Shapleigh, Maine
Encyclopedia
Shapleigh, pronounced "SHAP-lee", is a town in York County
, Maine
, United States
which was incorporated as the state's 43rd town in 1785. The population was 2,326 at the 2000 census. Shapleigh is divided into the villages of North Shapleigh, Shapleigh Corner, Ross Corner and Emery Mills. It is part of the Portland
–South Portland
–Biddeford
, Maine metropolitan statistical area
.
the Ossipee Tract, which included Cornish
, Parsonsfield
, Newfield
, Limerick
, Limington
and Shapleigh. Small, a trader from Kittery
, then sold a half interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of Eliot
. In 1770, heirs discovered the unrecorded deed and made claim. Shapleigh's heirs took Parsonsfield, Shapleigh and one half of Limerick.
First called Hubbardstown, it was settled in 1772 when Simeon Emery erected a sawmill
at the foot of Mousam Pond. On March 5, 1785, the town was incorporated as Shapleigh, named for its early proprietor. In 1830, Shapleigh's west half was set off and incorporated as Acton
. In 1846, a portion of Shapleigh was annexed by Newfield
. Shapleigh annexed an eastern portion of land from Waterboro
in 1854.
There were sawmills in Emery Mills, Shapleigh Corner and North Shapleigh, which also had a woolen
textile
factory (known as Hargraves Woolen Mill) and leather board factory. Shapleigh was one of the Maine towns devastated by the Great Fires of 1947
.
, the town has a total area of 41.2 square miles (106.7 km²), of which, 38.8 square miles (100.5 km²) of it is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) of it (5.89%) is water. Shapleigh is drained by the Little Ossipee River
and Mousam River
. The town's highest elevation is Abbott Mountain, 1063 feet (324 m) above sea level. All of Shapleigh's woodlands are protected by The Nature Conservancy
.
The town is served by state routes 11 and 109. It borders Acton
to the west, Waterboro
to the east, Alfred
to the southeast, Newfield
to the north, and Sanford
to the south.
of 2000, there were 2,326 people, 912 households, and 673 families residing in the town. The population density
was 59.9 people per square mile (23.1/km²). There were 1,813 housing units at an average density of 46.7 per square mile (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.41% White, 0.21% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.21% from other races
, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.
There were 912 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples
living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,026, and the median income for a family was $45,591. Males had a median income of $34,519 versus $26,739 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,331. About 2.9% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
, both of which are in Waterboro
.
York County, Maine
York County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, the population was 197,131. Its county seat is Alfred.Founded in 1636, it is the oldest county in Maine and one of the oldest in the United States....
, 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...
which was incorporated as the state's 43rd town in 1785. The population was 2,326 at the 2000 census. Shapleigh is divided into the villages of North Shapleigh, Shapleigh Corner, Ross Corner and Emery Mills. It 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...
.
History
In 1668, Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) of the Newichawannock Abenaki tribe deeded Francis SmallFrancis Small
Francis Small was an enterprising trader and landowner residing primarily in Kittery, Maine. He made the first recorded land purchase in what is now Maine, and proceeded to amass so much that he was called "the great landholder." He possessed the largest number of acres of anyone who ever lived...
the Ossipee Tract, which included Cornish
Cornish, Maine
Cornish is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,269 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
, 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...
, Newfield
Newfield, Maine
Newfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,328 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowbrook Museum Village, Newfield is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
, Limerick
Limerick, Maine
Limerick is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The population was 2,240 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Limington
Limington, Maine
Limington is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,403 at the 2000 census. Limington is a tourist destination with historic architecture. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:In 1668, Francis Small...
and Shapleigh. Small, a trader from Kittery
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
, then sold a half interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of Eliot
Eliot, Maine
Eliot is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,204 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
. In 1770, heirs discovered the unrecorded deed and made claim. Shapleigh's heirs took Parsonsfield, Shapleigh and one half of Limerick.
First called Hubbardstown, it was settled in 1772 when Simeon Emery erected a 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....
at the foot of Mousam Pond. On March 5, 1785, the town was incorporated as Shapleigh, named for its early proprietor. In 1830, Shapleigh's west half was set off and incorporated as Acton
Acton, Maine
Acton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every late summer...
. In 1846, a portion of Shapleigh was annexed by Newfield
Newfield, Maine
Newfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,328 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowbrook Museum Village, Newfield is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
. Shapleigh annexed an eastern portion of land from Waterboro
Waterboro, Maine
Waterboro is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,214 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
in 1854.
There were sawmills in Emery Mills, Shapleigh Corner and North Shapleigh, which also had a woolen
Woolen
Woolen or woollen is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn...
textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
factory (known as Hargraves Woolen Mill) and leather board factory. Shapleigh was one of the Maine towns devastated by the Great Fires of 1947
Great Fires of 1947
The Great Fires of 1947 were a series of forest fires in the State of Maine in the United States that destroyed a total area of 175,000 acres of wooded land...
.
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 41.2 square miles (106.7 km²), of which, 38.8 square miles (100.5 km²) of it is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) of it (5.89%) is water. Shapleigh is drained by the Little Ossipee River
Little Ossipee River
The Little Ossipee River is a tributary of the Saco River in southwestern Maine.It rises at the outlet of Balch Pond in the town of Newfield and flows east, passing through Shapleigh Pond and flowing past the village of North Shapleigh. Forming the boundary between Newfield and the town of...
and Mousam River
Mousam River
The Mousam River is a river in Maine in the United States. Its source is Mousam Lake in York County, and it flows into the Atlantic Ocean just west of Kennebunk Beach. It flows through the towns of Sanford and Kennebunk.-External links:...
. The town's highest elevation is Abbott Mountain, 1063 feet (324 m) above sea level. All of Shapleigh's woodlands are protected by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
.
The town is served by state routes 11 and 109. It borders Acton
Acton, Maine
Acton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every late summer...
to the west, Waterboro
Waterboro, Maine
Waterboro is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,214 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
to the east, Alfred
Alfred, Maine
Alfred is a town in York County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,497. Alfred is the county seat of York County and home to part of the Massabesic Experimental Forest...
to the southeast, Newfield
Newfield, Maine
Newfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,328 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowbrook Museum Village, Newfield is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
to the north, and Sanford
Sanford, Maine
Sanford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,798 in the 2010 census, the highest of the York County towns, and the 8th largest in the state. Situated on the Mousam River, Sanford includes the village of Springvale...
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 2,326 people, 912 households, and 673 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 59.9 people per square mile (23.1/km²). There were 1,813 housing units at an average density of 46.7 per square mile (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.41% White, 0.21% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.43% 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 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.
There were 912 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% 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, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,026, and the median income for a family was $45,591. Males had a median income of $34,519 versus $26,739 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 $19,331. About 2.9% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Shapleigh students attend Shapleigh Memorial School which is a part of Regional School Unit 57. Students in grades 6-8 from Shapleigh attend Massabesic Middle School, and students in grades 9-12 attend Massabesic High SchoolMassabesic High School
Massabesic High School, Pronounced "MASS-UH-BEE-SlK" is a public high school located in Waterboro, Maine, United States...
, both of which are in Waterboro
Waterboro, Maine
Waterboro is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,214 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
.
General information
- One post officePost officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
: zip codeZIP CodeZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
04076 - Telephone exchanges: 793 and 636
- Two fire stationFire stationA fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
s:- Shapleigh Fire Department
- Ross Corner Fire Department
Sites of interest
Notable people
- Frank AbbottFrank AbbottFrank Abbott was president of the American Dental Association , president of the National Association of Dental Faculties , a renowned dentist, an author on dental subjects, and an inventor of dental instruments such as various types of chisels, pluggers, excavators and scalers, some of which are...
, dentist, author, president of the American Dental AssociationAmerican Dental AssociationThe American Dental Association is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 155,000 members. Based in Chicago, the ADA is the world's largest and oldest national dental association and promotes good oral health to the public while representing the dental...
(1888) - Joshua Maria YoungJoshua Maria YoungJoshua Maria Young was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Erie from 1854 until his death in 1866.-Biography:...
, bishop of Erie, Pennsylvania