Lyman, Maine

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

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

|pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =left
pushpin_map_caption =Location within the state of Maine
pushpin_mapsize =

|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 =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1780

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 104.7
area_land_km2 = 100.9
area_water_km2 = 3.9
area_total_sq_mi = 40.4
area_land_sq_mi = 38.9
area_water_sq_mi = 1.5

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3795
population_density_km2 = 37.6
population_density_sq_mi = 97.5

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 83
elevation_ft = 272
latd = 43 |latm = 30 |lats = 20 |latNS = N
longd = 70 |longm = 38 |longs = 21 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 04002
area_code = 207
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 23-41750
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0582572
website =
footnotes =

Lyman is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,795 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lyman, together with Alfred, is home to Massabesic Experimental Forest.

History

In 1660, John Sanders, John Bush and Peter Turbat purchased from the Abenaki sachem Sosowen and his son Fluellin what is now the township of Lyman. First called Swanfield, it was settled in 1767. While the original settlers are not known for certain, early records and deeds mention the following: William and Jacob Waterhouse (of Kennebunk), Love Roberts, Alexander Grant, Thomas Lord, Jacob Rhoades, Benjamin and Mark Goodwin (brothers who built one of the first mills at Goodwin's Mills), John Low (who served as town moderator and treasurer), John Burbank, Joseph Witten, James and William Brock, Mark Ricker, Robert Cousens, Valentine Hill, and Gershom Downs. [Clayton (1880)]

Swanfield would be incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court on April 24, 1780 as Coxhall, probably after Coggeshall (pronounced Coxhall) in Essex, England. On February 25, 1803, the name was changed to Lyman in honor of Theodore Lyman, a wealthy merchant who established a successful shipping firm in the 1790s at York before moving to Boston.

Farmers found the surface of the town moderately uneven, with fair soil that yielded good crops of grain, hay and apples. Watermills were established at the outlets of the larger ponds, with 2 sawmills at Swan Pond and another at Kennebunk Pond. Lumbering was a considerable source of income for many inhabitants. In 1782, a sawmill and gristmill were erected at Goodwin's Mills, which developed into the town's only business and trade center, despite the fact that some of the village is actually located in Dayton. The Great Fires of 1947 devastated part of Lyman. Today, the town is largely a bedroom community.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.4 square miles (104.7 km²), of which, 38.9 square miles (100.9 km²) of it is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) of it (3.69%) is water. Lyman is drained by the Kennebunk River.

The town is crossed by U.S. Route 202 and State Routes 5, 35 and 111. It is bordered by the towns of Hollis and Dayton to the northeast, Arundel and Kennebunk to the southeast, Alfred to the southwest, and Waterboro to the northwest.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,795 people, 1,366 households, and 1,087 families residing in the town. The population density was 97.5 people per square mile (37.6/km²). There were 1,749 housing units at an average density of 44.9/sq mi (17.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.45% White, 0.29% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population.

There were 1,366 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.6% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.4% were non-families. 12.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,860, and the median income for a family was $53,140. Males had a median income of $37,917 versus $25,192 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,203. About 4.8% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

General information

* ZIP code: 04002 (Alfred)
* Area code: 207
* Local phone code: 499, 247

References

Further reading

* [http://history.rays-place.com/me/lyman-me.htm History of Lyman, Maine (1886)]
* History of York County Maine. Compiled by W. W. Clayton. Philadelphia: Evarts & Pick, 1880, Lippincott Press
* The Bicentennial book "200 years of Lyman…Southern Maine's Country Home Town " It was produced by the Lyman Bicentennial Committee in June 1980 for the celebration of the Lyman Bicentennial 1780-1980

External links

* [http://www.lyman-maine.org Town of Lyman, Maine]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/durham/4155/massabes.htm Massabesic Experimental Forest]
* [http://maine.gov/local/york/lyman/ Maine.gov -- Lyman, Maine]