine
Hollis is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,281 at the 2010 census. Hollis is a rural bedroom community of Portland and is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
to the south, 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...
to the west, and Baldwin
Baldwin, Maine
Baldwin is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,290 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine, metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
and Sebago
Sebago, Maine
Sebago is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,433 at the 2000 census, although it swells during summer months to approximately 5,000...
to the northwest.
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 9,285 people, 3,205 households, and 2,464 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 157.2 people per square mile (60.7/km²). There were 3,987 housing units at an average density of 67.5 per square mile (26.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.39% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.23% 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 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 3,205 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,278, and the median income for a family was $53,461. Males had a median income of $36,235 versus $26,204 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 $19,504. About 1.9% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Simon M. HamlinSimon M. HamlinSimon Moulton Hamlin was a U.S. Representative from Maine.Hamlin was born in Standish , Cumberland County, Maine, Hamlin attended the public schools, Gorham Normal School, and Bridgton Academy....
, congressman. - Albion P. HoweAlbion P. HoweAlbion Parris Howe was a Union Army general in the American Civil War. Howe's contentious relationships with superior officers in the Army of the Potomac eventually led to his being deprived of division command....
, Civil War era general.
Education
- Bonny Eagle High SchoolBonny Eagle High SchoolBonny Eagle High School is a public high school located in Standish, Maine, United States. The school is a part of Maine School Administrative District 6, which serves the towns of Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Frye Island, Bar Mills Steep Falls and Standish...
is a public high schoolHigh schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
serving the towns of BuxtonBuxton, MaineBuxton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 7,452...
, HollisHollis, MaineHollis is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,281 at the 2010 census. Hollis is a rural bedroom community of Portland and is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
, LimingtonLimington, MaineLimington 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...
and Standish and Frye Island - Saint Joseph's College of MaineSaint Joseph's College of MaineSaint Joseph’s College of Maine is a Catholic liberal arts college in Standish, Maine that grants bachelor's degrees in a traditional on-campus setting, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees via online education. The college’s campus in southern Maine is located on the shores of Sebago Lake,...
has its campus in Standish
Sites of interest
- Daniel Marrett HouseMarrett HouseMarrett House is a historic home in Standish, Maine, USA, now owned and operated as a house museum by Historic New England. In 1796, as a young man and recent graduate from Harvard University, Daniel Marrett moved to Standish to become the town parson...
- the 1789 home of the town's parsonParsonIn the pre-Reformation church, a parson was the priest of an independent parish church, that is, a parish church not under the control of a larger ecclesiastical or monastic organization...
located in town center, now a Historic New EnglandHistoric New EnglandHistoric New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities , is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England and is the oldest and largest regional preservation...
museum - The Old Red Church - an 1804 meeting house, now a museum
- Schoolhouse Arts Center at Sebago Lake
- Standish Historical Society & Museum