Acton, Maine

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Acton, Maine
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption = Salmon Falls River


image_

mapsize =
map_caption =


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Maine
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = York
government_footnotes =
government_type = Board of Selectmen
leader_title = 1st Selectman
leader_name = Nancy Ruma
leader_title1 = Selectmen
leader_name1 = James Driscoll
Tony Cogliandro
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1830

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 106.4
area_land_km2 = 97.5
area_water_km2 = 8.8
area_total_sq_mi = 41.1
area_land_sq_mi = 37.7
area_water_sq_mi = 3.4

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2145
population_density_km2 = 22.0
population_density_sq_mi = 57.0

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 228
elevation_ft = 748
latd = 43 |latm = 32 |lats = 53 |latNS = N
longd = 70 |longm = 55 |longs = 55 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 04001
area_code = 207
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 23-00275
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0582315
website = http://www.actonmaine.org/
footnotes =

Acton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every late summer. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

It was part of the extensive Ossipee Tract sold on November 28, 1668 by Newichawannock Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) to Francis Small, a trader from Kittery. Small sold a half interest in the tract to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of Eliot. In 1770, heirs found the unrecorded deed and divided the land, with Shapleigh's descendants awarded one half of Limerick and all of Parsonsfield and Shapleigh. First called Hubbardstown Plantation, Shapleigh was in 1785 incorporated and named in honor of Nicholas Shapleigh. Its western portion was set off and incorporated on March 6, 1830 as Acton, named after Acton, England. The town was first settled at Acton village in 1776 by Benjamin Kimens, Clement Steele and John York, all from York. In 1779, Joseph Parsons built a gristmill on the Salmon Falls River near Wakefield, New Hampshire. Other mills followed at Acton's various water power sites, including sawmills, gristmills, a hemp mill, a carding mill, a felt mill, a tannery and a shoe factory. In 1877, a vein of silver was discovered near Goding Creek and the Lebanon border. Prospectors dug mines during the 1880s, after which the enterprise declined.

Although much of the soil was poor for farming, the ridges yielded good crops. In 1866, the Shapleigh & Acton Agricultural Society was formed and commenced sponsoring an annual fair and cattle show. It continues each late summer as the Acton Fair.

Notable residents

* Nathan Clifford Ricker, architect

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.1 square miles (106.4 km²), of which, 37.7 square miles (97.5 km²) of it is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²) of it (8.30%) is water. Acton is drained by the Little Ossipee River and the Salmon Falls River. The highest elevation is Davis Hill, 1,079 feet (329 m) above sea level.

The town is crossed by State Route 109. Acton borders the towns of Newfield to the north, Shapleigh to the east, Lebanon to the south, Sanford to the southeast, and the New Hampshire towns of Milton to the west and Wakefield to the northwest.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,145 people, 855 households, and 615 families residing in the town. The population density was 57.0 people per square mile (22.0/km²). There were 1,910 housing units at an average density of 50.7/sq mi (19.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.41% White, 0.09% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.23% Asian, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.

There were 855 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $39,036, and the median income for a family was $45,353. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $24,643 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,447. About 7.0% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The children of Acton in grades K-8 go to Acton Elementary School, which is part of the Acton Schools Department. High school students go to Sanford High School. Acton plans to consolidate districts with Sanford in 2009.

ite of interest

* Acton-Shapleigh Historical Society & Museum

References

External links

* [http://www.actonmaine.org/ Town of Acton, Maine]
* [http://www.fsht.org/ Francis Small Heritage Trust]
* [http://www.maine.gov/local/york/acton Maine.gov -- Acton, Maine]
* [http://www.acton.k12.me.us/ Acton Elementary School]
* [http://www.actonfd.org/ Acton Fire Department]
* [http://actonfair.tripod.com/ Acton Fair]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Shapleigh-Maine.html City Data Profile]
* [http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=1995 Epodunk Town profile]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/me/acton-me.htm History of Acton, Maine (1886)]