Porter, Maine
Encyclopedia
Porter is a town
in Oxford County
, Maine
, United States
. It is included in the Portland
-South Portland
-Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area
. Porter includes Porter village and part of Kezar Falls
. The population was 1,438 at the 2000 census
.
in September of 1795 by Dr. Aaron Porter of Biddeford
and others. Terms of the grant offered 100 acres (40.5 ha) to each man who settled before January 1, 1784. First called Portersfield Plantation, it was incorporated as a town on February 20, 1807, named for its principal proprietor. Land was set off to Brownfield
in 1831, 1832 and 1855.
Although farmer
s found the town's surface uneven, the hillsides offered excellent pasturage for cattle
. Porter became noted for its orchard
s. Outlets of ponds provided sites for mills
, with the best water power on the Ossipee River
at Kezar Falls, where part of the village lies in Parsonsfield
. The town had numerous sawmill
s, a gristmill
, furniture
factory, bobbin
factory and a boot
and shoe
factory. In 1870, the population was 1,104.
, the town has a total area of 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²), of which, 31.5 square miles (81.6 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it (4.34%) is water. Porter is drained by the Ossipee River
.
The town is crossed by state routes 25 and 160. Porter borders the towns of Eaton
and Freedom, New Hampshire
to the west, Brownfield
to the north, Hiram
to the east, and Parsonsfield
to the south.
of 2000, there were 1,438 people, 562 households, and 1,410 families residing in the town. The population density
was 45.7 people per square mile (17.6/km²). There were 742 housing units at an average density of 23.6 per square mile (9.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.01% White, 0.35% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.21% from other races
, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.
There were 562 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples
living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,802, and the median income for a family was $37,552. Males had a median income of $25,739 versus $23,000 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,271. About 12.9% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 11.0% 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 Oxford County
Oxford County, Maine
Oxford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine with a population of 57,833 as of the 2010 U.S. census. Its county seat is Paris.Part of Oxford County is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, metropolitan New England City and Town Area while a different part of Oxford County is...
, 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...
. It is included in the Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
-South Portland
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
-Biddeford
Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...
, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area
New England City and Town Area
A New England City and Town Area or NECTA is a geographic and statistical entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, for use in describing aspects of the New England region of the United States...
. Porter includes Porter village and part of Kezar Falls
Kezar Falls, Maine
Kezar Falls is a small village on the Ossipee River in the town of Porter in Oxford County, Maine, United States.- External links :...
. The population was 1,438 at 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...
.
History
The land was once territory of Pequawket, the Abenaki village at what it now Fryeburg. It was purchased from the Massachusetts General CourtMassachusetts 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...
in September of 1795 by Dr. Aaron Porter of Biddeford
Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...
and others. Terms of the grant offered 100 acres (40.5 ha) to each man who settled before January 1, 1784. First called Portersfield Plantation, it was incorporated as a town on February 20, 1807, named for its principal proprietor. Land was set off to Brownfield
Brownfield, Maine
Brownfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,251 at the 2000 census. Brownfield is home to the Stone Mountain Arts Center.-History:...
in 1831, 1832 and 1855.
Although farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s found the town's surface uneven, the hillsides offered excellent pasturage for cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. Porter became noted for its orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s. Outlets of ponds provided sites for mills
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
, with the best water power on the Ossipee River
Ossipee River
The Ossipee River is an river in eastern New Hampshire and western Maine in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows southeast to the Atlantic Ocean at Saco, Maine....
at Kezar Falls, where part of the village lies in Parsonsfield
Parsonsfield, Maine
Parsonsfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,584 at the 2000 census. Parsonsfield includes the villages of Kezar Falls, Parsonsfield, and North, East and South Parsonsfield...
. The town had numerous 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, a 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 :...
, 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, bobbin
Bobbin
A bobbin is a spindle or cylinder, with or without flanges, on which wire, yarn, thread or film is wound. Bobbins are typically found in sewing machines, cameras, and within electronic equipment....
factory and a 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. In 1870, the population was 1,104.
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 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²), of which, 31.5 square miles (81.6 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it (4.34%) is water. Porter is drained by the Ossipee River
Ossipee River
The Ossipee River is an river in eastern New Hampshire and western Maine in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows southeast to the Atlantic Ocean at Saco, Maine....
.
The town is crossed by state routes 25 and 160. Porter borders the towns of Eaton
Eaton, New Hampshire
Eaton is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 393 at the 2010 census. Eaton includes the village of Snowville.- History :...
and Freedom, New Hampshire
Freedom, New Hampshire
Freedom is a town located in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,489 at the 2010 census. The town's eastern boundary runs along the Maine state border. Ossipee Lake, with a resort and camps, is in the southwest of the town....
to the west, Brownfield
Brownfield, Maine
Brownfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,251 at the 2000 census. Brownfield is home to the Stone Mountain Arts Center.-History:...
to the north, Hiram
Hiram, Maine
Hiram is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,423 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Hiram, East Hiram, South Hiram and Durgintown...
to the east, and Parsonsfield
Parsonsfield, Maine
Parsonsfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,584 at the 2000 census. Parsonsfield includes the villages of Kezar Falls, Parsonsfield, and North, East and South Parsonsfield...
to the south.
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 1,438 people, 562 households, and 1,410 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 45.7 people per square mile (17.6/km²). There were 742 housing units at an average density of 23.6 per square mile (9.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.01% White, 0.35% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.21% 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 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.
There were 562 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% 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, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,802, and the median income for a family was $37,552. Males had a median income of $25,739 versus $23,000 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 $15,271. About 12.9% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Samuel W. GouldSamuel W. GouldSamuel Wadsworth Gould was a United States Representative from Maine. He was born in Porter on January 1, 1852. He moved with his parents to Hiram, and attended the public schools and North Parsonsfield Seminary. He graduated from the University of Maine in 1877. Gould studied law, was admitted...
, congressman - Harry LordHarry LordHarry Donald Lord was a professional baseball player from 1907 to 1915, who was a member of the first team known as Boston Red Sox in 1908.-Biography:...
(1882–1948), baseball player for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
Sites of interest
- Parsonsfield-Porter Bridge, a 2 span covered bridgeCovered bridgeA covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
built in 1876 - Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society & Museum
- Maine Teen CampMaine Teen CampMaine Teen Camp is a music, arts and sports camp for teens near Porter, Maine.-History:Maine Teen Camp was established in 1984 by Kris Kamys and Jay & Karen Stager. MTC is located between Trafton Pond and Stanley Lake at the site of the former Camp Hiawatha for Girls...
- Old Porter Meeting House