Dixmont, Maine
Encyclopedia
Dixmont is a town
in Penobscot County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 1,065 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bangor
, Maine
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Like many Maine towns, Dixmont has multiple villages. The four main ones are Dixmont Corner, North Dixmont, East Dixmont, and Dixmont Center.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²), of which, 36.3 square miles (94 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.41%) is water.
, which sold the first settlers their land. For that reason it was initially called "Collegetown". The first settlement was made in 1799.
One of the largest purchasers of land in Collegetown was Dr. Elijah Dix of Boston
, who never lived there but took an interest in its settlement. When the town was incorporated in 1807, it named itself after Dix. A "malignant fever" broke out among the settlers that same year, killing many of them. Still, the population grew in the decade 1800-1810 from 59 to 337, a rate of increase never repeated. Ironically, Dr. Dix also died in Dixmont on a trip there in 1809, and was buried in the Dixmont Corner Cemetery.
Dix was the grandfather of reformer Dorothea Dix
, who was born in nearby Hampden, Maine. Her father was probably the family's land agent, overseeing settlement in Dixmont. Dixfield, Maine, in Oxford County
, is also named after Dr. Dix.
Dixmont was on the main stage-coach route between Bangor
and Augusta
, and given that it had the highest elevation along that road, it became a natural rest-stop for tired horses. Wrote William Lloyd Garrison
in 1832: "The Dixmont Hills are famous and formidable along this route . . . they are piled upon my memory in all their massive mobility"
By the 1850s the population of the town had peaked at over 1,600, which is almost 500 more than it has today. It had 3 sawmills, a shingle mill, 2 flour & grist mills, and many productive farms.
In the 1870s there were two small corporations in Dixmont making cheese, one owned by L.P. Toothacker, and the other by Benjamin Bussey. In 1880 Dixmont had two hotels and one physician. Sheepfarming was popular, probably because of the hilly landscape. In 1880, Dixmont had more sheep than any town in Penobscot County.
A rare earthquake shook North Dixmont (and Unity, Albion, Plymouth, and Weeks Mills) in 1895 but no damage was reported.
By 1900, the population of Dixmont was down to 843.
: the carpenter-gothic style Dixmont Corner Church
(also known as the Dixmont Methodist Church), designed and built by Rowland Tyler in 1835 http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Dixmont_Corner_Church; and the Louis I. Bussey School of 1808. http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Bussey%2C_Louis_I.%2C_School Tyler also built the first Penobscot County Courthouse in Bangor, which does not survive.
) or Bangor (John Bapst Memorial High School
or Bangor High School).
of 2000, there were 1,065 people, 411 households, and 314 families residing in the town. The population density
was 29.3 people per square mile (11.3/km2). There were 474 housing units at an average density of 13.0 per square mile (5.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.59% White, 0.38% Native American, 0.47% Asian, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.19% of the population.
There were 411 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples
living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,654, and the median income for a family was $36,607. Males had a median income of $29,844 versus $26,000 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,826. About 14.1% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 16.0% 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 Penobscot County
Penobscot County, Maine
Penobscot County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. For U.S. Census statistical purposes, it is part of the Bangor, Maine, New England County Metropolitan Area . As of 2010, the population was 153,923...
, 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...
. The population was 1,065 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, 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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Dixmont's highest hills are Peaked Mountain and Mount Harris, the later 1,160 ft. above sea level. In 1854 the U.S. Coast Survey erected an observatory on top of Mount Harris.Like many Maine towns, Dixmont has multiple villages. The four main ones are Dixmont Corner, North Dixmont, East Dixmont, and Dixmont Center.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²), of which, 36.3 square miles (94 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.41%) is water.
History
Dixmont was originally granted by the State of Massachusetts (which Maine was then a part of) to Bowdoin CollegeBowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
, which sold the first settlers their land. For that reason it was initially called "Collegetown". The first settlement was made in 1799.
One of the largest purchasers of land in Collegetown was Dr. Elijah Dix of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, who never lived there but took an interest in its settlement. When the town was incorporated in 1807, it named itself after Dix. A "malignant fever" broke out among the settlers that same year, killing many of them. Still, the population grew in the decade 1800-1810 from 59 to 337, a rate of increase never repeated. Ironically, Dr. Dix also died in Dixmont on a trip there in 1809, and was buried in the Dixmont Corner Cemetery.
Dix was the grandfather of reformer Dorothea Dix
Dorothea Dix
Dorothea Lynde Dix was an American activist on behalf of the indigent insane who, through a vigorous program of lobbying state legislatures and the United States Congress, created the first generation of American mental asylums...
, who was born in nearby Hampden, Maine. Her father was probably the family's land agent, overseeing settlement in Dixmont. Dixfield, Maine, in Oxford County
Oxford County
Oxford County may refer to:*Oxford County, Ontario in Canada*Oxford County, Maine in the U.S.*Oxford County, New Zealand...
, is also named after Dr. Dix.
Dixmont was on the main stage-coach route between Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
and Augusta
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
, and given that it had the highest elevation along that road, it became a natural rest-stop for tired horses. Wrote William Lloyd Garrison
William Lloyd Garrison
William Lloyd Garrison was a prominent American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer. He is best known as the editor of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, and as one of the founders of the American Anti-Slavery Society, he promoted "immediate emancipation" of slaves in the United...
in 1832: "The Dixmont Hills are famous and formidable along this route . . . they are piled upon my memory in all their massive mobility"
By the 1850s the population of the town had peaked at over 1,600, which is almost 500 more than it has today. It had 3 sawmills, a shingle mill, 2 flour & grist mills, and many productive farms.
In the 1870s there were two small corporations in Dixmont making cheese, one owned by L.P. Toothacker, and the other by Benjamin Bussey. In 1880 Dixmont had two hotels and one physician. Sheepfarming was popular, probably because of the hilly landscape. In 1880, Dixmont had more sheep than any town in Penobscot County.
A rare earthquake shook North Dixmont (and Unity, Albion, Plymouth, and Weeks Mills) in 1895 but no damage was reported.
By 1900, the population of Dixmont was down to 843.
Notable people
- Samuel ButmanSamuel ButmanSamuel Butman was an American politician from the U.S. state of Maine. A farmer and War of 1812 veteran, Butman served in the Maine State House before entering the U.S. House of Representatives, where he representated Maine's seventh congressional district...
(1788–1864), U.S. congressman (1827–1831), president of the Maine state Senate (1853). - Sumner J. ChadbourneSecretary of State of MaineThe Secretary of State of Maine is elected by the Legislature in that U.S. state. The Maine Secretary of State is responsible for administering elections, the Maine State Archives, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and for chartering corporations. The Secretary of State is elected to no more than two...
, Maine's Secretary of State (1876-78 & 1880). - Jonathan G. HuntonJonathan G. HuntonJonathan Glidden Hunton was an American politician who served as the ninth Governor of Maine from 1830 to 1831.- Early years :...
, 9th governor of Maine. - Jayme LangfordJayme LangfordJayme Langford is a pornographic actress and has appeared in over 70 movies.-Biography:She began appearing in adult films in 2006, and soon limited her appearances to solo and girl-girl scenes....
(b. 1987), pornographic actress and model. - Abner Weed (1842–1917), founded the town of Weed, CaliforniaWeed, CaliforniaWeed is a city located in Siskiyou County, California. As of the 2010 Census, the town had a total population of 2,967, down from 2,979 at the 2000 census. There are several unincorporated communities adjacent to, or just outside Weed proper. These include Edgewood, Carrick, Lake Shastina, Rancho...
, California State Senator (1907–09).
Historic buildings
Two Dixmont buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
: the carpenter-gothic style Dixmont Corner Church
Dixmont Corner Church
Dixmont Corner Church is a historic church on US 202 in Dixmont, Maine.It was built in 1834 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983....
(also known as the Dixmont Methodist Church), designed and built by Rowland Tyler in 1835 http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Dixmont_Corner_Church; and the Louis I. Bussey School of 1808. http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Bussey%2C_Louis_I.%2C_School Tyler also built the first Penobscot County Courthouse in Bangor, which does not survive.
Local schools
Dixmont shares an elementary school with the nearby town of Etna (called Etna-Dixmont School) but has no high school. Dixmonters attend high school in nearby Newport (Nokomis Regional High SchoolNokomis Regional High School
Nokomis Regional High is a secondary school located in Newport, Maine. It is the only public high school located in Maine Regional School Unit 19 and accepts students from Newport, Corinna, Palmyra, Hartland, St...
) or Bangor (John Bapst Memorial High School
John Bapst Memorial High School
John Bapst Memorial High School is a private, independent, collegepreparatory high school in Bangor, Maine, United States. It serves approximately 500 ninth through twelfth grade students from 50 different communities in the region...
or Bangor High School).
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 1,065 people, 411 households, and 314 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 29.3 people per square mile (11.3/km2). There were 474 housing units at an average density of 13.0 per square mile (5.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.59% White, 0.38% Native American, 0.47% Asian, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.19% of the population.
There were 411 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% 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, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,654, and the median income for a family was $36,607. Males had a median income of $29,844 versus $26,000 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 $15,826. About 14.1% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.