Dresden, Maine
Encyclopedia
Dresden is a town
in Lincoln County
, Maine
, United States
that was incorporated in 1794. The population was 1,625 at the 2000 census.
s, who were part of the first wave of French speaking immigrants to arrive in Maine, but were distinguished from later arrivals by their Protestant faith. First called Frankfort, so that the new French immigrants could pretend to be German, the town was incorporated as Pownalborough in 1760, when Lincoln County was created in the Maine District of Massachusetts. Pownalborough included the Town of Wiscasset, which was soon set off on its own as the shire town of the county. When the present territory was incorporated in 1794, Lincoln County Probate Judge Jonathan Bowman chose Dresden as the new name of the town because he liked the sound of it.
Dresden is located on the southern side of the Eastern River
. Dresden also offers some historical sites as well, including an old, brick school building and the Pownalborough Courthouse, which is now used as a museum and is open to the public. The Pownalborough Courthouse was built in 1760 and was the first seat of government east of the Kennebec River. The families who settled Dresden and those who were soon afterward sent there by the government of Massachusetts played a crucial role in the battle for American independence in Maine.
Robert Treat Paine, John Hancock, and John Adams appeared at the Court House in the Revolutionary Era. Well known local families included the Houdlettes, Mayerses, Bridges, Bowmans, Percys, Johnsons, and Trussells, who variously left their marks on the history of the town, the state, and the country.
, the town has a total area of 33.2 square miles (86 km²), of which, 30.6 square miles (79.3 km²) of it is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²) of it (7.60%) is water. Dresden is drained by the Kennebec River
and Eastern River
, which merges into the former at the southern tip of Green Point and the south eastern side of Swan Island. The Eastern River has long been a favored spot to fish for smelt in shacks concentrated above holes made in the winter ice.
Dresden's other notable geographical features are Blinn's Hill and The Great Bog. At 440 feet (134 m) above sea level, Blinn's Hill still affords a view of the White Mountains
, more than 100 miles (160.9 km) away. The Great Bog is primieval and lies not far from the natural foot of Blinn's Hill.
of 2000, there were 1,625 people, 642 households, and 455 families residing in the town. The population density
was 53.0 people per square mile (20.5/km²). There were 739 housing units at an average density of 24.1 per square mile (9.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.42% White, 0.25% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.49% Asian, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.12% of the population.
There were 642 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples
living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,719, and the median income for a family was $44,762. Males had a median income of $31,488 versus $20,750 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,886. About 9.5% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 10.3% 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 Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Maine
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 34,457. Its county seat is Wiscasset. It was founded in 1760 and named after the English city Lincoln. At its founding, it accounted for three-fifths of the State's land, and stretched east to Nova...
, 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...
that was incorporated in 1794. The population was 1,625 at the 2000 census.
History
The town was originally settled in 1752 under the name Frankfort by French and German HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
s, who were part of the first wave of French speaking immigrants to arrive in Maine, but were distinguished from later arrivals by their Protestant faith. First called Frankfort, so that the new French immigrants could pretend to be German, the town was incorporated as Pownalborough in 1760, when Lincoln County was created in the Maine District of Massachusetts. Pownalborough included the Town of Wiscasset, which was soon set off on its own as the shire town of the county. When the present territory was incorporated in 1794, Lincoln County Probate Judge Jonathan Bowman chose Dresden as the new name of the town because he liked the sound of it.
Dresden is located on the southern side of the Eastern River
Eastern River
The Eastern River is a tributary of the Kennebec River in Maine. It rises in East Pittston at the confluence of its west and east branches and flows southwest past Dresden Mills to its mouth at the Kennebec, at the town boundary between Dresden and Perkins....
. Dresden also offers some historical sites as well, including an old, brick school building and the Pownalborough Courthouse, which is now used as a museum and is open to the public. The Pownalborough Courthouse was built in 1760 and was the first seat of government east of the Kennebec River. The families who settled Dresden and those who were soon afterward sent there by the government of Massachusetts played a crucial role in the battle for American independence in Maine.
Robert Treat Paine, John Hancock, and John Adams appeared at the Court House in the Revolutionary Era. Well known local families included the Houdlettes, Mayerses, Bridges, Bowmans, Percys, Johnsons, and Trussells, who variously left their marks on the history of the town, the state, and the country.
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 33.2 square miles (86 km²), of which, 30.6 square miles (79.3 km²) of it is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²) of it (7.60%) is water. Dresden is drained by the Kennebec River
Kennebec River
The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
and Eastern River
Eastern River
The Eastern River is a tributary of the Kennebec River in Maine. It rises in East Pittston at the confluence of its west and east branches and flows southwest past Dresden Mills to its mouth at the Kennebec, at the town boundary between Dresden and Perkins....
, which merges into the former at the southern tip of Green Point and the south eastern side of Swan Island. The Eastern River has long been a favored spot to fish for smelt in shacks concentrated above holes made in the winter ice.
Dresden's other notable geographical features are Blinn's Hill and The Great Bog. At 440 feet (134 m) above sea level, Blinn's Hill still affords a view of the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
, more than 100 miles (160.9 km) away. The Great Bog is primieval and lies not far from the natural foot of Blinn's Hill.
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 1,625 people, 642 households, and 455 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 53.0 people per square mile (20.5/km²). There were 739 housing units at an average density of 24.1 per square mile (9.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.42% White, 0.25% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.49% Asian, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.12% of the population.
There were 642 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% 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, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,719, and the median income for a family was $44,762. Males had a median income of $31,488 versus $20,750 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 $18,886. About 9.5% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.