Monhegan, Maine
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Monhegan is an island and community in Lincoln County, Maine, U.S., about 12 nautical miles off the coast. The municipality is organized as a "plantation", which in Maine typically indicates an organized governmental status falling between township (unorganized territory) and town. As of the 2000 census, the island had a total year-round population of 75. The island got its start as a British fishing camp prior to the settlement of the Plymouth Colony. The British would harvest cod from the rich fishing grounds of the Gulf of Maine then dry the fish on the island before shipping them to Europe.
Today fishing still dominates Monhegan’s economy. From December through May the fishermen harvest lobsters from the only lobster conservation area in the state of Maine. The summer months bring artists and tourists on a daily ferry to view the migrating island birds and the amazing ocean views. Much of Monhegan is uninhabited and free to explore on dirt trails. Monhegan only recently installed its own source of electricity; it is still widely regarded as quaint and unspoiled.
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[edit] Art
The art colony on Monhegan dates to the mid-19th century and has attracted many prominent artists. These have included Edward Hopper and Rockwell Kent, both of whom painted the cliffs at Blackhead, Monhegan.
- Jpeg image (1068x784 pixels) of Hopper's painting.
- Jpeg image (539x431 pixels) of Kent's painting.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the plantation has a total area of 11.7 km² (4.5 mi²). 2.2 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is land and 9.5 km² (3.7 mi²) of it (80.97%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 75 people, 46 households, and 21 families residing in the plantation. The population density was 33.7/km² (87.5/mi²). There were 177 housing units at an average density of 79.5/km² (206.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the plantation was 97.33% White and 2.67% Asian.
There were 46 households out of which 13.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.6% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.3% were non-families. 47.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.63 and the average family size was 2.24.
In the plantation the population was spread out with 10.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 37.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 127.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.1 males.
The median income for a household in the plantation was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $53,125. Males had a median income of $36,563 versus $13,333 for females. The per capita income for the plantation was $20,568. There were 10.5% of families and 3.8% of the population living below the poverty line, including 10.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
[edit] People from (or associated with) Monhegan
- Rockwell Kent, artist who built several houses on Monhegan and lived there for several seasons.
- Edward Hopper, artist.
- N. C. Wyeth, artist.
- Andrew Wyeth, artist.
- Jamie Wyeth, artist.
- Zoe Zanidakis, cast member on Survivor: Marquesas.
- Josh Mostel, actor.
[edit] External Links
