Skowhegan, Maine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Skowhegan is a town in Somerset County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 8,824. It includes Skowhegan Village and the resort of Lakewood, home of the Lakewood Theater. Skowhegan hosts the annual Skowhegan State Fair, the oldest continuous State Fair in the United States, every August. The Skowhegan School of Art is an internationally known residency program for visual artists, though it is technically located in neighboring East Madison.
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[edit] History
The Skowhegan Falls, which have been replaced by the Weston Dam, descended 28 feet over a half mile on the Kennebec River. The falls were a popular destination for Abenaki Indians. From spring until fall, the tribe fished here, where abundant salmon and other species could be caught by wading. Consequently, they named the area "Skowhegan" (which they pronounced "Skoohegan"), meaning a "waiting place" or "place to watch." Colonel Benedict Arnold and his troops passed through Skowhegan in 1775 on their way up the Kennebec River to Quebec.
Settled in 1773, the area was originally part of Canaan. It would separate from that town in 1823 under the name "Millburn." But inhabitants preferred the old name of "Skowhegan," which it would be renamed in 1836. In 1861, Bloomfield, across the Kennebec River, would be annexed. The Skowhegan Falls provided water power in the 19th century, and the town developed into a prosperous mill town. Shoes and wood products were among numerous items manufactured here.
In 2005, Skowhegan was a major filming location for an HBO movie based on the 2001 book, Empire Falls, by Richard Russo.
Notable Inhabitants:
- Margaret Chase Smith, U.S. senator
Historical Sites & Museums and Other Points of Interest:
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 156.9 km² (60.6 mi²). 152.8 km² (59.0 mi²) of it is land and 4.1 km² (1.6 mi²) of it (2.64%) is water. Skowhegan is drained by the Wesserunsett Stream and Kennebec River. Bigelow Hill, elevation about 500 feet, is the highest point in town.
[edit] Demographics
This article describes the town of Skowhegan as a whole. Additional demographic detail is available which describes only the central settlement or village within the town, although that detail is included in the aggregate values reported here. See: Skowhegan (CDP), Maine.
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 8,824 people, 3,716 households, and 2,363 families residing in the town. The population density was 57.8/km² (149.6/mi²). There were 4,165 housing units at an average density of 27.3/km² (70.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.56% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.
There were 3,716 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,390, and the median income for a family was $35,880. Males had a median income of $27,982 versus $21,011 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,543. About 13.0% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Notable people
- Louise Helen Coburn
- Abner Coburn
- Stephen Coburn
- George Otis Smith, director of U.S. Geological Survey, 1st chairman of Federal Power Commission
- Margaret Chase Smith
[edit] External links
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