York, Maine
Encyclopedia
York is a town
in York County
, Maine
, United States
at the southwest corner of the state. The population in the 2000 census was 12,854. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean
on the Gulf of Maine
, York is a well-known summer resort. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, three sandy beaches, and Mount Agamenticus
. It includes the villages of York Village, York Harbor
, York Beach and Cape Neddick
.
York is part of the Portland
–South Portland
–Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
.
First settled in 1624, the plantation was originally called Agamenticus, the Abenaki term for the York River
. In 1638, settlers changed the name to Bristol after Bristol, England
, from which they had immigrated. Envisioning a great city arising from the wilderness
, Sir Ferdinando Gorges
, lord proprietor of Maine under the Plymouth patent
, named the capital of his province Gorgeana. The town's watchmen, Rick James stayed in the town's garrison fending off Native Americans. In 1642, by charter of King Charles I, Gorgeana became the first incorporated city in America.
Following Gorges' death, however, the Massachusetts Bay Company claimed his dominion. In 1652, York, Massachusetts was incorporated from a portion of Gorgeana, making it the second oldest town in Maine after Kittery
, incorporated two days earlier. It was named for York, England
. But control of the region was contested between New England
and New France
, which incited Native Americans
to attack English
settlements throughout the French and Indian Wars
.
The first Congregational church of York was organized in 1672, by Rev. Shubael Dummer
, the son of Richard Dummer
and uncle to William Dummer
, who became acting governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
.
During King William's War
, York was destroyed in the Candlemas Massacre
of 1692. During the raid by the Abenakis, Dummer was shot at his own front door. About 50 others were slain and near 100 carried away captive, among them Dummer's wife, Lydia and their son, where "through snows and hardships among those dragons of the desert she also quickly died"; nothing further was heard of the boy.
The final local Indian attack occurred at the Cape Neddick area during Dummer's War
in 1723. Hostilities diminished with the French
defeat at the Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
, and ceased altogether with the 1763 Treaty of Paris
. Several famous American authors have be known to spend their summer months in York, including Mark Twain
.
and warehouse
s serviced trade with the West Indies. Agricultural products and lumber
were shipped in exchange for sugar
, molasses
and other commodities. One notable merchant
was John Hancock
, whose establishment is now a museum. Following the Revolution
, however, President Thomas Jefferson's
Embargo Act of 1807
crippled trade. York, bereft of status as capitol, would not again be prosperous until after the Civil War
, when its sea breezes and colonial charm, including old homes like the John Sedgley Homestead
, attracted tourists.
and Newport
, Rhode Island
, York became a fashionable summer resort, and retains many distinctive examples of Gilded Age
architecture, particularly in the Shingle Style. A cluster of historic buildings in the center of York Village are maintained as museums by the Old York Historical Society.
During summer months, tourists (chiefly families) throng Short Sands Beach, which is in the district of York Beach itself, as well as Long Sands Beach, the town's longest with more than a mile of sand stretching between York Beach and York Harbor. Dozens of five star hotels and other accommodations operate in the York Beach area, although most close after summer.
Many spots throughout The Yorks have picturesque views of the famous Cape Neddick Light
at Nubble Rock, which has figured in both artists' work and souvenirs of the Maine coast. Visible in clear weather is the 133 foot (40 meter) tall Boon Island Light
on Boon Island
, located 6.2 miles (10 km) off York. Old-fashioned restaurants, like the Goldenrod, maintain the historic character of the York Beach area.
, the town has a total area of 57.7 square miles (149.4 km²), of which, 54.9 square miles (142.2 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) of it is water. The total area is 4.82% water. The York watershed drains into the York River
. The highest point in town is Mount Agamenticus
, with an elevation of 692 feet (211 meters) above sea level. An automobile road travels to the summit, where miles of hiking
, biking and horse-riding trails are available.
, followed by Cape Elizabeth
, a suburb of Portland
. York County
has the highest real estate values in the state.
York School Department receives the largest portion (69%) of the town's budget
. The town of York supports 2,000 students in four schools. Village Elementary School serves grades K-2. Coastal Ridge Elementary School provides education for grades 3-4. York Middle School serves students in grades 5-8, and York High School
serves students in grades 9-12. Adult education
is also available to York residents.
York students have consistently achieved better than the state average in English and Mathematics. www.GreatSchools.net gave York High School a 10 (out of 10) rating in 2007.
Seventh and eighth grade Students at York Middle school are privileged enough to get their own take-home laptops. The school has decided to do this so their students will be able to get school computer work done at home.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 12,854 people, 5,235 households, and 3,690 families residing in the town. The population density
was 234.1 people per square mile (90.4/km²). There were 8,053 housing units at an average density of 146.7 per square mile (56.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.36% White, 0.25% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 5,235 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples
living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $64,000, and the median income for a family was $73,400. Males had a median income of $49,415 versus $31,743 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $30,895. About 1.3% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.7% of those 65 and older.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in York County
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...
at the southwest corner of the state. The population in the 2000 census was 12,854. Situated beside 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...
on 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...
, York is a well-known summer resort. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, three sandy beaches, and Mount Agamenticus
Agamenticus
The Mount Agamenticus region covers nearly 30,000 acres in the southern Maine towns of Eliot, Ogunquit, South Berwick, Wells and York. It is now a park reservation which provides habitat for wildlife and a venue for recreation....
. It includes the villages of York Village, York Harbor
York Harbor, Maine
York Harbor is a census-designated place in the town of York in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,321 at the 2000 census. York Harbor is a distinguished former Gilded Age summer colony noted for its resort architecture...
, York Beach and Cape Neddick
Cape Neddick, Maine
Cape Neddick is a census-designated place in the town of York in York County which is the location of the Cape Neddick Campground run by Robert McDonough, Maine, United States. The population was 2,997 at the 2000 census...
.
York 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
York River (Maine)
The York River is a stream in sout hiwest Maine, United States. It is tidal for over half of its length. It rises at York Pond in Eliot, and conjoined by brooks and creeks, feeds the tidal section...
. In 1638, settlers changed the name to Bristol after Bristol, 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...
, from which they had immigrated. Envisioning a great city arising from 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...
, 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 under the Plymouth patent
Plymouth Council for New England
The Plymouth Council for New England was the name of a 17th century English joint stock company that was granted a royal charter to found colonial settlements along the coast of North America....
, named the capital of his province Gorgeana. The town's watchmen, Rick James stayed in the town's garrison fending off Native Americans. In 1642, by charter of King Charles I, Gorgeana became the first incorporated city in America.
Following Gorges' death, however, the Massachusetts Bay Company claimed his dominion. In 1652, York, Massachusetts was incorporated from a portion of Gorgeana, making it the second oldest town in Maine after 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...
, incorporated two days earlier. It was named for York, 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...
. But control of the region was contested between New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, which incited Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
to attack English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
settlements throughout 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...
.
The first Congregational church of York was organized in 1672, by Rev. Shubael Dummer
Shubael Dummer
Rev. Shubael Dummer was an American Congregational church minister who was killed in the Candlemas Massacre in York, Maine. Described as a man of "beautiful Christian character", Dummer founded the First Parish Congregational Church of York, the oldest church congregation in the U.S...
, the son of Richard Dummer
Richard Dummer
Richard Dummer was an early settler in New England who has been described as "one of the fathers of Massachusetts"....
and uncle to William Dummer
William Dummer
William Dummer was Acting Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1723 to 1728.-Family:Dummer was born in Boston and died in Newbury, Massachusetts, the son of Jeremiah Dummer, the first American born silversmith, and Anna Atwater...
, who became acting governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
.
During King William's War
King William's War
The first of the French and Indian Wars, King William's War was the name used in the English colonies in America to refer to the North American theater of the Nine Years' War...
, York was destroyed in the Candlemas Massacre
Candlemas Massacre
The Candlemas Massacre took place in early 1692 during King William's War, when an estimated 150 Abenakis commanded by officers of New France entered the town of York , killing about 100 of the English settlers and burning down buildings, taking another estimated 80 villagers hostage,...
of 1692. During the raid by the Abenakis, Dummer was shot at his own front door. About 50 others were slain and near 100 carried away captive, among them Dummer's wife, Lydia and their son, where "through snows and hardships among those dragons of the desert she also quickly died"; nothing further was heard of the boy.
The final local Indian attack occurred at the Cape Neddick area during Dummer's War
Dummer's War
Dummer's War , also known as Lovewell's War, Father Rale's War, Greylock's War, the Three Years War, the 4th Indian War or the Wabanaki-New England War of 1722–1725, was a series of battles between British settlers of the three northernmost British colonies of North America of the time and the...
in 1723. Hostilities diminished with the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
defeat at the Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
The Siege of Louisbourg took place in 1745 when a New England colonial force aided by a British fleet captured Louisbourg, the capital of the French province of Île-Royale during the War of the Austrian Succession, known as King George's War in the British colonies.Although the Fortress of...
, and ceased altogether 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...
. Several famous American authors have be known to spend their summer months in York, including Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
.
Trading center
As provincial capital and site of the Royal Gaol (Jail), York prospered. Numerous wharvesWharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
and warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
s serviced trade with the West Indies. Agricultural products 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....
were shipped in exchange for sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
and other commodities. One notable merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
was John Hancock
John Hancock
John Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
, whose establishment is now a museum. Following 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...
, however, President Thomas Jefferson's
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
Embargo Act of 1807
Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act of 1807 and the subsequent Nonintercourse Acts were American laws restricting American ships from engaging in foreign trade between the years of 1807 and 1812. The Acts were diplomatic responses by presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison designed to protect American interests...
crippled trade. York, bereft of status as capitol, would not again be prosperous until after 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...
, when its sea breezes and colonial charm, including old homes like the John Sedgley Homestead
John Sedgley Homestead
The John Sedgley Homestead is the oldest homestead in the State of Maine that is still in its original setting. It was built during the early eighteenth century resettlement period; the first constructions were from 1695 to 1720. Located at lower Scituate Road and Chases Pond Road in York, Maine ,...
, attracted tourists.
Present day
Like Bar HarborBar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
and Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, York became a fashionable summer resort, and retains many distinctive examples of Gilded Age
Gilded Age
In United States history, the Gilded Age refers to the era of rapid economic and population growth in the United States during the post–Civil War and post-Reconstruction eras of the late 19th century. The term "Gilded Age" was coined by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in their book The Gilded...
architecture, particularly in the Shingle Style. A cluster of historic buildings in the center of York Village are maintained as museums by the Old York Historical Society.
The Yorks
- York Village — including the historic structures and upscale shops
- York HarborYork Harbor, MaineYork Harbor is a census-designated place in the town of York in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,321 at the 2000 census. York Harbor is a distinguished former Gilded Age summer colony noted for its resort architecture...
— with a number of elegant inns, historic homes and large estates - York Beach — with popular attractions such as arcades, souvenir shops and stores
- Cape NeddickCape Neddick, MaineCape Neddick is a census-designated place in the town of York in York County which is the location of the Cape Neddick Campground run by Robert McDonough, Maine, United States. The population was 2,997 at the 2000 census...
— mainly residences
During summer months, tourists (chiefly families) throng Short Sands Beach, which is in the district of York Beach itself, as well as Long Sands Beach, the town's longest with more than a mile of sand stretching between York Beach and York Harbor. Dozens of five star hotels and other accommodations operate in the York Beach area, although most close after summer.
Many spots throughout The Yorks have picturesque views of the famous Cape Neddick Light
Cape Neddick Light
- See also :* Nobska Light, a similar lighthouse on Cape Cod, constructed in 1876.* Portsmouth Harbor Light, a similar lighthouse in New Hampshire, constructed in 1878.* National Register of Historic Places listings in York County, Maine- References :...
at Nubble Rock, which has figured in both artists' work and souvenirs of the Maine coast. Visible in clear weather is the 133 foot (40 meter) tall Boon Island Light
Boon Island Light
Boon Island Light is located on the 300x700 foot Boon Island off the southern coast of Maine, United States, near Cape Neddick. Boon Island Light has the distinction of being the tallest lighthouse in both Maine and New England at 133 feet. The lighthouse has a focal plane at 137 feet above mean...
on Boon Island
Boon Island
Boon Island is a barren piece of land located in the Gulf of Maine 6 miles off the town of York on the Maine coast. The island is approximately 300 by 700 feet in size, and is the site of Boon Island Light, the tallest lighthouse in New England.It was discovered when a coastal trading...
, located 6.2 miles (10 km) off York. Old-fashioned restaurants, like the Goldenrod, maintain the historic character of the York Beach area.
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 57.7 square miles (149.4 km²), of which, 54.9 square miles (142.2 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) of it is water. The total area is 4.82% water. The York watershed drains into the York River
York River (Maine)
The York River is a stream in sout hiwest Maine, United States. It is tidal for over half of its length. It rises at York Pond in Eliot, and conjoined by brooks and creeks, feeds the tidal section...
. The highest point in town is Mount Agamenticus
Agamenticus
The Mount Agamenticus region covers nearly 30,000 acres in the southern Maine towns of Eliot, Ogunquit, South Berwick, Wells and York. It is now a park reservation which provides habitat for wildlife and a venue for recreation....
, with an elevation of 692 feet (211 meters) above sea level. An automobile road travels to the summit, where miles of hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, biking and horse-riding trails are available.
Housing
York has the highest home values in MaineMaine
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...
, followed by Cape Elizabeth
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Cape Elizabeth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The town is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
, a suburb of 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...
. York County
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....
has the highest real estate values in the state.
Voter registration
32.61% Republican, 23.44% Democrat, 0.9% Green, 43.05% unenrolled.http://www.bangornews.com/towns/town.cfm?ID=york&x=0&y=0| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Percentage |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
32.61% |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
23.44% |
Unaffiliated | 43.05% |
Minor Parties | 0.90% | |
| Total | 13,129 | 163 | 13,292 | 100% | ||||||
Education
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
. The town of York supports 2,000 students in four schools. Village Elementary School serves grades K-2. Coastal Ridge Elementary School provides education for grades 3-4. York Middle School serves students in grades 5-8, and York High School
York High School (Maine)
York High School is a public secondary school in York, Maine. Its current principal is Robert Stevens and its vice principal is Jeremie Sirois.- Athletics:...
serves students in grades 9-12. Adult education
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
is also available to York residents.
York students have consistently achieved better than the state average in English and Mathematics. www.GreatSchools.net gave York High School a 10 (out of 10) rating in 2007.
Seventh and eighth grade Students at York Middle school are privileged enough to get their own take-home laptops. The school has decided to do this so their students will be able to get school computer work done at home.
Demographics
- See Cape Neddick, MaineCape Neddick, MaineCape Neddick is a census-designated place in the town of York in York County which is the location of the Cape Neddick Campground run by Robert McDonough, Maine, United States. The population was 2,997 at the 2000 census...
and York Harbor, MaineYork Harbor, MaineYork Harbor is a census-designated place in the town of York in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,321 at the 2000 census. York Harbor is a distinguished former Gilded Age summer colony noted for its resort architecture...
for demographic information compiled for the respective villages .
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 12,854 people, 5,235 households, and 3,690 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 234.1 people per square mile (90.4/km²). There were 8,053 housing units at an average density of 146.7 per square mile (56.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.36% White, 0.25% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 5,235 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% 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, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $64,000, and the median income for a family was $73,400. Males had a median income of $49,415 versus $31,743 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 $30,895. About 1.3% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.7% of those 65 and older.
Sites of interest
- Cape Neddick Lighthouse (Nubble Light)Cape Neddick Light- See also :* Nobska Light, a similar lighthouse on Cape Cod, constructed in 1876.* Portsmouth Harbor Light, a similar lighthouse in New Hampshire, constructed in 1878.* National Register of Historic Places listings in York County, Maine- References :...
- John Sedgley HomesteadJohn Sedgley HomesteadThe John Sedgley Homestead is the oldest homestead in the State of Maine that is still in its original setting. It was built during the early eighteenth century resettlement period; the first constructions were from 1695 to 1720. Located at lower Scituate Road and Chases Pond Road in York, Maine ,...
, c. 1695
Notable people
- Emerson BakerEmerson BakerEmerson 'Tad' Baker II, Ph.D. is a historical archaeologist and professor of history at Salem State College. Doctor Baker is well known in academic circles for his extensive work on witchcraft in Colonial America, as well as for his work on numerous archaeological sites along the East Coast of...
, historian, author - Christopher CassidyChristopher CassidyChristopher John "Chris" Cassidy is a NASA astronaut and Navy SEAL. Chris Cassidy achieved the rank of Commander in the U.S. Navy. Cassidy attended York High School, in York, Maine,. He then graduated from the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1989...
, NASA astronaut - Richard FoersterRichard FoersterRichard Foerster is an American poet who has recently been awarded a 2011 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Poetry....
, poet - Barbara MaroisBarbara MaroisBarbara Marois, born in Auburn, Massachusetts, is a former field hockey player from the United States, who was a member of the US women's team that finished fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.-References:*...
, Olympic field hockey player - Rufus McIntireRufus McIntireRufus McIntire was a United States lawyer, captain of artillery in the War of 1812, congressman, land surveyor and prisoner of war.-Early life:...
, congressman - Neil RoldeNeil RoldeNeil Rolde is a Maine historian and former politician. Rolde grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts and was taunted for being Jewish. He has written 16 books, most of which covered the history of Maine. He studied history at Yale University and began his career as a political aide to future governor...
, state legislator and Maine historian - May SartonMay SartonMay Sarton is the pen name of Eleanore Marie Sarton , an American poet, novelist, and memoirist.-Biography:...
, writer - George ThatcherGeorge ThatcherGeorge Thatcher was an American lawyer, jurist, and statesman from the Maine district of Massachusetts. His name sometimes appears as George Thacher. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress in 1787 and 1788...
, state judge, congressmen - Windol WeaverWindol WeaverWindol Weaver is a Maine politician. In 2006, Weaver, a Republican, was elected to the Maine House of Representatives from District 150. He was subsequently re-elected in 2008 and 2010...
, state legislator