Vassalboro, Maine
Encyclopedia
Vassalboro is a town in Kennebec County
, Maine
, United States. The population was 4,047 at the 2000 Census. Vassalboro includes the villages of South Vassalboro, North Vassalboro, and East Vassalboro, home to the town library and sports field.
, and a wealthy merchant who eventually became a controversial Loyalist
. Other historians believe the town derives its name from the original Massachusetts proprietor William Vassal himself, who clashed with John Winthrop
so frequently that he removed himself to the town of Scituate
, where he soon found himself embroiled in ecclesiastical controversy once again, prompting his move after a decade to Barbados
, where he died.
On March 2, 1770, William Vassall, one of Vassalboro's early proprietors, conveyed to his niece Mary Prescott of Nova Scotia
Lot Number 5 in Vassalboro, one of the so-called "Proprietor's Lots" reserved for the town's founders.
Niece Prescott sold the lot nine months later to a citizen of Hallowell
.
The William Vassal who conveyed the Proprietor's Lot was likely the same merchant who graduated from Harvard College
, served as sheriff
of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
, but was forced to flee to England at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. From the safety of his adopted home in Battersea, Surrey
, England following the conclusion of hostilities, Loyalist Vassall sold off the rest of his considerable American holdings.
The Revere House in East Vassalboro was once the home of Alexander Graham Bell
. The Vassalboro Historical Society resides in the old school house near the East Vassalboro China Lake landing. The East Vassalboro Grange hosts a seasonal farmers market on Fridays 2-6 pm at the grange and the annual library book sale in the fall.
The Vassalboro rec fields on Bog hosts sports events and teams and has a newly opened walking trail which includes portions of the old Wiscassett Trolly line.
, the town has a total area of 47.8 square miles (123.8 km²), of which, 44.3 square miles (114.7 km²) of it is land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²) of it (7.35%) is water. Drained by Seven Mile Brook, Vassalboro is bounded on the west by the Kennebec River
.
The town is served by U.S. Route 201
and U.S. Route 202
, in addition to state routes 3
, 9
, 32 and 100. It borders the towns of China
to the east, Augusta
to the south, Winslow
to the north, and across the Kennebec River, Sidney
to the west.
of 2000, there were 4,047 people, 1,549 households, and 1,138 families residing in the town. The population density
was 91.4 people per square mile (35.3/km²). There were 1,838 housing units at an average density of 41.5 per square mile (16.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.62% White, 0.15% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.17% from other races
, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 1,549 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,923, and the median income for a family was $40,192. Males had a median income of $31,859 versus $21,299 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,281. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
Kennebec County, Maine
Kennebec County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 122,151. Its county seat is Augusta. The center of population of Maine is located in Kennebec County, in the city of Augusta....
, 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. The population was 4,047 at the 2000 Census. Vassalboro includes the villages of South Vassalboro, North Vassalboro, and East Vassalboro, home to the town library and sports field.
History
The town of Vassalboro was named for one of the proprietors of the Maine settlement, William Vassal (or Vassall), a descendant of one of the original patentees (and later deputy) of the Massachusetts Bay ColonyMassachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
, and a wealthy merchant who eventually became a controversial Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
. Other historians believe the town derives its name from the original Massachusetts proprietor William Vassal himself, who clashed with John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
so frequently that he removed himself to the town of Scituate
Scituate
Scituate is the name of some communities in New England in the United States:*Brunswick, Maine, formerly named Scituate*Scituate , Massachusetts*Scituate, Massachusetts*Scituate, Rhode Island, named after the town in Massachusetts...
, where he soon found himself embroiled in ecclesiastical controversy once again, prompting his move after a decade to Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, where he died.
On March 2, 1770, William Vassall, one of Vassalboro's early proprietors, conveyed to his niece Mary Prescott of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
Lot Number 5 in Vassalboro, one of the so-called "Proprietor's Lots" reserved for the town's founders.
Niece Prescott sold the lot nine months later to a citizen of Hallowell
Hallowell, Maine
Hallowell is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census.-History:The city is named for Benjamin Hallowell, a Boston merchant and one of the Kennebec Proprietors, holders of land originally granted to the Plymouth Company by the British monarchy in...
.
The William Vassal who conveyed the Proprietor's Lot was likely the same merchant who graduated from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, served as sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
, but was forced to flee to England at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. From the safety of his adopted home in Battersea, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England following the conclusion of hostilities, Loyalist Vassall sold off the rest of his considerable American holdings.
The Revere House in East Vassalboro was once the home of Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
. The Vassalboro Historical Society resides in the old school house near the East Vassalboro China Lake landing. The East Vassalboro Grange hosts a seasonal farmers market on Fridays 2-6 pm at the grange and the annual library book sale in the fall.
The Vassalboro rec fields on Bog hosts sports events and teams and has a newly opened walking trail which includes portions of the old Wiscassett Trolly line.
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 47.8 square miles (123.8 km²), of which, 44.3 square miles (114.7 km²) of it is land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²) of it (7.35%) is water. Drained by Seven Mile Brook, Vassalboro is bounded on the west 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...
.
The town is served by U.S. Route 201
U.S. Route 201
U.S. Route 201 is a spur of U.S. Route 1 in the U.S. state of Maine. US 201 begins in Brunswick. It follows the Kennebec River from Gardiner, Maine, to The Forks where it pulls away from the town and runs into the north woods. Route 201 ends in Sandy Bay Township, where it enters Quebec, Canada at...
and U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
, in addition to state routes 3
Maine State Route 3
State Route 3 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways, running from Interstate 95 exit 113 in Augusta to an intersection with Route 102 in the village of Somesville in the town of Mount Desert, on Mount Desert Island...
, 9
Maine State Route 9
State Route 9 is a numbered state highway in Maine, running from the New Hampshire border at Berwick in the west to the Canadian border with New Brunswick at Calais in the east. State Route 9 runs a total of .-Route description:...
, 32 and 100. It borders the towns of China
China, Maine
China is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,106 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
to the east, Augusta
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
to the south, Winslow
Winslow, Maine
Winslow is a town and census-designated place in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, along the Kennebec River. The population was 7,743 at the 2000 census.-History:...
to the north, and across the Kennebec River, Sidney
Sidney, Maine
Sidney is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,514 at the 2000 census. Sidney was incorporated as a town on January 30, 1792...
to the west.
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 4,047 people, 1,549 households, and 1,138 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 91.4 people per square mile (35.3/km²). There were 1,838 housing units at an average density of 41.5 per square mile (16.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.62% White, 0.15% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.17% 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 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 1,549 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% 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, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,923, and the median income for a family was $40,192. Males had a median income of $31,859 versus $21,299 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 $16,281. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- The town is home to Vasssalboro Community School, which is attended by approximately 550 students
Sites of interest
- Grand View Topless Coffee Shop, recently opened and featured widely in the media
- Vassalboro Historical Society & Museum
Notable people
- Holman DayHolman Day- Biography :Holman Francis Day was an American author, born at Vassalboro, Me., and a graduate of Colby College . In 1889-90 he was managing editor of the publications of the Union Publishing Company, Bangor, Me...
, author, editor - Henry H. GoddardHenry H. GoddardHenry Herbert Goddard was a prominent American psychologist and eugenicist in the early 20th century...
, psychologist, eugenicist - Alfred Atmore PopeAlfred Atmore PopeAlfred Atmore Pope was an American industrialist and art collector. He was the father of Theodate Pope Riddle, a noted American architect.-Family background:...
, industrialist, art collector