Waterford, Maine
Encyclopedia
Waterford is a town
in Oxford County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 1,455 at the 2000 census. It is a recreation area noted for historic architecture and scenic beauty.
to Captain Andrew Gardner and his company of soldiers for services under Sir William Phipps
during the 1690 expedition against Canada
. It replaced a 1735 grant called Toddstown or Township No. 6 (now Henniker, New Hampshire
), which was ruled invalid when the state line was redrawn between Massachusetts
and New Hampshire
in 1741.
The land was surveyed in 1774; in spring of 1775, David McWain of Bolton, Massachusetts
arrived with his dog at a lot he bought for $40. He cleared land and built a log cabin
, returning to Bolton for 2 winters until he settled permanently at Waterford in spring of 1777. McWain preferred solitude, and was deeply annoyed when he first saw smoke rising about 12 miles (19.3 km) away at Paris Hill
. "Humph," he said, "I would like to know who is settling over there right under my nose!" Other grantees arrived nevertheless, most from the Massachusetts towns of Bolton, Harvard
, Stow
, Northborough
and Rowley
. Indeed, the northwestern part of the plantation was once known as Rowley after the inhabitants' former hometown.
On March 2, 1797, Waterford was incorporated, with land annexed from Albany in 1811. The surface of the town is uneven, somewhat mountainous. It was well-suited for pasturage and orchard
s, and agriculture
became a principal occupation. Sawmill
s were built at streams to manufacture the region's abundant timber
into lumber
. Wood products included window sashes, barrel staves
, salt boxes and bucket
s. There was also a gristmill
, carriage
factory and tannery
. Today, Waterford Flat
is a resort area, and home to The Lake House
, a 1797 inn set among antique buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, the town has a total area of 53.1 square miles (137.5 km²), of which, 50.5 square miles (130.8 km²) of it is land and 2.7 square miles (7 km²) of it (4.99%) is water. Waterford is drained by the Crooked River. It contains a number of small lakes including Keoka Lake
and Bear Pond, as well as Mount Tire'm
.
The town is crossed by state routes 35
, 37 and 118. It is bordered by the towns of Norway to the northeast, Albany and Stoneham
to the northwest, Sweden
and Lovell
to the southwest, and Harrison
and Bridgton to the southeast.
of 2000, there were 1,455 people, 590 households, and 437 families residing in the town. The population density
was 28.8 people per square mile (11.1/km²). There were 895 housing units at an average density of 17.7 per square mile (6.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.83% White, 0.27% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, and 0.76% from two or more races.
There were 590 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were married couples
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 21.0% 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 2.46 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% 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 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,458, and the median income for a family was $35,000. Males had a median income of $25,560 versus $22,188 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,416. About 9.5% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 7.3% 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...
. The population was 1,455 at the 2000 census. It is a recreation area noted for historic architecture and scenic beauty.
History
The township was granted on February 24, 1774 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 Captain Andrew Gardner and his company of soldiers for services under 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 1690 expedition against Canada
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....
. It replaced a 1735 grant called Toddstown or Township No. 6 (now Henniker, New Hampshire
Henniker, New Hampshire
Henniker is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 4,836. Henniker is home to New England College, Ames State Forest and Craney Hill State Forest....
), which was ruled invalid when the state line was redrawn between 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 New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in 1741.
The land was surveyed in 1774; in spring of 1775, David McWain of Bolton, Massachusetts
Bolton, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,148 people, 1,424 households, and 1,201 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,476 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.76% White, 0.19% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.30%...
arrived with his dog at a lot he bought for $40. He cleared land and built a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
, returning to Bolton for 2 winters until he settled permanently at Waterford in spring of 1777. McWain preferred solitude, and was deeply annoyed when he first saw smoke rising about 12 miles (19.3 km) away at Paris Hill
Paris, Maine
Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Because the U.S. Post Office refers to the entire town as South Paris, the town as a whole is commonly...
. "Humph," he said, "I would like to know who is settling over there right under my nose!" Other grantees arrived nevertheless, most from the Massachusetts towns of Bolton, Harvard
Harvard, Massachusetts
Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. A farming community settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1732, it has been home to several non-traditional communities, such as Harvard Shaker Village and the utopian Transcendentalist center Fruitlands...
, Stow
Stow, Massachusetts
Stow is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,590 at the 2010 census.- History :Stow was first settled c. 1660 by Matthew Boon and John Kettell...
, Northborough
Northborough, Massachusetts
Northborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The official spelling of the town's name is "Northborough", but the shorter spelling "Northboro" is also used...
and Rowley
Rowley, Massachusetts
Rowley is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,500 at the 2000 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Rowley.-History:...
. Indeed, the northwestern part of the plantation was once known as Rowley after the inhabitants' former hometown.
On March 2, 1797, Waterford was incorporated, with land annexed from Albany in 1811. The surface of the town is uneven, somewhat mountainous. It was well-suited for pasturage and 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, and 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...
became a principal occupation. 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 were built at streams to manufacture the region's abundant timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
into 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....
. Wood products included window sashes, barrel staves
Barrel
A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of vertical wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. Traditionally, the barrel was a standard size of measure referring to a set capacity or weight of a given commodity. A small barrel is called a keg.For example, a...
, salt boxes and bucket
Bucket
A bucket, also called a pail, is typically a watertight, vertical cylinder or truncated cone, with an open top and a flat bottom, usually attached to a semicircular carrying handle called the bail. A pail can have an open top or can have a lid....
s. There was also 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 :...
, 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,...
factory and 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...
. Today, Waterford Flat
Waterford Flat
Waterford Flat is a historic village in the town of Waterford in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The village has been called by other names in its history, including Sweats Island, Sweet Island, Swetts Island, and Waterford. It is located north of Keoka Lake . -References:...
is a resort area, and home to The Lake House
The Lake House (Waterford Maine)
The Lake House is an historic tavern located at the Waterford Flat area of Waterford in Maine. It is an inn and restaurant north of Keoka Lake and near Mount Tire'm....
, a 1797 inn set among antique buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
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 53.1 square miles (137.5 km²), of which, 50.5 square miles (130.8 km²) of it is land and 2.7 square miles (7 km²) of it (4.99%) is water. Waterford is drained by the Crooked River. It contains a number of small lakes including Keoka Lake
Keoka Lake
Keoka Lake is a small lake in the town of Waterford, Maine. It is south of Waterford Flat and northeast of Waterford City . it is notable for being adjacent to the birthplace of Artemis Ward. Also known as Thomas Pond, it is approximately in size with a maximum depth of fourteen meters...
and Bear Pond, as well as Mount Tire'm
Mount Tire'm
Mount Tire'm is a small mountain mountain adjacent to Keoka Lake in the town of Waterford, Maine....
.
The town is crossed by state routes 35
Maine State Route 35
Maine State Route 35 runs the course of western Maine, from Bethel to Kennebunk. It passes through Oxford, Cumberland and York Counties. It is known in its lower sections for both its unusually windy course as well as its notoriously poor paving, as a result of winter frost heaves. Its northern...
, 37 and 118. It is bordered by the towns of Norway to the northeast, Albany and Stoneham
Stoneham, Maine
Stoneham is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 255 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.-Demographics:...
to the northwest, Sweden
Sweden, Maine
Sweden is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 324 at the 2000 census. Set among hills, forests and ponds, Sweden includes the village of East Sweden.-History:...
and Lovell
Lovell, Maine
Lovell is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 974 at the 2000 census. Lovell is the site of Kezar Lake, a resort area.-History:...
to the southwest, and Harrison
Harrison, Maine
Harrison is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,315 at the 2000 census. A historic resort area, Harrison straddles Long Lake and Crystal Lake...
and Bridgton to the southeast.
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 1,455 people, 590 households, and 437 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 28.8 people per square mile (11.1/km²). There were 895 housing units at an average density of 17.7 per square mile (6.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.83% White, 0.27% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, and 0.76% from two or more races.
There were 590 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% 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, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 21.0% 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 2.46 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% 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 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,458, and the median income for a family was $35,000. Males had a median income of $25,560 versus $22,188 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 $16,416. About 9.5% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Charles Farrar BrowneCharles Farrar BrowneCharles Farrar Browne was a United States humor writer, better known under his nom de plume, Artemus Ward. At birth, his surname was "Brown." He added the "e" after he became famous.-Biography:...
(A.K.A. Artemus Ward), writer. - Elbridge GerryElbridge Gerry (Maine)Elbridge Gerry was an American lawyer, who served as a U.S. Congressman from Maine from 1849 to 1851.Gerry was born on December 6, 1813 in Waterford, Maine and was a grandson of former U.S. Vice-President Elbridge Gerry...
, congressman. - Cyrus HamlinCyrus HamlinCyrus Hamlin was an American Congregational missionary and educator, the father of A. D. F. Hamlin....
, missionary, educator.