Dexter, Maine
Encyclopedia
Dexter is a town
in Penobscot County
, Maine
, United States
. The population was 3,890 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bangor
, Maine
metropolitan statistical area. Dexter Regional High School
, which serves Dexter as well as other nearby small towns, is located in the town.
, and was originally called Elkinstown. When incorporated as a town in 1816, it named itself after Samuel Dexter
, who was then running for governor of Massachusetts
(of which Maine was a territory). The town of Brooks
, Maine
in nearby Waldo County
, was incorporated the same year and named for the opposing candidate, John Brooks
. Brooks won the election. The town of Dexter, however, achieved the greater prosperity.
The town grew because of its location on the East Branch
of the Sebasticook River
, which provided excellent water power for mills. In 1818, Jonathan Farrar constructed a grist mill at the falls. The Dexter Historical Society today uses the building which replaced it in 1854 as part of its museum complex. The stream would also power five woolen mills, the oldest and largest of which was established by Amos and Jeremiah Abbott in 1836. Amos Abbott & Company, which closed in 1975, was the only textile mill in the United States
owned by one family for such a long period. In the 1960s, the town's name became familiar throughout New England
because of the pervasive log cabin
style factory outlets of the Dexter Shoe Company, founded in a vacant Dexter woolen mill in 1958 by Harold Alfond
.
Dexter's downtown is dominated by the Memorial Building, designed by John Morrison. At its top is the community's largest clock, named Nancy after the architect's wife. The tallest building in town is the Unitarian Universalist
Church. It is also Dexter's oldest house of worship, built in 1826, but given a new steeple and vestibule by Boston
architect Thomas W. Silloway in 1869. Five buildings in Dexter are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, including the Grist Mill; Universalist Church; Abbott Memorial Library by Boston
architect J. William Beal; the Bank Block by Bangor
architect George W. Orff; and Zion's Hill, the Ralph Owen Brewster house by Portland
architectural firm Stevens & Stevens
.
In 1848, the town was visited by a tornado
which tore large trees out by their roots and destroyed even the strongest buildings.
, the town has a total area of 37.2 square miles (96.3 km²), of which, 35.2 square miles (91.1 km²) of it is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) of it (5.38%) is water. Dexter is drained by the East Branch
of the Sebasticook River
, which flows from Lake Wassookeag.
Dexter is almost exactly half-way between Bangor
and Waterville
.
of 2000, there were 3,890 people, 1,615 households, and 1,106 families residing in the town. The population density
was 110.6 people per square mile (42.7/km²). There were 2,054 housing units at an average density of 58.4 per square mile (22.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.56% White, 0.31% Black or African American
, 0.23% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
There were 1,615 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,000, and the median income for a family was $31,204. Males had a median income of $27,130 versus $18,805 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,197. About 15.4% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
novel Needful Things
. It can also be glimpsed during the "Hitchhiker" story of Creepshow 2
, as can nearby Dover-Foxcroft
.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Penobscot County
Penobscot County, Maine
Penobscot County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. For U.S. Census statistical purposes, it is part of the Bangor, Maine, New England County Metropolitan Area . As of 2010, the population was 153,923...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 3,890 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
metropolitan statistical area. Dexter Regional High School
Dexter Regional High School
Dexter Regional High School is a public high school in Dexter, Maine. During the 2004-05 school year, MVHS had 369 enrolled students. In 2002, the school had a graduation rate of 81.52%, below the state's rate of 86.71%. In 2003, the graduation rate was 76.84%, below the state average of 87.57%.The...
, which serves Dexter as well as other nearby small towns, is located in the town.
History
Dexter was settled beginning in 1801 by Ebenezer Small, David Smith, and others from New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, and was originally called Elkinstown. When incorporated as a town in 1816, it named itself after Samuel Dexter
Samuel Dexter
Samuel Dexter was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinet.-Life:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to the Rev. Samuel Dexter, the 4th minister of Dedham, he graduated from Harvard University in 1781 and then studied law at Worcester under Levi Lincoln,...
, who was then running for governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
(of which Maine was a territory). The town of Brooks
Brooks, Maine
Brooks is a town in Waldo County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,022 at the 2000 census.The town was named after John Brooks, the Federalist candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1815-1816, when the town incorporated. The town of Dexter, which incorporated the same year, was named...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
in nearby Waldo County
Waldo County, Maine
Waldo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 38,786. Its county seat is Belfast.Waldo County was founded on 7 February 1827 from a portion of Hancock County...
, was incorporated the same year and named for the opposing candidate, John Brooks
John Brooks
John Brooks was the 11th Governor of Massachusetts from 1816 to 1823; he was the last significant Federalist elected official in office in the United States....
. Brooks won the election. The town of Dexter, however, achieved the greater prosperity.
The town grew because of its location on the East Branch
East Branch Sebasticook River
The East Branch Sebasticook River is a tributary of the Sebasticook River in central Maine in the United States. It is part of the Kennebec River watershed.-References:**...
of the Sebasticook River
Sebasticook River
The Sebasticook River is a river in the central part of Maine, in the United States. It flows from Great Moose Lake, about north of Winslow, Maine, to the Kennebec River in Winslow.According to the Sebasticook River Watershed Association:...
, which provided excellent water power for mills. In 1818, Jonathan Farrar constructed a grist mill at the falls. The Dexter Historical Society today uses the building which replaced it in 1854 as part of its museum complex. The stream would also power five woolen mills, the oldest and largest of which was established by Amos and Jeremiah Abbott in 1836. Amos Abbott & Company, which closed in 1975, was the only textile mill in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
owned by one family for such a long period. In the 1960s, the town's name became familiar throughout New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
because of the pervasive log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
style factory outlets of the Dexter Shoe Company, founded in a vacant Dexter woolen mill in 1958 by Harold Alfond
Harold Alfond
Harold Alfond was an American businessman who founded the Dexter Shoe Company and established the first factory outlet store.-Early life:...
.
Dexter's downtown is dominated by the Memorial Building, designed by John Morrison. At its top is the community's largest clock, named Nancy after the architect's wife. The tallest building in town is the Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
Church. It is also Dexter's oldest house of worship, built in 1826, but given a new steeple and vestibule by Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
architect Thomas W. Silloway in 1869. Five buildings in Dexter are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, including the Grist Mill; Universalist Church; Abbott Memorial Library by Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
architect J. William Beal; the Bank Block by Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
architect George W. Orff; and Zion's Hill, the Ralph Owen Brewster house by Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
architectural firm Stevens & Stevens
John Calvin Stevens
John Calvin Stevens was an American architect who worked in two related styles — the Shingle Style, in which he was a major innovator, and the Colonial Revival style, which dominated national domestic architecture for the first half of the 20th century...
.
In 1848, the town was visited by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
which tore large trees out by their roots and destroyed even the strongest buildings.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 37.2 square miles (96.3 km²), of which, 35.2 square miles (91.1 km²) of it is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) of it (5.38%) is water. Dexter is drained by the East Branch
East Branch Sebasticook River
The East Branch Sebasticook River is a tributary of the Sebasticook River in central Maine in the United States. It is part of the Kennebec River watershed.-References:**...
of the Sebasticook River
Sebasticook River
The Sebasticook River is a river in the central part of Maine, in the United States. It flows from Great Moose Lake, about north of Winslow, Maine, to the Kennebec River in Winslow.According to the Sebasticook River Watershed Association:...
, which flows from Lake Wassookeag.
Dexter is almost exactly half-way between Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
and Waterville
Waterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,890 people, 1,615 households, and 1,106 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 110.6 people per square mile (42.7/km²). There were 2,054 housing units at an average density of 58.4 per square mile (22.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.56% White, 0.31% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.23% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
There were 1,615 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,000, and the median income for a family was $31,204. Males had a median income of $27,130 versus $18,805 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $14,197. About 15.4% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Trivia
Part of the downtown section of the town is referenced on the cover of the Stephen KingStephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
novel Needful Things
Needful Things
Needful Things is a 1991 horror novel by American author Stephen King. According to the cover, it is "The Last Castle Rock Story." However, the town later served as the setting for the short story "It Grows on You," published in King's 1993 collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes which, according to...
. It can also be glimpsed during the "Hitchhiker" story of Creepshow 2
Creepshow 2
Creepshow 2 is an American horror comedy anthology film directed by Michael Gornick, who was George A. Romero's cinematographer on the original Creepshow. Released in 1987, the screenplay for Creepshow 2 was penned by Romero , and once again based upon stories by Stephen King...
, as can nearby Dover-Foxcroft
Dover-Foxcroft, Maine
Dover-Foxcroft is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States, and the county's largest town and county seat. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,211.-History:...
.
Sites of interest
- Abbott Museum (1836)
- Grist Mill Museum (1854)
- Miller's House (1825)
- Carr Schoolhouse (1845)
Notable people
- Jeff CoffinJeff CoffinJeff Coffin is an American jazz and alternative rock musician best known as the saxophonist for Dave Matthews Band and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. In addition to the saxophone, he plays clarinet, flute and oboe.-Biography:...
, American jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
musician best known as the saxophonist for Dave Matthews BandDave Matthews BandDave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
and Béla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
. - Justin AlfondJustin AlfondJustin Loring Alfond is a Democratic State Senator from Maine's 8th District. He was first elected to the Maine State Senate in 2008. He attended schools in Waterville and Dexter prior to moving to Boston, Massachusetts to complete high school. He then attended Tulane University in New Orleans,...
, Maine State Senator - James E. BaileyJames E. Bailey (Medal of Honor)James E. Bailey was a United States Army Sergeant during the Indian Wars who received the Medal of Honor on 12 April 1875 for service during the winter of 1872-73.-Medal of Honor citation:Citation:...
, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient - Ralph Owen BrewsterOwen BrewsterRalph Owen Brewster was an American politician from Maine. Brewster, a Republican, was solidly conservative...
, senator and governor of Maine - Lysander CutlerLysander CutlerLysander Cutler was an American businessman, educator, politician, and a Union Army General during the American Civil War.-Early years:Cutler was born in Royalston, Massachusetts, the son of a farmer...
, businessman, educator, politician and major-general - Holman DayHolman Day- Biography :Holman Francis Day was an American author, born at Vassalboro, Me., and a graduate of Colby College . In 1889-90 he was managing editor of the publications of the Union Publishing Company, Bangor, Me...
, editor and novelist - Sterling HaydenSterling HaydenSterling Hayden was an American actor and author. For most of his career as a leading man, he specialized in westerns and film noir, such as Johnny Guitar, The Asphalt Jungle and The Killing. Later on he became noted as a character actor for such roles as Gen. Jack D. Ripper in Dr...
, film actor, novelist - Frederick Freeman ProctorFrederick Freeman ProctorFrederick Freeman Proctor , aka F.F. Proctor, was a vaudeville impresario who pioneered the method of continuous vaudeville. He opened the Twenty-third Street Theatre in New York City...
, vaudeville impresario