- Denmark, Maine
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Denmark, Maine — Town — Campers at the covered bridge
Location within the state of Maine
Denmark, MaineCoordinates: 43°58′43″N 70°47′6″W / 43.97861°N 70.785°W Country United States State Maine County Oxford Incorporated 1807 Area – Total 48.6 sq mi (125.9 km2) – Land 45.0 sq mi (116.7 km2) – Water 3.6 sq mi (9.2 km2) Elevation 440 ft (134 m) Population (2000) – Total 1,004 – Density 22.3/sq mi (8.6/km2) Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) – Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) ZIP code 04022 Area code(s) 207 FIPS code 23-17250 GNIS feature ID 0582438 Denmark is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,004 at the 2000 census. A number of recreationally-used ponds and lakes are located within the town.
Contents
History
The land was once part of Pequawket (now Fryeburg), village of the Sokokis Abenaki Indians. Attacked by Captain John Lovewell in 1725 during Dummer's War, the tribe abandoned the area and fled to Canada. The township combined a grant made by the Massachusetts General Court to Fryeburg Academy, Foster's Gore and a strip from Brownfield. Several settlers came from Andover, Massachusetts. It was incorporated on February 20, 1807 as Denmark, named in a show of solidarity with Denmark. That country's capital, Copenhagen, was attacked in 1801 and 1807 by the Royal Navy, which in 1775 had attacked Portland.[1]
Farmers found the soil to be very stony and sandy, producing fair yields of potatoes, corn and oats. But the town did have excellent water powers at the streams, and mills were established to manufacture grain, long lumber, barrel staves, sashes, blinds and doors. Denmark Village was established at the foot of Moose Pond, whose outlet, Moose Pond Brook, provided the best water power site.[2] Today, the town is site of summer camps. Camp Wyonegonic, founded 1902, is the oldest girls' camp in the country. Also in Denmark is Camp Walden.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.6 square miles (126 km2), of which, 45.0 square miles (117 km2) of it is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) of it (7.33%) is water. Denmark is drained by Moose Pond Brook and the Saco River. Largest of its many ponds is Moose Pond, which is about 8 miles (13 km) long.
The town is crossed by State Routes 117 and 160. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgton to the northeast, Sebago to the southeast, Hiram to the south, Brownfield to the southwest, and Fryeburg to the northwest.
Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,004 people, 417 households, and 284 families residing in the town. The population density was 22.3 people per square mile (8.6/km²). There were 969 housing units at an average density of 21.5 per square mile (8.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.91% White, 0.40% African American, 0.50% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.
There were 417 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $47,969. Males had a median income of $32,443 versus $19,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,227. About 7.4% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
Notable people
- Nathaniel Cobb Deering, congressman
- Rufus Ingalls, Civil War era general
- Hazen S. Pingree, 24th governor of Michigan (1897–1901), mayor of Detroit (1889–1897)
References
- ^ Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts. pp. 104–105. http://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA9&dq=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA104#v=onepage&q&f=false.
- ^ George J. Varney, "History of Denmark, Maine" (1886)
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
- Denmark Public Library
- Maine.gov -- Denmark, Maine
- Wyonegonic Camps
- Photograph of Denmark, Maine in 1911, from the Maine Memory Network
Municipalities and communities of Oxford County, Maine Towns Andover | Bethel | Brownfield | Buckfield | Byron | Canton | Denmark | Dixfield | Fryeburg | Gilead | Greenwood | Hanover | Hartford | Hebron | Hiram | Lovell | Mexico | Newry | Norway | Otisfield | Oxford | Paris | Peru | Porter | Roxbury | Rumford | Stoneham | Stow | Sumner | Sweden | Upton | Waterford | West Paris | Woodstock
Plantations Unorganized
territoriesCDPs Other
villagesDickvale | Kezar Falls | North Waterford | Waterford Flat
Coordinates: 43°58′13″N 70°48′12″W / 43.97028°N 70.80333°W
Categories:- Towns in Oxford County, Maine
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