Phillips, Maine
Encyclopedia
Phillips is a town
in Franklin County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 990 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
, a heritage railroad.
about 1790 to Jonathan Phillips of Boston. It was first settled in 1791 by Perkins Allen from Martha's Vineyard, a sea captain who called it Curvo. It was incorporated on February 25, 1812 and named for Phillips. The town was noted both for its productive soil, with hay
the chief crop, and its superior water power. At falls
along the Sandy River
were erected sawmill
s, gristmill
s, a fulling
mill and a carding
machine.
Other industries included a starch
factory, tannery
, furniture
factory, boot
and shoe
factory, carriage
maker, and harness
maker. Most significantly, however, Phillips became prosperous as the center for lumbering in the Rangeley Lake
region. At first, lumber
was shipped during winter months on sledges dragged across the snow by oxen. But then in 1879, the narrow-gauge Sandy River Railroad
opened to Farmington, where the Maine Central Railroad
carried freight to further destinations. In 1891, the line became the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
. Although closed in 1935, it has been revived as a tourist attraction
.
In 2011 Ron Furst built a cabin in Phillips.
, the town has a total area of 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²), of which, 50.9 square miles (131.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.35%) is water. Phillips is drained by the Sandy River
, a tributary
of the Kennebec River
.
The town is bordered by Madrid
and Salem Townships to the north, Township 6 North of Weld to the west, Weld
and Avon
to the south, and Freeman Township to the east.
Phillips is crossed by state routes 4
, 142 and 149.
of 2000, there were 990 people, 407 households, and 275 families residing in the town. The population density
was 19.4 people per square mile (7.5/km²). There were 626 housing units at an average density of 12.3 per square mile (4.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.79% White, 0.10% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.10% Asian, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.
There were 407 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples
living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $30,579, and the median income for a family was $32,284. Males had a median income of $26,413 versus $19,250 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $13,840. About 9.3% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 20.5% 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 Franklin County
Franklin County, Maine
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 30,768. Its county seat is Farmington.Franklin County was established on 9 May 1838.-Geography:...
, 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 990 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L...
, a heritage railroad.
History
The plantation was part of a large tract granted by MassachusettsMassachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
about 1790 to Jonathan Phillips of Boston. It was first settled in 1791 by Perkins Allen from Martha's Vineyard, a sea captain who called it Curvo. It was incorporated on February 25, 1812 and named for Phillips. The town was noted both for its productive soil, with hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
the chief crop, and its superior water power. At falls
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
along the Sandy River
Sandy River (Kennebec River)
The Sandy River is a tributary of the Kennebec River in the U.S. state of Maine.The Sandy River originates in the Sandy River Ponds at an elevation of in Sandy River Plantation. The river flows south to a confluence with Chandler Mill Stream in Maine Township E and then easterly to its...
were erected sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s, gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s, a fulling
Fulling
Fulling or tucking or walking is a step in woolen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. The worker who does the job is a fuller, tucker, or walker...
mill and a carding
Carding
Carding is a mechanical process that breaks up locks and unorganised clumps of fibre and then aligns the individual fibres so that they are more or less parallel with each other. The word is derived from the Latin carduus meaning teasel, as dried vegetable teasels were first used to comb the raw wool...
machine.
Other industries included a starch
Starch
Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
factory, tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
, furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
factory, boot
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
and shoe
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
factory, carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
maker, and harness
Horse harness
A horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
maker. Most significantly, however, Phillips became prosperous as the center for lumbering in the Rangeley Lake
Rangeley Lake
Rangeley Lake is located in Franklin County, Maine in the United States. It is fed by several streams. Its waters flow out from the lake's northwestern end into the short Rangeley River, then into Mooselookmeguntic Lake, and ultimately into the Androscoggin River, Merrymeeting Bay, the lower...
region. At first, lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
was shipped during winter months on sledges dragged across the snow by oxen. But then in 1879, the narrow-gauge Sandy River Railroad
Sandy River Railroad
The Sandy River Railroad was built to serve the towns of Strong and Phillips in the Sandy River valley upstream of Farmington. The Sandy River Railroad was the first narrow gauge common carrier railroad built in the State of Maine.- History :...
opened to Farmington, where the Maine Central Railroad
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...
carried freight to further destinations. In 1891, the line became the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L...
. Although closed in 1935, it has been revived as a tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
.
In 2011 Ron Furst built a cabin in Phillips.
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 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²), of which, 50.9 square miles (131.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.35%) is water. Phillips is drained by the Sandy River
Sandy River (Kennebec River)
The Sandy River is a tributary of the Kennebec River in the U.S. state of Maine.The Sandy River originates in the Sandy River Ponds at an elevation of in Sandy River Plantation. The river flows south to a confluence with Chandler Mill Stream in Maine Township E and then easterly to its...
, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of 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...
.
The town is bordered by Madrid
Madrid, Maine
Madrid is a former town, now a part of the unorganized territory of East Central Franklin, in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 173 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and Salem Townships to the north, Township 6 North of Weld to the west, Weld
Weld, Maine
Weld is a town in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 402 at the 2000 census. Set beside Webb Lake and almost surrounded by mountains, Weld is noted for its scenic beauty. It is home to Mount Blue State Park and Camp Kawanhee for Boys....
and Avon
Avon, Maine
Avon is a town in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 461 at the 2010 census. Avon is home to Mount Blue, part of Mount Blue State Park.-History:...
to the south, and Freeman Township to the east.
Phillips is crossed by state routes 4
Maine State Route 4
State Route 4 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways, running from the New Hampshire border in South Berwick to Haines Landing on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in the town of Rangeley...
, 142 and 149.
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 990 people, 407 households, and 275 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 19.4 people per square mile (7.5/km²). There were 626 housing units at an average density of 12.3 per square mile (4.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.79% White, 0.10% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.10% Asian, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.
There were 407 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% 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, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $30,579, and the median income for a family was $32,284. Males had a median income of $26,413 versus $19,250 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 $13,840. About 9.3% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 20.5% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
Phillips is part of Maine School Administrative District 58, and home to Phillips Elementary School.Sites of interest
- Daggett Rock - Maine's Largest Glacial Erratic
- Phillips Historical Society & Museum
- Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
Notable people
- Carroll L. BeedyCarroll L. BeedyCarroll L. Beedy was a U.S. Representative from Maine from 1921-1935.He was born in Phillips, Franklin County, Maine, on August 3, 1880. He attended the public schools of Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine and graduated from Bates College, Lewiston, Maine, in 1903 and from the law department of...
, congressman - Minnie D. CraigMinnie D. CraigMinnie D. Craig was an American legislator, notable as the first female speaker of a state House of Representatives in the United States....
, legislator - John P. SouleJohn P. SouleJohn P. Soule was a photographer and publisher in Boston, Massachusetts, and Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Soule was born in Phillips, Maine on October 16, 1828. His brother, William S. Soule, also became a photographer....
, photographer, publisher - C. J. StevensC. J. StevensClysle Julius Stevens is a writer. He has published over 30 books , been published in hundreds of magazines, and the United States Library of Congress contains a special collection of his works.In 1998, the Portland Press Herald described him as "versatile and...
, writer - Augustus StinchfieldAugustus StinchfieldAugustus W. Stinchfield was one of the founders, along with Drs. Charles Horace Mayo, William James Mayo, Christopher Graham, E...
, physician