Dixfield, Maine

This article is about the town. For the census-designated place comprising the town center only, see Dixfield (CDP), Maine.

Dixfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,514 at the 2000 census. The town motto of Dixfield is "The Only One" because it is the only town in the world to claim that name.

History

Weld Street in 1911

The Massachusetts General Court granted the township in 1789 to Colonel Jonathan Holman of Sutton, Massachusetts (now Millbury), a Revolutionary War veteran, together with 25 others. In 1795, the first permanent settlers arrived with their families—John Marble, Gardner Brown, Amos Trask, Levi Newton, David Torrey and John Gould.^[1] It was called Holmantown Plantation until part of it was incorporated on June 21, 1803 as Dixfield, the 147th town in Maine (the remainder of the plantation would be incorporated in 1818 as Mexico). Dr. Elijah Dix of Boston, a substantial landowner in the area, promised to donate a library for the town if the citizens changed its name from Holmantown to Dixfield. The citizens complied, after which the town received dusty old boxes of medical books printed in German.^[2] Dr. Dix also left his name on Dixmont, where he died while visiting in 1809 and was buried.

With several streams for water power, Dixfield developed into a small mill town. It had sawmills and gristmills. It also produced cheese, carriages, shingles, toothpicks, rakes, wooden boxes, flies and leaders, boots and shoes. Dixfield once had a marble works.^[3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.6 square miles (107.8 km²), of which, 41.2 square miles (106.7 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (0.99%) is water. Dixfield is drained by Newton Brook, the Webb River and the Androscoggin River. U.S. Route 2 passes through the town.

Demographics

See also: Dixfield (CDP), Maine

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 2,514 people, 1,011 households, and 721 families residing in the town. The population density was 61.0 people per square mile (23.6/km²). There were 1,118 housing units at an average density of 27.1 per square mile (10.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.29% White, 0.20% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 1,011 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,563, and the median income for a family was $41,979. Males had a median income of $36,413 versus $21,563 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,684. About 8.0% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 18.6% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

The town has two schools; TW Kelly Dirigo Middle School and the Dirigo High School. The mascot is the cougar and the school color is blue. The middle school consists grades 6-8. The high school consists of grades 9-12. It is currently part of RSU#10.^{[citation needed]}

Sites of interest

• Dixfield Historical Society & Museum
• Mainely Critters Wildlife Museum

Notable people

• Sebastian Streeter Marble, congressman
• Mace Greenleaf stage and screen actor

References

1. ^ Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts. pp. 107–108. http://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA9&dq=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA107#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
2. ^ Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums (1970). Doris A. Isaacson. ed. Maine: A Guide 'Down East'. Rockland, Me: Courier-Gazette, Inc.. pp. 284–285. 
3. ^ Varney, George J. (1886), Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Dixfield, Boston: Russell, http://history.rays-place.com/me/dixfield-me.htm 
4. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• Town of Dixfield, Maine
• Ludden Memorial Library
• Economic development site

Coordinates: 44°32′13″N 70°27′10″W / 44.53694°N 70.45278°W / 44.53694; -70.45278