Cushing, Maine
Encyclopedia
Cushing is a town
in Knox County
, Maine
, United States
. As of the 2000 census
, the town had a total population of 1,322. A favorite of artists for its unspoiled natural setting, Cushing includes the villages of North Cushing, Cushing, South Cushing, and Pleasant Point.
, it was called the Lower Plantation of St. Georges, once extending across both sides of the St. George River
. It was first permanently settled in 1733 with Scots
and Irish immigrants recruited from Ireland
by Brigadier-General Samuel Waldo, who offered 100 acre (0.404686 km²) for each household. Attacks during the French and Indian Wars
, however, deterred habitation. A stone blockhouse
known as Burton's Fort was built in 1753 by its commander, Captain Benjamin Burton. Hostilities finally ceased in 1759 with the Fall of Quebec
. On January 28, 1789, the town was incorporated and named for Thomas Cushing
, statesman and lieutenant governor of Massachusetts
. On February 7, 1803, the town of St. George
was set off and incorporated.
The Olson House was depicted in Andrew Wyeth
's 1948 painting, Christina's World
, which in turn was used as Dahlia Gillespie's house in the 2006 horror film Silent Hill
, and inspired the farmer's house in the 1978 film Days of Heaven
. The building is now operated by the Farnsworth Art Museum
of Rockland
.
, the town has a total area of 26.1 square miles (67.6 km²), of which, 19.4 square miles (50.2 km²) of it is land and 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) of it (25.74%) is water. Cushing, which includes Gay Island, is situated on Muscongus Bay between the Meduncook River
to the west and St. George River
to the east.
The town is served by Maine State Route 97
. It borders Friendship
to the west, Warren
and Thomaston, Maine
to the north, and separated by the St. George River, South Thomaston
and St. George
to the east.
of 2000, there were 1,322 people, 541 households, and 383 families residing in the town. The population density
was 68.1 people per square mile (26.3/km²). There were 778 housing units at an average density of 40.1 per square mile (15.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.47% White, 0.08% Asian, 0.08% from other races
, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population. 28.3% were of English
, 13.5% American
, 9.1% Irish
, 7.9% German
, 5.9% Finnish, 5.2% French
and 5.1% Scottish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 541 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,598, and the median income for a family was $43,929. Males had a median income of $28,553 versus $22,455 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,264. About 7.6% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Knox County
Knox County, Maine
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 39,736. Its county seat is Rockland. The county is named for American Revolutionary War general and Secretary of War Henry Knox, who lived in the county from 1795 until his death in 1806. The county was...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the town had a total population of 1,322. A favorite of artists for its unspoiled natural setting, Cushing includes the villages of North Cushing, Cushing, South Cushing, and Pleasant Point.
History
Part of the Waldo PatentWaldo Patent
The Waldo Patent, a letters patent also known as the Muscongus Patent or the Lincolnshire Patent, was an area of land 36 miles square in what is now the U.S...
, it was called the Lower Plantation of St. Georges, once extending across both sides of the St. George River
Saint George River
The Saint George River is a river in Maine with a watershed of in a unique and historic area of mountains, sea coast, lakes, tidal streams and inlets. The origin of the Saint George River is the outflow of Saint George Lake in Liberty...
. It was first permanently settled in 1733 with Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and Irish immigrants recruited from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
by Brigadier-General Samuel Waldo, who offered 100 acre (0.404686 km²) for each household. Attacks during the French and Indian Wars
French and Indian Wars
The French and Indian Wars is a name used in the United States for a series of conflicts lasting 74 years in North America that represented colonial events related to the European dynastic wars...
, however, deterred habitation. A stone blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
known as Burton's Fort was built in 1753 by its commander, Captain Benjamin Burton. Hostilities finally ceased in 1759 with the Fall of Quebec
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War...
. On January 28, 1789, the town was incorporated and named for Thomas Cushing
Thomas Cushing
Thomas Cushing III was an American lawyer and statesman from Boston, Massachusetts. He was a loyalist for Massachusetts in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776, and the first Lt. Commander of the state from 1780 to 1788...
, statesman and lieutenant governor of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. On February 7, 1803, the town of St. George
St. George, Maine
St. George is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,580. It includes the villages of Port Clyde, Clark Island, Glenmere, Martinsville and Tenants Harbor, the latter its commercial center. A favorite with artists, writers and naturalists, St...
was set off and incorporated.
The Olson House was depicted in Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
's 1948 painting, Christina's World
Christina's World
Christina's World is a 1948 painting by American painter Andrew Wyeth, and one of the best-known American paintings of the middle 20th century...
, which in turn was used as Dahlia Gillespie's house in the 2006 horror film Silent Hill
Silent Hill (film)
Silent Hill is a 2006 horror film directed by Christophe Gans and written by Roger Avary. The story is an adaptation of the Silent Hill series of survival horror video games created by Konami. The film, particularly its emotional, religious and aesthetic content as well as its creature design,...
, and inspired the farmer's house in the 1978 film Days of Heaven
Days of Heaven
Days of Heaven is a 1978 American romantic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick and starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard and Linda Manz. Set in the early 20th century, it tells the story of two poor lovers, Bill and Abby, as they travel to the Texas Panhandle to harvest...
. The building is now operated by the Farnsworth Art Museum
Farnsworth Art Museum
The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine, United States, is an art museum that specializes in American art. Its permanent collection includes works by such artists as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, Thomas Eakins, Eastman Johnson, Fitz Henry Lane, Frank Benson, Childe Hassam, and Maurice...
of Rockland
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 26.1 square miles (67.6 km²), of which, 19.4 square miles (50.2 km²) of it is land and 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) of it (25.74%) is water. Cushing, which includes Gay Island, is situated on Muscongus Bay between the Meduncook River
Meduncook River
The Meduncook River is a river in Knox County, Maine. From its source in Friendship, the river runs about 1 mile south to the head of its estuary, then about 6 miles southwest to Muscongus Bay....
to the west and St. George River
Saint George River
The Saint George River is a river in Maine with a watershed of in a unique and historic area of mountains, sea coast, lakes, tidal streams and inlets. The origin of the Saint George River is the outflow of Saint George Lake in Liberty...
to the east.
The town is served by Maine State Route 97
Maine State Route 97
State Route 97 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways. It runs from an intersection with State Route 220 in Friendship to an intersection with U.S. 1 in Warren. The route is also known as Main Street and Cushing Road ....
. It borders Friendship
Friendship, Maine
Friendship is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,204 at the 2000 census.-History:...
to the west, Warren
Warren, Maine
Warren is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of East Warren, Warren and South Warren, the latter home to the Maine State Prison and minimum security Bolduc Correctional Facility....
and Thomaston, Maine
Thomaston, Maine
Thomaston, Maine is a town on the coast of Maine the United States. The name may also refer to:*Thomaston , Maine, a census-designated place comprising the center of the town*South Thomaston, Maine, an adjacent town...
to the north, and separated by the St. George River, South Thomaston
South Thomaston, Maine
South Thomaston is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,416 at the 2000 census. A fishing and resort area, the town includes the village of Spruce Head.-History:...
and St. George
St. George, Maine
St. George is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,580. It includes the villages of Port Clyde, Clark Island, Glenmere, Martinsville and Tenants Harbor, the latter its commercial center. A favorite with artists, writers and naturalists, St...
to the east.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,322 people, 541 households, and 383 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 68.1 people per square mile (26.3/km²). There were 778 housing units at an average density of 40.1 per square mile (15.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.47% White, 0.08% Asian, 0.08% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population. 28.3% were of English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 13.5% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 9.1% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 7.9% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 5.9% Finnish, 5.2% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and 5.1% Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 541 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,598, and the median income for a family was $43,929. Males had a median income of $28,553 versus $22,455 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $20,264. About 7.6% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Elisabeth OgilvieElisabeth OgilvieElisabeth Ogilvie was an American writer. She was born in Boston and grew up in Dorchester, Quincy, and Roxbury.-Life:...
, writer - Edward RobinsonEdward Robinson (Maine)Edward Robinson was a United States Representative from Maine. He was born in Cushing, Maine on November 25, 1796.He was self-educated while engaged in seafaring. He then engaged in mercantile pursuits in Thomaston. He was elected as a member of the Maine State Senate in 1836 and 1837...
, congressman - Dudley Willis RockwellDudley Willis RockwellDudley Willis "Dud" Rockwell was born June 20, 1913, in New Britain, Connecticut. Dud was the son of Ruth Gowdy Rockwell and Stanley Pickett Rockwell, inventor of the Rockwell scale. Dud graduated from Yale University Sheffield Scientific School in 1935 with a bachelor of science degree. He was a...
, metallurgist - Andrew WyethAndrew WyethAndrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
, artist