Raymond, Maine
Encyclopedia
Raymond is a town
in Cumberland County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 4,299 at the 2000 census. It is a summer recreation area and is part of the Portland
–South Portland
–Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
. Raymond Neck is the landing for the ferry
to the town of Frye Island
in Sebago Lake
.
to the descendants of Captain William Raymond of Beverly
, Massachusetts
and his militia
. It was the second attempt to repay the troop (or heirs) for service under Governor Sir William Phipps
during the Battle of Quebec
in 1690. A township had been awarded them in 1735 called Beverly-Canada (now Weare, New Hampshire
), but in 1741 descendants of John Mason proved a prior claim.
The township at Sebago Lake was given to the Beverly Proprietors as compensation. It was first settled in 1770 by Captain Joseph Dingley and Dominicus Jordan of Cape Elizabeth
, although most families arrived after the Revolutionary War
. It was on the stage
route to Bridgton. On June 21, 1803, the Raymondtown Plantation was incorporated as Raymond, named in honor of Captain Raymond. In 1829, land was annexed to help form the new town of Naples
, and in 1841, Casco
was set off and incorporated as a town.
The town provided agriculture
and lumber
products for Portland
and other cities. Panther Run, which drains Panther Pond, provided water power for industry. Raymond village grew near the mills, which included a gristmill
, sawmill
, plaster
mill, a stave
factory and a children's sled
factory. From about 1812 until 1825, Nathaniel Hawthorne
lived in Raymond with his siblings and widowed mother. His later writings would reminisce about his boyhood hiking
in the woods or fishing
in the lake.
, the town has a total area of 46.2 square miles (119.7 km²), of which 33.2 square miles (86 km²) is land and 13 square miles (33.7 km²), or 28.09%, is water. Raymond village is located at the head of Jordan Bay on Sebago Lake
.
The town is crossed by U.S. Route 302 and state routes 85 and 121. It borders Gray
and Windham
to the southeast, Casco
to the northwest, and New Gloucester
and Poland
to the northeast. Frye Island
is to the south in Sebago Lake.
of 2000, there were 4,299 people, 1,616 households, and 1,255 families residing in the town. The population density
was 129.3 people per square mile (49.9/km²). There were 2,534 housing units at an average density of 76.2 per square mile (29.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.39% White, 0.40% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races
, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.
There were 1,616 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,224, and the median income for a family was $56,118. Males had a median income of $35,962 versus $30,662 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $25,193. About 3.4% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 4.0% 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 Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
, 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 4,299 at the 2000 census. It is a summer recreation area and is part of 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 statistical area
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area
The Portland–South Portland–Biddeford Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Greater Portland, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Maine, anchored by the city of Portland and the smaller cities of South Portland and Biddeford...
. Raymond Neck is the landing for the ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
to the town of Frye Island
Frye Island, Maine
Frye Island is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. Located in Sebago Lake, the island is accessed via a public car ferry from Raymond Neck, or by private boat. All residents of the resort town are seasonal...
in Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine. The lake is deep at its deepest point, with a mean depth of , covers about in surface area, has a length of and a shoreline length of . The surface is around above sea level, so the deep bottom is below the present...
.
History
Raymondtown Plantation was granted in 1767 by 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...
to the descendants of Captain William Raymond of Beverly
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
, 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...
and his militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. It was the second attempt to repay the troop (or heirs) for service under Governor Sir William Phipps
William Phipps
William Edward "Bill" Phipps is a retired American actor and producer, perhaps best known for his roles in dozens of classic sci-fi and westerns, both film and television, from the late 1940s through the mid 1960s. From then, until his retirement in 2000, his work was mainly in...
during the Battle of Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1690)
The Battle of Quebec was fought in October 1690 between the colonies of New France and Massachusetts Bay, then ruled by the kingdoms of France and England, respectively. It was the first time Quebec's defences were tested....
in 1690. A township had been awarded them in 1735 called Beverly-Canada (now Weare, New Hampshire
Weare, New Hampshire
Weare is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,785 at the 2010 census. It is close to two important New Hampshire cities, Manchester and Concord.-History:...
), but in 1741 descendants of John Mason proved a prior claim.
The township at Sebago Lake was given to the Beverly Proprietors as compensation. It was first settled in 1770 by Captain Joseph Dingley and Dominicus Jordan of Cape Elizabeth
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Cape Elizabeth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The town is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
, although most families arrived after the Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. It was on the stage
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
route to Bridgton. On June 21, 1803, the Raymondtown Plantation was incorporated as Raymond, named in honor of Captain Raymond. In 1829, land was annexed to help form the new town of Naples
Naples, Maine
Naples is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The population was 3,274 at the 2000 census, and it is home to part of Sebago Lake State Park. Naples is a resort area.-History:The area...
, and in 1841, Casco
Casco, Maine
Farmers found the surface of the town uneven, its hard and rocky soil "tolerably productive." Outlets of ponds, however, provided Casco with good sites for water powered mills. The town had four sawmills, four gristmills, a shook mill, a barrel stave mill, four shingle factories, a carriage factory...
was set off and incorporated as a town.
The town provided agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and 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....
products for 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...
and other cities. Panther Run, which drains Panther Pond, provided water power for industry. Raymond village grew near the mills, which included 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 :...
, 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....
, plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
mill, a stave
Stave
Stave can refer to:*Staff , a set of five horizontal lines and four spaces used in musical notation*Stave church, a Medieval wooden church with post and beam construction prevalent in Norway*The individual wood strips that form the sides of a barrel...
factory and a children's sled
Sled
A sled, sledge, or sleigh is a land vehicle with a smooth underside or possessing a separate body supported by two or more smooth, relatively narrow, longitudinal runners that travels by sliding across a surface. Most sleds are used on surfaces with low friction, such as snow or ice. In some cases,...
factory. From about 1812 until 1825, Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
lived in Raymond with his siblings and widowed mother. His later writings would reminisce about his boyhood hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
in the woods or fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
in the lake.
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 46.2 square miles (119.7 km²), of which 33.2 square miles (86 km²) is land and 13 square miles (33.7 km²), or 28.09%, is water. Raymond village is located at the head of Jordan Bay on Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine. The lake is deep at its deepest point, with a mean depth of , covers about in surface area, has a length of and a shoreline length of . The surface is around above sea level, so the deep bottom is below the present...
.
The town is crossed by U.S. Route 302 and state routes 85 and 121. It borders Gray
Gray, Maine
Gray is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,820 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Gray is home to regional headquarters for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and...
and Windham
Windham, Maine
Windham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 17,001 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of South Windham and North Windham...
to the southeast, Casco
Casco, Maine
Farmers found the surface of the town uneven, its hard and rocky soil "tolerably productive." Outlets of ponds, however, provided Casco with good sites for water powered mills. The town had four sawmills, four gristmills, a shook mill, a barrel stave mill, four shingle factories, a carriage factory...
to the northwest, and New Gloucester
New Gloucester, Maine
New Gloucester is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, in the United States. It is home to the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, the last active Shaker Village in the U.S...
and Poland
Poland, Maine
Poland is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,866 at the 2000 census. Home to Range Ponds State Park, Poland is a historic resort area...
to the northeast. Frye Island
Frye Island, Maine
Frye Island is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. Located in Sebago Lake, the island is accessed via a public car ferry from Raymond Neck, or by private boat. All residents of the resort town are seasonal...
is to the south in Sebago Lake.
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 4,299 people, 1,616 households, and 1,255 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 129.3 people per square mile (49.9/km²). There were 2,534 housing units at an average density of 76.2 per square mile (29.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.39% White, 0.40% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% 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 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.
There were 1,616 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% 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, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,224, and the median income for a family was $56,118. Males had a median income of $35,962 versus $30,662 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 $25,193. About 3.4% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
- Friends' Schoolhouse Museum, Raymond-Casco Historical Society
- Hawthorne House, Hawthorne Community Association
- WGME-TVWGME-TVWGME-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire that is licensed to Portland. The station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 38 from a transmitter on Brown Hill west of Raymond...
Transmitter & WGME News 13 Skycam Location