Newport, Maine

Image:Woolen Mill, Newport, ME.jpg

The town was settled {{circa|1808}} as East Pond Plantation, then incorporated on June 14, 1814, as Newport. Agriculture was a principal early occupation, and industries included several sawmills, a gristmill, a foundry, cabinet shop, and a number of harness and blacksmith shops. By 1859, when the population was 1,120, Newport was an important producer of carriages "...which, for durability and finish, [were] not excelled by any in the state."[https://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&dq=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA227 Austin J. Coolidge & John B. Mansfield, A History and Description of New England, Boston, Massachusetts 1859] The Maine Central Railroad connected to Newport and made it the terminus for its Dexter & Newport Railway, which opened in 1868. By 1880, the population reached 1,451, and industries included a marble, granite and slate works, and a maker of boots and shoes.[http://history.rays-place.com/me/newport-me.htm George J. Varney, History of Newport, Maine, Boston, Massachusetts 1886] In 1891, the woolen mill was built, and the Aroostook Condensed Milk Company founded. The latter became the Maine Condensed Milk Company in 1894, then Borden's Condensed Milk Company in 1902.[http://www.newportmaine.net/site/history.asp Brief History of Newport -- Town of Newport, Maine]

In 1936, Newport, Maine, became one of the towns to have a Movie Queen filmed in it.{{Citation|title=The Movie Queen Newport Maine|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZwIMIVQEyc|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}} The Movie Queen was a half an hour silent video filmed in black and white on 16 mm film. These movies were to display all of the shops and the economy of the town.{{Cite web|url=https://bangordailynews.com/2018/07/17/arts-culture/in-the-1930s-movie-queens-were-the-facebook-live-of-small-town-maine/|title=In the 1930s, 'movie queens' were the Facebook Live of small-town Maine|website=Bangor Daily News|date=17 July 2018|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-17}} This film now lives in the Northeast Historic Film repository{{Cite web|url=https://oldfilm.org/collection/Detail/collections/255|title=Moving Images {{!}} Northeast Historic FilmNortheast Historic Film : NHF collection : Newport Historical Society Collection [Newport Historical Society Col]|website=oldfilm.org|access-date=2019-10-17}} and is owned by the Newport Historical Committee.{{Cite web|url=http://newportculturalcenter.org/local-history/|title=Local History « Newport Cultural Center|website=newportculturalcenter.org|access-date=2019-10-17}}

In 1901, a large fire destroyed the Maine Central Railroad freight depot and two mills, and damaged 20 houses.{{cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1901/05/18/117964581.pdf|title=LOSSES BY FIRE. - View Article - NYTimes.com|publisher=query.nytimes.com|access-date=2014-10-05}} In 1990, two boys, aged eight and nine, started a fire which burned half of Newport's historic downtown. The fire was started in the then vacant Yankee Café. The fire burned a pizzeria, auto parts store, a beauty parlor, and a baseball card shop (three buildings which were more than a century old).{{Citation|title=Newport Maine Fire 1990|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sOSH4vnI0w|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}}{{cite book|title=A History and Description of New England, General and Local|author1=Coolidge, A.J.|author2=Mansfield, J.B.|date=1859|publisher=A.J. Coolidge|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n37 9]|access-date=2014-10-05}}

In the 21st century, through the year 2020, the Vic Firth Company, subsidiary of Avedis Zildjian Company, continues to manufacture its percussion sticks and mallets in Newport.{{cite web|url=http://www.vicfirth.com/ |title=Vic Firth |publisher=Vic Firth |date=January 20, 2012 |access-date=October 14, 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://vicfirth.zildjian.com/brand-journeys |title=The Vic Firth Brand Journey|publisher=Vic Firth Company |date=2020 |access-date=May 17, 2020}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|36.97|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|29.50|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|7.47|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=2012-12-16}} Situated on Sebasticook Lake, Newport is drained by Martin Stream and the East Branch of the Sebasticook River. Sebasticook Lake is contained entirely in the town of Newport, and is the largest lake contained in one town in the state of Maine.{{cite web |url=http://www.newportmaine.net/site/lake_info.html |title=Sebasticook Lake, Newport, Maine |website=www.newportmaine.net |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607082332/http://www.newportmaine.net/site/lake_info.html |archive-date=2008-06-07}}

The town is crossed by Interstate 95, U.S. Route 2, and state routes 7, 11, 100, and 222. It is bordered by the town of Corinna to the north, Stetson to the east, Etna and Plymouth to the south, and Palmyra to the west.

{{US Census population

|1820= 510

|1830= 897

|1840= 1138

|1850= 1210

|1860= 1403

|1870= 1559

|1880= 1451

|1890= 1188

|1900= 1533

|1910= 1747

|1920= 1709

|1930= 1731

|1940= 2052

|1950= 2190

|1960= 2322

|1970= 2260

|1980= 2755

|1990= 3036

|2000= 3017

|2010= 3275

|2020= 3133

|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|Newport (CDP), Maine}}

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2012-12-16}} of 2010, there were 3,275 people, 1,410 households, and 883 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|111.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,766 housing units at an average density of {{convert|59.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 96.4% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 1,410 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.4% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the town was 42.6 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 3,017 people, 1,269 households, and 846 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|102.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,574 housing units at an average density of {{convert|53.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.28% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.43% of the population.

There were 1,269 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,056, and the median income for a family was $37,104. Males had a median income of $28,719 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,312. About 9.1% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

• Lewis O. Barrows, 57th governor of Maine
• Cooper Flagg, Duke University basketball player
• Kenneth Fredette, Minority Leader, Maine House of Representatives (2012–2018)
• Donald Sidney Skidgel, Medal of Honor recipient and for whom the Donald Sidney Skidgel Memorial Bridge (Route 2, Newport) is named
• Joshua Tardy, Minority Leader, Maine House of Representative (2006–2010)

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Newport, Maine}}

• [http://www.newportmaine.org Town of Newport official website]
• [http://www.ourchamber.org Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce]
• [http://newportculturalcenter.net Newport Cultural Center]

{{Penobscot County, Maine}}

{{Kennebec River}}

Category:Towns in Penobscot County, Maine