Lebanon, Maine

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

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

mapsize =
map_caption =


mapsize1 =
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Maine
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = York
government_footnotes =
government_type = Town Meeting
leader_title = 1st Selectman
leader_name = Harold L. Randall
leader_title1 = Selectmen
leader_name1 = Judith L Churchard
Robert D. Torno, Jr.
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1767

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 144.5
area_land_km2 = 141.7
area_water_km2 = 2.8
area_total_sq_mi = 55.8
area_land_sq_mi = 54.7
area_water_sq_mi = 1.1

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 5083
population_density_km2 = 35.9
population_density_sq_mi = 92.9

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 140
elevation_ft = 459
latd = 43 |latm = 24 |lats = 12 |latNS = N
longd = 70 |longm = 55 |longs = 2 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 04027
area_code = 207
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 23-38425
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0582550
website = http://www.lebanon-me.org/
footnotes =

Lebanon is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,083 at the 2000 census. Lebanon includes the villages of Center Lebanon, West Lebanon, North Lebanon and East Lebanon. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lebanon is home to Skydive New England.

History

It was called Towwoh by the Newichawannock Abenaki tribe, whose main village was further down the Salmon Falls River. On April 20, 1733, the Massachusetts General Court granted Towwoh Plantation to 60 colonists, who first settled it in 1743. The township was incorporated on June 17, 1767, renamed Lebanon after the biblical land of Lebanon. It was Maine's 23rd town. Lebanon annexed unincorporated land in 1785, and some from Sanford in 1787. It swapped land with Shapleigh, giving some in 1793, then annexing some in 1825.

Farmers found the surface of the town relatively level in the southeast, with extensive pine plains in the northwest. The chief crop would be hay. At the Salmon Falls River and the Little River were water power sites for mills. Lebanon had 4 sawmills, 3 gristmills, a shingle mill, a wool carding mill and a tannery. In 1850, Oren B. Cheney founded West Lebanon Academy. Beginning in the early 1870s, the Portland & Rochester Railroad ran the length of the town's southeast side, with the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway Railroad crossing for a short distance on the western side.

Notable residents

* Oren B. Cheney, clergyman, abolitionist & college founder
* Charles Coffin Jewett, librarian
* Sumner Increase Kimball, organized the United States Life-Saving Service
* Charles E. Littlefield, congressman

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 55.8 square miles (144.5 km²), of which, 54.7 square miles (141.7 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (1.94%) is water. Lebanon is drained by the Little River and Salmon Falls River.

The town is crossed by U.S. Route 202 and State Route 11. It borders the towns of Acton to the north, Sanford to the east, Berwick and North Berwick to the southeast, and the New Hampshire towns of Milton and Rochester to the west.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there are 5,083 people, 1,823 households, and 1,405 families residing in the town. The population density is 92.9 people per square mile (35.9/km²). There are 2,090 housing units at an average density of 38.2/sq mi (14.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 98.49% White, 0.31% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.63% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 1,823 households out of which 38.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% are married couples living together, 9.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% are non-families. 17.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.79 and the average family size is 3.10.

In the town the population is spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $40,021, and the median income for a family is $41,713. Males have a median income of $33,551 versus $22,292 for females. The per capita income for the town is $15,503. 10.4% of the population and 8.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.9% of those under the age of 18 and 7.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

General information

* One post office: zip code 04027

References

Further reading

* [http://history.rays-place.com/me/lebanon-me.htm History of Lebanon, Maine (1886)]
* A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, "A History and Description of New England", 1859; H. O. Houghton & Company, printer; Cambridge, Massachusetts

External links

* [http://www.lebanon-me.org/public_documents/index Town of Lebanon, Maine]
* [http://www.ourvoice.stadig.org/ Our Voice - Citizens of Lebanon Maine for Better Government ]
* [http://www.maine.gov/local/york/lebanon Maine.gov -- Lebanon, Maine]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Lebanon-Maine.html City Data Profile]
* [http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=2189 Epodunk Town Profile]
* [http://www.skydivenewengland.com/ Skydive New England]