Standish, Maine

Standish is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,874 at the 2010 census.^[4] It includes the villages of Standish Corner, Sebago Lake Village and Steep Falls, and the localities known as Richville, Standish Neck and Two Trails. Standish is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

History

This was once hunting and fishing territory of the Abenaki tribe, whose main village was at Pequawket (now Fryeburg) up the Pequawket Trail (now Route 113). In 1750, the Massachusetts General Court granted the township to Captain Moses Pearson and Captain Humphrey Hobbs, together with their respective companies, for services during the French and Indian Wars.^[5]

It was to be called Pearson and Hobbs Town, but Hobbs died and none of his company took possession. In 1752, the land was surveyed and divided into 30-acre (120,000 m²) lots, although some soldiers sold their rights for whatever they could get. Those that did settle found their cabins razed by Indians trying to drive them away. In response, the veterans built at Standish Corner a stockaded fort, which provided protection until Indian hostilities ceased in 1759 with the Fall of Quebec. Pearsontown Plantation was incorporated as Standish on November 30, 1785.^[6]^[7] The town is named in honor of Captain Myles Standish.^[7]

Much of Standish is sandy plains covered with pine, yet farmers found considerable arable land. Watermills at various streams produced lumber, headings, shooks, barrel staves, carriages, clothing, flour, ice, plaster and packing boxes. The Cumberland and Oxford Canal opened in 1832, increasing trade between Sebago Lake and Portland. It was followed by the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, which on September 12, 1870 began regular passenger service between Portland and Sebago Lake Station.^[8] Tourists could arrive by train in the morning, ride a side-wheel steamboat the whole length of the lakes, then return to the city by evening. The cost of the excursion in 1876 was $1.75 from Portland to Naples, and $2.00 from Portland to Bridgton, North Bridgton or Harrison. Standish also had railroad depots at Richville and Steep Falls. In 1998, Frye Island in Sebago Lake was set off and incorporated as a separate town. Today, Standish is both a recreational area and suburb of Portland.

Sebago Lake Sta. in 1907
Sebago Lake c. 1915
Steep Falls Library c. 1920

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 80.59 square miles (208.73 km²), of which, 59.03 square miles (152.89 km²) of it is land and 21.56 square miles (55.84 km²) is water.^[1] Situated beside Sebago Lake, Standish is drained by Sebago Lake and the Presumpscot River, which is the town's eastern border, and by the Saco River, which is the town's (and Cumberland County's) southwestern border. The eastern portion of Standish is part of the Presumpscot River watershed.

The town is crossed by state routes 11, 25, 25A, 35, 35A, 114, and 237. It is bordered by the towns of Windham and Gorham to the southeast, Buxton and Hollis to the south, Limington to the west, and Baldwin and Sebago to the northwest.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	716		—
1800	1,226		71.2%
1810	1,378		12.4%
1820	1,619		17.5%
1830	2,023		25.0%
1840	2,198		8.7%
1850	2,290		4.2%
1860	2,067		−9.7%
1870	2,089		1.1%
1880	2,035		−2.6%
1890	1,841		−9.5%
1900	1,504		−18.3%
1910	1,637		8.8%
1920	1,735		6.0%
1930	1,317		−24.1%
1940	1,472		11.8%
1950	1,786		21.3%
1960	2,095		17.3%
1970	3,122		49.0%
1980	5,946		90.5%
1990	7,678		29.1%
2000	9,285		20.9%
2010	9,874		6.3%
Est. 2014	10,020	^[9]	1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census^[10]

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 9,874 people, 3,518 households, and 2,572 families residing in the town. The population density was 167.3 inhabitants per square mile (64.6/km²). There were 4,425 housing units at an average density of 75.0 per square mile (29.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% White, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.

There were 3,518 households of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.9% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.95.

The median age in the town was 38.8 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 13.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 30.4% were from 45 to 64; and 10.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 9,285 people, 3,205 households, and 2,464 families residing in the town. The population density was 157.2 people per square mile (60.7/km²). There were 3,987 housing units at an average density of 67.5 per square mile (26.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.39% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.

There were 3,205 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,278, and the median income for a family was $53,461. Males had a median income of $36,235 versus $26,204 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,504. About 1.9% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Simon M. Hamlin, US congressman
Albion P. Howe, Civil War era general
Curtis Hussey, professional wrestler who currently performs for WWE under the ring name Fandango
Solomon Nason, Wisconsin farmer, lumberman and legislator (born in Standish in 1825)
Marisa Butler, Miss Maine USA 2016

Education

Bonny Eagle High School is a public high school serving the towns of Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Standish and Frye Island. Other Maine School Administrative District 6 schools located in Standish are Edna Libby Elementary, George E. Jack, and Steep Falls Elementary.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine has its campus in Standish.

Sites of interest

Daniel Marrett House - the 1789 home of the town's parson located in town center, now a Historic New England museum
The Old Red Church - an 1804 meeting house, now a museum
Schoolhouse Arts Center at Sebago Lake
Standish Historical Society & Museum

References

1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
↑ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Standish town, Cumberland County, Maine". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
↑ Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts. pp. 313–314.
↑ Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums (1970). Doris A. Isaacson, ed. Maine: A Guide 'Down East'. Rockland, Me: Courier-Gazette, Inc. p. 410.
1 2 "Maine Local Government - Town of Standish". Archived from the original on 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2007-01-14.
↑ George J. Varney, History of Standish, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts 1886
↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

Municipalities and communities of Cumberland County, Maine, United States

County seat: Portland

Cities	Portland South Portland Westbrook

Towns	Baldwin Bridgton Brunswick Cape Elizabeth Casco Chebeague Island Cumberland Falmouth Freeport Frye Island Gorham Gray Harpswell Harrison Long Island Naples New Gloucester North Yarmouth Pownal Raymond Scarborough Sebago Standish Windham Yarmouth

CDPs	Bridgton Brunswick Brunswick Station Casco Cousins Island Cumberland Center Falmouth Falmouth Foreside Freeport Gorham Gray Little Falls Littlejohn Island Naples North Windham Scarborough South Windham Standish Steep Falls Yarmouth

Other villages	Casco Terrace North Bridgton Prouts Neck Sebago Lake South Casco South Freeport White Rock

Presumpscot River Watershed

Tributaries	Bear River Chute River Crooked River East Branch Piscataqua River Little River Muddy River North Branch Little River Northwest River Piscataqua River Pleasant River Songo River Sticky River Tenny River

Lakes	Brandy Pond Keoka Lake Little Sebago Lake Long Lake Panther Pond Sebago Lake Trickey Pond

Towns	Albany Bridgton Casco Cumberland Falmouth Frye Island Gorham Gray Harrison Naples Norway Otisfield Portland Raymond Sebago Standish Waterford Westbrook Windham

Landmarks	Babb's Bridge Bridgton and Saco River Railroad Cumberland and Oxford Canal Oriental Powder Company S. D. Warren Paper Mill Sebago Lake State Park Songo Lock

Saco River Watershed

Tributaries	Bearcamp River Beech River Charles River Chocorua River Cold River Cold River (Bearcamp) Cutler River Dan Hole River Deer River Dry River East Branch Saco River East Branch Whiteface River East Fork East Branch Saco River Ellis River Kezar River Little Cold River Little Ossipee River Little River Little Saco River Lovell River Mad River Middle Branch Mad River Mill Brook New River Old Course Saco River Ossipee River Pequawket Brook Pine River Rocky Branch Sawyer River Shepards River South Branch Mad River South River Swift River Swift River (Bearcamp) Tenmile River West Branch West Branch Tenmile River Whiteface River Wonalancet River

Lakes	Lake Arrowhead Balch Pond Broad Bay Chocorua Lake Conway Lake Dan Hole Pond Echo Lake Lovewell Pond Moose Pond Ossipee Lake Pine River Pond Province Lake Silver Lake Skelton Dam

Towns	Acton Arundel Baldwin Bartlett Biddeford Bridgton Brownfield Buxton Chocorua Conway Cornish Dayton Denmark Eaton Effingham Freedom Fryeburg Hart's Location Hiram Hollis Limerick Limington Lovell Lyman Madison Newfield Ossipee Parsonsfield Porter Saco Sebago Shapleigh Standish Stoneham Stow Sweden Tamworth Tuftonboro Wakefield Waterboro Waterford

Landmarks	Crawford Notch Maine Central Railroad U.S. Route 302 White Mountains

Coordinates: 43°44′09″N 70°33′07″W / 43.73583°N 70.55194°W / 43.73583; -70.55194

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