Shapleigh, Maine

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Shapleigh, Maine
nickname =
motto =


image_

imagesize =
image_caption = Shapleigh Pond


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

|mapsize =
map_caption = Location in York County, Maine
settlement_type = Town


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Maine
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = York
government_type = Town Meeting
leader_title = Board of Selectmen
leader_name = Michael S. Perro
Bill Hayes
Ruth S. Ham
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1785
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 106.8
area_total_sq_mi = 41.2
area_land_km2 = 100.5
area_land_sq_mi = 38.8
area_water_km2 = 6.3
area_water_sq_mi = 2.4
area_water_percent = 5.89%
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 2,326
population_density_km2 = 23.1
population_density_sq_mi = 59.9
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 43 |latm = 32 |lats = 26 |latNS = N
longd = 70 |longm = 50 |longs = 53 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 216
elevation_ft = 709
website = http://www.shapleigh.net/
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 04076
area_code = 207
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 23-67475
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0582722
footnotes =

Shapleigh, pronounced "Shap-LEE", is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,326 at the 2000 census. Shapleigh includes the villages of Ross Corner and Emery Mills. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

In 1668, Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) of the Newichawannock Abenaki tribe sold to Francis Small the Ossipee Tract, which included Cornish, Parsonsfield, Newfield, Limerick, Limington and Shapleigh. Small, a trader from Kittery, then sold a half interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of Eliot. In 1770, heirs discovered the unrecorded deed and made claim. Shapleigh's heirs took Parsonsfield, Shapleigh and one half of Limerick, the last awarded in full to James Sullivan for his legal services.

First called Hubbardstown, Shapleigh Plantation was settled in 1772 when Simeon Emery erected a sawmill at the foot of Mousam Pond. On March 5, 1785, the town was incorporated as Shapleigh, named for Nicholas Shapleigh. In 1830, Shapleigh's west half was set off and incorporated as Acton. In 1846, 600-800 acres of the northeastern part of Shapleigh were annexed by Newfield. Shapleigh annexed an eastern portion of land from Waterboro in 1854.

Farmers found the land to have sandy loam, which yielded good crops of grain. The town also had orchards, and before 1842, cider was a principal product. There were sawmills at Emery Mills, Shapleigh Corner and North Shapleigh, which also had a woolen textile factory and leather board factory. By 1870, the population was 1,087. Shapleigh was one of the Maine towns devastated by the Great Fires of 1947.

Notable residents

* Frank Abbott, dentist, author & president of the American Dental Association

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.2 square miles (106.8 km²), of which, 38.8 square miles (100.5 km²) of it is land and 2.4 square miles (6.3 km²) of it (5.89%) is water. Shapleigh is drained by the Little Ossipee River and Mousam River. The town's highest elevation is Abbott Mountain, 1063 feet (324 m) above sea level. All of Shapleigh's woodlands are protected by The Nature Conservancy.

The town is crossed by state routes 11 and 109. It borders the towns of Acton to the west, Waterboro to the east, Alfred to the southeast, Newfield to the north, and Sanford to the south.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,326 people, 912 households, and 673 families residing in the town. The population density was 59.9 people per square mile (23.1/km²). There were 1,813 housing units at an average density of 46.7/sq mi (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.41% White, 0.21% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.

There were 912 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,026, and the median income for a family was $45,591. Males had a median income of $34,519 versus $26,739 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,331. About 2.9% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Shapleigh students attend Shapleigh Memorial School which is a part of Maine School Administrative District 57. Students in grades 7-8 from Shapleigh attend Massabesic Middle School, and students in grades 9-12 attend Massabesic High School in Waterboro.

General information

* One post office: zip code 04076
* Telephone exchanges: 793 and 636
* Two fire stations:
** Shapleigh Fire Department
** Ross Corner Fire Department

ites of interest

* [http://www.visitmaine.com/organization/485/acton-shapleigh_historical_society/ Acton-Shapleigh Historical Society & Museum]
* [http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/maine/preserves/art21017.html Shapleigh Woods-Waterboro Barrens]

References

External links

* [http://www.shapleigh.net/ Town of Shapleigh, Maine]
* [http://www.maine.gov/local/york/shapleigh Maine.gov -- Shapleigh, Maine]
* [http://city.statelawyers.com/City_Detail.cfm/stateID:19/CityID:2585 Contact Information for Shapleigh, Maine]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Shapleigh-Maine.html City Data Profile]
* [http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=2337 Epodunk Town Profile]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/me/shapleigh-me.htm History of Shapleigh, Maine (1886)]