- Waterboro, Maine
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Waterboro, Maine — Town — Little Ossipee Lake
Location within the state of Maine
Waterboro, MaineCoordinates: 43°36′15″N 70°42′59″W / 43.60417°N 70.71639°W Country United States State Maine County York Incorporated 1787 Area – Total 57.4 sq mi (148.6 km2) – Land 55.5 sq mi (143.8 km2) – Water 1.8 sq mi (4.8 km2) Elevation 797 ft (243 m) Population (2000) – Total 6,214 – Density 11,100.9/sq mi (4,300.2/km2) Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) – Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) ZIP code 04087,04061,04030 Area code(s) 207 FIPS code 23-80530 GNIS feature ID 0582793 Website www.waterboro-me.gov Waterboro is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,214 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.
The town includes the districts of North (04061), South (04087), and East (04030) Waterboro, in addition to the largest development in Southern Maine, Lake Arrowhead Community. The introduction of Maine subdivision regulation, and Maine Planning Boards, is the direct result of the creation of the largest subdivision, Lake Arrowhead Community. The reaction of the Maine State Legislature was mandatory Planning Boards, and subdivision regulation.
Contents
History
Abenaki Indians called the area Massabesic, meaning "the place of much water," a reference to the region's lakes. It was part of an extensive tract of land purchased in 1661 by Major William Phillips of Saco from Chief Fluellin. Known as Massabesic Plantation, it included most of modern-day Waterboro, Alfred and Sanford. Phillips died in 1683, and the plantation eventually passed from his heirs to 10 proprietors. One of those proprietors was Colonel Joshua Waters, for whom the town would be named.[1]
Lumbering began to thrive here about 1764. Captain John Smith from Kittery was the first permanent settler, arriving in 1768. On March 6, 1787, the Massachusetts General Court incorporated the township as Waterborough. In 1790, Old Corners became the site of the Court of General Sessions, although in 1805 the county seat shifted to Alfred. In 1895, the name was shortened to Waterboro.[1]
With land particularly suited for livestock grazing, agriculture became a principal industry. The town had many cattle and dairy farms. The Portland and Rochester Railroad passed through Waterboro and connected to Rochester, New Hampshire in 1871, helping spur development. Rivers and brooks provided water power to operate mills. Several sawmills were established, and by 1886 the town produced about 1,800,000 feet (550,000 m) of lumber annually. Other businesses included the Ossipee Manufacturing Company at the Little Ossipee River, which made blankets, and the Steam Mill Company at South Waterboro, which made wooden boxes.[2] In 1922, the Goodall-Sanford Mills built in Waterboro village a spinning mill, taken over by a patent leather manufacturer that operated from 1939-1982.
Fire twice devastated the town. In 1911, a large portion of South Waterboro burned. Then during the Great Fires of 1947, three-quarters of Waterboro's land area burned, including the town center and 90% of the cottages on Little Ossipee Lake. Today, Waterboro's lakes remain a popular recreation area. The town is home to the 2,140-acre (870 ha) Waterboro Barrens, one of the largest and best preserved pitch pine barrens in Maine.[3]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 57.4 square miles (148.6 km²), of which, 55.5 square miles (143.8 km²) of it is land and 1.8 square miles (4.8 km²) of it (3.21%) is water. Lake Arrowhead , named by land developers in the 1960s, is on the northern border of the town. Waterboro is drained by the Little Ossipee River. Little Ossipee Lake, the largest body of water, covers 564 acres (228 ha). Ossipee Mountain, elevation 1058 feet (322 m) above sea level, is the highest point in the town.
Waterboro is crossed by U. S. Route 202 and state routes 4 and 5. It borders the towns of Alfred to the southwest, and Lyman to the southeast, Hollis to the northeast, Limerick and Limington to the north, Newfield to the northwest, and Shapleigh to the west.
Demographics
Little Ossipee Lake in 1910
See also: Lake Arrowhead, MaineAs of the census[4] of 2000, there were 6,214 people, 2,211 households, and 1,704 families residing in the town. The population density was 111.9 people per square mile (43.2/km²). There were 2,828 housing units at an average density of 50.9 per square mile (19.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.66% White, 0.11% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 2,211 households out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.15.
Pearl Street in 1912In the town the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,234, and the median income for a family was $46,667. Males had a median income of $33,583 versus $21,904 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,813. About 3.4% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Amos L. Allen, congressman
Education
Waterboro is home to Massabesic High School, Massabesic Middle School, and the Waterboro Elementary School. The town is part of Regional School Unit 57 (RSU 57), a regional school district also encompassing five other towns: Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, and Shapleigh.
Sites of interest
- Waterboro Barrens Preserve
- James Leavitt House
References
- ^ a b Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 343. http://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA9&dq=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA343#v=onepage&q&f=false.
- ^ Varney, George J. (1886), Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Waterborough, Boston: Russell, http://history.rays-place.com/me/waterborough-me.htm
- ^ Willis Lord, "History of Waterboro, Maine" 1987
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
- Town of Waterboro, Maine
- Waterboro Public Library
- Ossipee Mountaineers Snowmobile Club
- Maine Genealogy: Waterboro, York County, Maine
- Waterboro Commercial Website
Coordinates: 43°32′08″N 70°42′54″W / 43.53556°N 70.715°W
Municipalities and communities of York County, Maine Cities 
Towns CDPs Berwick | Cape Neddick | Kennebunk | Kennebunkport | Kittery | Kittery Point | Lake Arrowhead | North Berwick | Sanford | South Eliot | South Sanford | Springvale | West Kennebunk | York Harbor
Other
villagesCategories:- Portland – South Portland – Biddeford metropolitan area
- Towns in York County, Maine
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