Frye Island, Maine

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Frye Island, Maine
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
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pushpin_label_position =left
pushpin_map_caption =Location within the state of Maine
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Maine
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Cumberland
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
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established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1998

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 4.1
area_land_km2 = 3.5
area_water_km2 = 0.7
area_total_sq_mi = 1.6
area_land_sq_mi = 1.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 0
population_density_km2 = 0.0
population_density_sq_mi = 0.0

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 82
elevation_ft = 269
latd = 43 |latm = 50 |lats = 24 |latNS = N
longd = 70 |longm = 31 |longs = 35 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 04071
area_code = 207
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 23-27025
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1802735
website =
footnotes =

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. Frye Island is vacant from November through April, and the ferry does not operate during that time. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town had a population of 0 at the 2000 census.

History

It was included in the 1750 grant made by the Massachusetts General Court to Captain Moses Pearson, Captain Humphrey Hobbs and their respective companies of soldiers for services during the French and Indian Wars. Pearsontown Plantation was first settled in the 1750s, then incorporated as the town of Standish on November 30, 1785. Frye Island, named for Captain Joseph Frye, seceded from Standish to become a separate town on July 1, 1998.

A popular legend on Frye Island tells of Captain Frye and his escape from a tribe of Native Americans in Portland. While being chased, Captain Frye came upon a large rock, now known as Frye's Leap, and had no way of going around it. Captain Frye made the decision to jump and swam across the channel to Frye Island. Today, many people go to Frye's Leap to reenact the famous jump, though this is extremely dangerous and illegal.

Frye Island is composed of 1,000 mostly wooded acres interlaced with convert|22|mi|km of dirt roads. The speed limit is convert|20|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on. Some homes are waterfront houses, and have Sebago Lake in front of their houses. On the island, there are two marinas, various athletic and recreational facilities, several public beaches, a convenience store, an ice cream stand, a restaurant with a bar, known as the Frye's Leap Cafe, and a golf club with a lounge that is open to the public.

The island is accessed by twin convert|65|ft|m|sing=on single-deck car ferries which are owned and operated by the town. They run every half hour from early in the morning until late in the evening during July and August, reduced somewhat in off-season. The trip takes about 5 minutes. Walk-on passengers are permitted, but there is no passenger parking at the ferry landings.

Geography

Frye Island is approximately convert|1.5|mi|km wide (at the widest point) and convert|2.5|mi|km long. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²) of it is water. The total area is 16.88% water. Frye Island is situated in Sebago Lake.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, the population of Frye Island was 0: any residents in the town are only seasonal residents.

References

Further reading

* [http://peterhuchthausen.com/frye.htm History of Frye Island, Maine 1748-1998]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/me/standish-me.htm History of Standish & Frye Island, Maine (1886)]

External links

* [http://www.fryeisland.com/ Town of Frye Island, Maine]
* [http://www.maine.gov/local/cumberland/frye_island/ Maine.gov -- Frye Island, Maine]
* [http://www.fryesleap.com/ Frye's Leap General Store]