:Windham, Maine

The township was granted in 1734 by the Massachusetts General Court to Abraham Howard, Joseph Blaney and 58 others from Marblehead, Massachusetts. In 1737, New Marblehead Plantation was settled by Captain Thomas Chute. By order of the Massachusetts General Court, a fort was built in spring of 1744 on a hill in the southern part of town near the early center of settlement to offer protection during King George's War. A 50-foot square blockhouse, constructed of 12-inch thick hewn hemlock had an overhanging second story, with firing ports and two swivel guns in watch posts on diagonal corners. The blockhouse was surrounded by a stockade wall of 12-inch diameter log posts 16 feet long. The single gate through the stockade wall was covered by a 4.2-inch (11 cm) bore 9-pounder cannon within the blockhouse.Goold, Nathan Windham, Maine in the War of the Revolution 1775-1783 (1900) H.W. Bryant Bookseller and Publisher, Portland, Maine

The town's inhabitants took shelter in the stockade between 1745 and 1751. The last Indian attack on the town occurred on May 14, 1756. New Marblehead Plantation was incorporated on June 12, 1762, as Windham, named for Wymondham in Norfolk, England.{{cite book | last = Rolde | first = Neil | title = Maine: A Narrative History | publisher = Harpswell Press | year = 1990 | pages = 84–85 | isbn = 0-88448-069-0 }} Windham Minutemen marched to Portland in response to the Burning of Falmouth on October 18, 1775, and sixteen men were drafted from the town for the Penobscot Expedition. Thirteen Windham men are reported as being members of the Continental Army with George Washington's American Revolutionary War winter encampment at Valley Forge. Windham's nine-pounder cannon and one swivel gun from the stockade blockhouse were loaned to Portland in 1775. Portland had refused to surrender these guns to Captain Henry Mowat as he demanded before he burned the town; and they were placed aboard the privateer Reprieve in 1776.Goold, William The Burning of Portland February 19, 1873

Most of the early inhabitants were farmers, who found the soil loamy and easily worked. Early subdivision of land was in strips perpendicular to the Presumpscot River and Pleasant River. Each landowner cleared the river floodplain for cropland and had river access for transportation to the coast until River Road and Old Gray Road (United States Route 202) were built linking connected farm buildings on high ground adjacent to the floodplain. Windham provided numerous sites for water power, and as early as 1738 a mill was erected at Mallison Falls. Edmund Fowler and Lester Laflin began manufacturing gunpowder at Gambo Falls (near Newhall) in 1817.Dole, Samuel Thomas Windham in the Past (1916)

The Cumberland and Oxford Canal opened in 1832, carrying goods along the Presumpscot River between Sebago Lake and Portland. Population increased along the Presumpscot River as goods manufactured by river water power could be transported to outside markets. In 1859, when Windham's population was 2,380, it had eight sawmills, a corn and flour mill, two shingle mills, a fulling mill, two carding mills, a woolen textile factory, a barrel factory, a chair stuff factory, the gunpowder factory and two tanneries. Oriental Powder Company became the largest gunpowder factory in Maine, and remained in operation until 1905, providing rock blasting powder, gunpowder for belligerents in the Crimean War, and 25 percent of the Union gunpowder supply for the Civil War.{{cite web|url=http://www.prlt.org/PDF/2010winter_newsletter.pdf|title=Historic Interpretive Signs about the Oriental Powder Mills Installed|publisher=Presumpscot Regional Land Trust|access-date=July 30, 2010}} A charcoal house, saltpeter refinery, mills, and storehouses were separated along a mile of both banks of the Presumpscot River upstream of Gambo to minimize damage during infrequent explosions.{{cite web|url=http://www.windham.k12.me.us/teachers/lmorse/windham/photo/page10.html|title=The Oriental Powder Mills|publisher=Windham Photo Album|access-date=July 29, 2010}}

The canal fell into disuse after the Portland and Ogdensburg Railway was completed through South Windham and Newhall in 1875.[https://books.google.com/books?id=S7z9lRwlyX8C&dq=Portland%20Ogdensburg%20Railroad%20Crawford%20Notch%20August%207%2C%201875&pg=PT78 Bruce D. Heald, A History of the Boston & Maine Railroad: Exploring New Hampshire's Rugged Heart by Rail; The History Press; Charleston, South Carlolina 2007] Maine Central Railroad leased the railway as their Mountain Division in 1888.{{cite book| title=Maine Central Railroad Company |author=Peters, Bradley L. |publisher=Maine Central Railroad |year=1976 }} Availability of year-round transportation encouraged C.A. Brown and Company to build a large brick wood-paper board factory at South Windham in 1875. Androscoggin Pulp Company purchased the factory, and the industrial village of South Windham developed around the pulp mill.Barnes, Diane and Jack. The Sebago Lake Area (1996). Arcadia Publishing, {{ISBN|978-0-7385-4943-9}}, p.13 By 1886, the town also produced felt, boots and shoes, carriages, harness, coffins, clothing and wooden ware. On April 4, 1919, the legislature passed an act creating the Reformatory for Men at South Windham. It is now the Maine Correctional Center, a minimum to medium security facility for men and women.

Designation of the transcontinental Roosevelt Trail in 1919 (identified as United States Route 302 since 1935) encouraged increasing numbers of automobile tourists to drive through North Windham.{{cite book |last= Tracy |first= A.W. |chapter= Highway Display's America's Glories |title= Theodore Roosevelt International Highway, Montana |page=7 |url= http://www.mdt.mt.gov/photogallery/docs/trhwy1.pdf |publisher= Montana Department of Transportation |access-date= August 21, 2008 |date= December 1996 |orig-year= 1921}} Boody's store was built on the northern corner of the intersection of the Roosevelt Trail and Maine State Route 115 to sell grain, groceries, and hardware. The crossroads village of North Windham has expanded into the commercial center of town through increasing automobile use by Sebago Lake vacationers and suburban Portland commuters.Barnes, Diane and Jack The Sebago Lake Area (1996) Arcadia Publishing {{ISBN|978-0-7385-4943-9}} p.18

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|50.15|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|46.56|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|3.59|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer2010.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 16, 2012}} Located beside Sebago Lake, Windham is drained by the Pleasant River and the Presumpscot River.

{{Weather box

| location = Windham, Maine

| width = 50%

| single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 64

|Feb record high F = 64

|Mar record high F = 77

|Apr record high F = 85

|May record high F = 94

|Jun record high F = 97

|Jul record high F = 99

|Aug record high F = 103

|Sep record high F = 95

|Oct record high F = 88

|Nov record high F = 76

|Dec record high F = 69

|year record high F = 103

|Jan high F = 30.3

|Feb high F = 34.1

|Mar high F = 42.2

|Apr high F = 54.1

|May high F = 65.1

|Jun high F = 74.2

|Jul high F = 79.4

|Aug high F = 78.5

|Sep high F = 70.3

|Oct high F = 58.6

|Nov high F = 47.1

|Dec high F = 36.0

|year high F = 55.8

|Jan low F = 10.8

|Feb low F = 13.7

|Mar low F = 22.9

|Apr low F = 33.7

|May low F = 43.7

|Jun low F = 53.2

|Jul low F = 58.8

|Aug low F = 57.5

|Sep low F = 49.5

|Oct low F = 37.9

|Nov low F = 29.3

|Dec low F = 18.4

|year low F = 35.8

|Jan record low F = −26

|Feb record low F = −25

|Mar record low F = −21

|Apr record low F = 8

|May record low F = 23

|Jun record low F = 35

|Jul record low F = 40

|Aug record low F = 33

|Sep record low F = 26

|Oct record low F = 15

|Nov record low F = 3

|Dec record low F = −21

|year record low F = −26

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 4.00

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.18

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.38

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.39

|May precipitation inch = 3.90

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.72

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.65

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.32

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.59

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.35

|Nov precipitation inch = 4.67

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.13

|year precipitation inch = 47.28

|Jan snow inch = 20.3

|Feb snow inch = 15.1

|Mar snow inch = 16.5

|Apr snow inch = 3.7

|May snow inch = 0

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 0

|Nov snow inch = 2.5

|Dec snow inch = 16.1

|year snow inch = 74.2

|source = {{cite web|url=https://plantmaps.com/04062|title=Zipcode 04062|website=www.plantmaps.com|access-date=January 10, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/maine/windham|title=Climate in Windham, Maine|website=best-places.net|access-date=January 10, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://myforecast.co/bin/climate.m?city=18941&zip_code=04062&metric=false|title=Windham, ME Climate|website=myforecast.co|access-date=January 23, 2022}}

}}

The town is crossed by U.S. routes 202 and 302, and state routes 4, 35 and 115. It borders the towns of Standish and Gorham to the west, Westbrook to the south, Falmouth and Cumberland to the east, Gray to the northeast and Raymond to the north.

There are several roads that connect certain parts of the town, as well as to other towns, such as Pope Road (Connecting North Windham to Windham Center), River Road (main connector connecting North Windham and Westbrook), Windham Center Road (mainly crosses the town in an east-west direction, as well as connecting Windham Center to Gorham), and Falmouth Road (connects North Windham to Falmouth).

Windham is home to several parks and recreation facilities including the town hall, Windham Primary school, Manchester Elementary school, Windham Middle and High schools, as well as several parks.

Donnabeth Lippman Park is located near the business district off Rte 302. The 123 acres includes a 10 acre pond for fishing, miles of hiking and biking trails around the 10 acre pond, a story-walk trail, and a playground. Various birds and wildlife inhabit the park.{{Cite web|url=http://windhamrecreation.com/info/facilities/details.aspx?FacilityID=14700|title=Windham Parks and Recreation: Facility Details|last=MyRec.com|website=windhamrecreation.com|access-date=May 8, 2017}}

Dundee Park has a beach and picnic area with outdoor grills located in a site along the Presumpscot River. Basketball and volleyball courts are also on the premises.{{Cite web|url=http://windhamrecreation.com/info/facilities/details.aspx?FacilityID=14706|title=Windham Parks and Recreation: Facility Details|last=MyRec.com|website=windhamrecreation.com|access-date=May 8, 2017}}

{{US Census population

|1790= 938

|1800= 1329

|1810= 1613

|1820= 1793

|1830= 2182

|1840= 2303

|1850= 2380

|1860= 2635

|1870= 2428

|1880= 2312

|1890= 2216

|1900= 1929

|1910= 1954

|1920= 1932

|1930= 2076

|1940= 2381

|1950= 3434

|1960= 4498

|1970= 6593

|1980= 11282

|1990= 13020

|2000= 14904

|2010= 17001

|2020= 18434

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

{{See also|North Windham, Maine}}

{{div col}}

• Amy Allen, songwriter; raised in Windham
• John Anderson, US congressman; born in Windham
• John Albion Andrew, 25th Governor of Massachusetts; born in Windham
• Barbara Bradshaw, state legislator{{Cite web |last=Pierce |first=Ed |title=RSU 14 Board of Directors candidate profiles |url=https://news.thewindhameagle.com/2021/10/rsu-14-board-of-directors-candidate.html |access-date=April 15, 2024 |language=en}}
• Mark Bryant, state legislator
• William Diamond, Secretary of State of Maine and state legislator
• Jeff Donnell, actress (The Iron Maiden, The Amazing Spider-Man, and General Hospital); born in South Windham
• Pamela Hayden, actress and voice actress (The Simpsons)
• Robyn Hurder, Tony Award-nominated musical theater actress
• Carol Kontos, state legislator
• James Lovell, Continental Congress member (died in Windham in 1814)
• Gary Plummer, state legislator
• Jane Pringle, state legislator

{{div col end}}

Windham and neighboring Raymond are part of a consolidated school district called RSU 14. Windham based schools in the RSU include Windham Primary School (K–3), Manchester School (4–5), Windham Middle School (6–8), and Windham High School (9–12).

• Babb’s Bridge
• Windham Historical Society
• Goold House
• Maplewood Farm

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.windhammaine.us/|Town of Windham official website}}
• [http://www.windhamsportspages.com/ Windham Sports Pages Newspaper]
• [http://www.independentpub.com/ Windham Independent Newspaper]
• [http://www.windham.lib.me.us/ Windham Public Library]
• [http://www.maine.gov/local/cumberland/windham Maine.gov – Windham, Maine]
• [http://www.sebagolakeschamber.com/ Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce]
• [http://www.history.rays-place.com/me/windham-me.htm History of Windham, Maine (1886)]
• [http://www.mainegenealogy.net/individual_place_record.asp?place=windham Maine Genealogy: Windham, Cumberland County, Maine]
• [http://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/me_collection/23/ Windham, Maine in the War of the Revolution, 1775–1783 (1900)]

{{Cumberland County, Maine}}

{{Presumpscot River}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Populated places established in 1735

Category:Portland metropolitan area, Maine

Category:Towns in Cumberland County, Maine

Category:Towns in Maine

Category:Company towns in Maine