Washington County, Maine
Encyclopedia
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Maine
. In 2010, its population was 32,856. Its county seat
is Machias.
Sometimes referred to as "Sunrise County" because it is the easternmost county in the United States, and it is often where the rising sun first shines on the 48 contiguous states. Many small seaside communities have small-scale fishing
-based economies. Tourism
is also important along the county's shoreline, but it is not as important as elsewhere in the state. The blueberry
crop plays a major role in the county's economy; nearly 85% of the world's supply of wild blueberries come from Washington County.
Washington County was established on June 25, 1789.
of 2000, there were 33,941 people, 14,118 households, and 9,303 families residing in the county. The population density
was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 21,919 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.48% White
, 0.26% Black
or African American
, 4.43% Native American
, 0.30% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.44% from other races
, and 1.07% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
The largest ancestry groups in Washington County according to Census 2000 are:
32.5% English
14.1% Irish
10.8% "American
" 7.4% French
5% Scottish
95.0% spoke English
, 1.9% Passamaquoddy
, 1.0% Spanish
and 1.0% French
as their first language.
There were 14,118 households out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples
living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,869, and the median income for a family was $31,657. Males had a median income of $28,347 versus $20,074 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $14,119. About 14.20% of families and 19.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.40% of those under age 18 and 19.20% of those age 65 or over.
over Democrat John Kerry
. Bush won 49.79% to Kerry's 48.47%. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama
narrowly defeated John McCain
, 49.51% to 48.50%.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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 2010, its population was 32,856. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Machias.
Sometimes referred to as "Sunrise County" because it is the easternmost county in the United States, and it is often where the rising sun first shines on the 48 contiguous states. Many small seaside communities have small-scale fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
-based economies. Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is also important along the county's shoreline, but it is not as important as elsewhere in the state. The blueberry
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
crop plays a major role in the county's economy; nearly 85% of the world's supply of wild blueberries come from Washington County.
Washington County was established on June 25, 1789.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 3254.91 square miles (8,430.2 km²), of which 2568.48 square miles (6,652.3 km²) (or 78.91%) is land and 686.44 square miles (1,777.9 km²) (or 21.09%) is water.Adjacent Counties/Provinces
- Hancock County, MaineHancock County, MaineHancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 54,418. Its county seat is Ellsworth. It was incorporated on June 25, 1789...
- southwest - Aroostook County, MaineAroostook County, MaineAroostook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 71,870. In land area, it is the largest county in the state and the largest U.S. county east of the Mississippi River. Its seat is Houlton...
- northwest - Penobscot County, MainePenobscot County, MainePenobscot 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...
- northwest - York County, New BrunswickYork County, New BrunswickYork County is located in west-central New Brunswick, Canada. The county contains the provincial capital, Fredericton. Outside the city, farming and forestry are two major industries in the county, which is bisected by the Saint John River...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- northeast - Charlotte County, New BrunswickCharlotte County, New BrunswickCharlotte County is located in the southwestern portion of New Brunswick, Canada.In most of the county, fishing and aquaculture dominate the local economy, although the town of St. Andrews is a tourist mecca and St...
, Canada - east
National protected areas
- Cross Island National Wildlife RefugeCross Island National Wildlife RefugeCross Island National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in the state of Maine. It is one of the five refuges that together make up the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, along with Petit Manan, Franklin Island, Seal Island, and Pond Island.Cross Island NWR has a surface...
- Moosehorn National Wildlife RefugeMoosehorn National Wildlife RefugeMoosehorn National Wildlife Refuge is one of the northernmost National Wildlife Refuges in the Atlantic Flyway, a migratory route that follows the eastern coast of North America...
- Petit Manan National Wildlife RefugePetit Manan National Wildlife RefugePetit Manan National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in the state of Maine. It is one of the five refuges that together make up the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, along with Cross Island, Franklin Island, Seal Island, and Pond Island.Petit Manan NWR has a surface...
- Saint Croix Island International Historic Site (also, Canadian interpretation site in Bayside, New BrunswickBayside, New BrunswickBayside is a community in the Canadian province of New Brunswick....
)
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 33,941 people, 14,118 households, and 9,303 families residing in the county. 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 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 21,919 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.48% White
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...
, 0.26% Black
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...
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...
, 4.43% Native 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...
, 0.30% Asian
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...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.44% 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 1.07% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
The largest ancestry groups in Washington County according to Census 2000 are:
32.5% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
14.1% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
10.8% "American
American ethnicity
American ethnicity differs from United States nationality. An individual's nationality is American if he or she is a national of the United States of America. The circumstances under which a person is ethnically American are less clear....
" 7.4% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
5% Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
95.0% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 1.9% Passamaquoddy
Passamaquoddy
The Passamaquoddy are the First Nations people who live in northeastern North America, primarily in Maine and New Brunswick....
, 1.0% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and 1.0% French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as their first language.
There were 14,118 households out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% 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, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,869, and the median income for a family was $31,657. Males had a median income of $28,347 versus $20,074 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 county was $14,119. About 14.20% of families and 19.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.40% of those under age 18 and 19.20% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Washington County is considered a swing county in Maine. In 2004 it was one of only two counties in Maine to vote for Republican George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
over Democrat John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. Bush won 49.79% to Kerry's 48.47%. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
narrowly defeated John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, 49.51% to 48.50%.
Cities and towns
- AddisonAddison, MaineAddison is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after English author Joseph Addison. The population was 1,209 according to the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- AlexanderAlexander, MaineAlexander is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 514 at the 2000 census. The town is named for Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton, the British negotiator of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty which ended the Aroostook War in 1838-1839.-Geography:According to the...
- BaileyvilleBaileyville, MaineBaileyville is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,686 at the 2000 census. Within the town is the census-designated place of Woodland. The town was originally settled by Quakers in 1780. In 1830, Ezekiel Bailey began commercial manufacture of oilcloth in 1830,...
(WoodlandWoodland, Washington County, MaineWoodland is a census-designated place in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,044 at the 2000 census.Woodland is a part of the town of Baileyville...
) - Baring Plantation
- BealsBeals, MaineBeals is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States, located on an island opposite Jonesport. The town was named after Manwaring Beal, an early settler...
- BeddingtonBeddington, MaineBeddington is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 29 at the 2000 census, but this swells to over 300 during the summer months. This is the smallest organized town in Maine....
- CalaisCalais, MaineCalais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
- CentervilleCenterville, MaineCenterville is a former town in Washington County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 26.As of 2003, the town meeting voted to dissolve the town government and return it to unincorporated territory; the disincorporation was effective as of July 1, 2004...
(disincorporated) - CharlotteCharlotte, MaineCharlotte is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named for the wife of legislator William Vance. The population was 324 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- CherryfieldCherryfield, MaineCherryfield is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States on the Narraguagus River. It was named for the wild cherries that once peppered the banks of the river. The population was 1,157 at the 2000 census. The town bills itself as the "Blueberry Capital of the World"...
- Codyville Plantation
- ColumbiaColumbia, MaineColumbia is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 459 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of . of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:...
- Columbia FallsColumbia Falls, MaineColumbia Falls is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 599 at the 2000 census.-History:The town began as Township 13 SD, BPP, which was joined together with Township 12 by the Massachusetts General Court on February 8, 1796 and incorporated as Columbia. It was...
- CooperCooper, MaineCooper is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The community was named after General John Cooper, a landowner. The population was 145 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- CrawfordCrawford, MaineCrawford is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after William H. Crawford, Secretary of the Treasury. The population was 108 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- CutlerCutler, MaineCutler is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Joseph Cutler, an early settler. The population was 623 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- DanforthDanforth, MaineDanforth is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named for proprietor Thomas Danforth. The population was 629 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- DebloisDeblois, MaineDeblois is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after T.A. Deblois, president of the Bank of Portland. The population was 49 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- DennysvilleDennysville, MaineDennysville is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 319 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- East MachiasEast Machias, MaineEast Machias is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States on the East Machias River. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,298.-Geography:...
- EastportEastport, MaineEastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
- Grand Lake StreamGrand Lake Stream, MaineGrand Lake Stream is a plantation in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 150 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the plantation has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
- HarringtonHarrington, MaineHarrington is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 882 at the 2000 census. Harrington is an old seafaring and shipbuilding village.-History:...
- Indian TownshipPassamaquoddy Indian Township ReservationPassamaquoddy Indian Township Reservation is an Indian reservation in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 676 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- JonesboroJonesboro, MaineJonesboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named for John Coffin Jones, a landholder. The population was 594 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- JonesportJonesport, MaineJonesport is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,408 at the 2000 census. Jonesport is a fishing, lobstering town.-History:...
- LubecLubec, MaineLubec is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,652 at the 2000 census. Lubec is the easternmost town in the contiguous United States . However, the Aleutian Islands in Alaska extend into the eastern hemisphere, and if territories are included, Point Udall in the...
- Machias
- MachiasportMachiasport, MaineMachiasport is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,160 at the 2000 census. Machiasport is a historic seaport and tourist destination.-History:...
- MarshfieldMarshfield, MaineMarshfield is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 494 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- MeddybempsMeddybemps, MaineMeddybemps is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 150 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- MilbridgeMilbridge, MaineMilbridge is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States at the mouth of the Narraguagus River. The population was 1,279 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- NorthfieldNorthfield, MaineNorthfield is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 131 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- PembrokePembroke, MainePembroke is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 879 at the 2000 census. The town is home to reversing falls on Mahar's Point.-History:...
- PerryPerry, MainePerry is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States, on the Canadian border. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 847.-History:...
- Pleasant PointPassamaquoddy Pleasant Point ReservationPassamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation, also known as Sipayik, is an Indian reservation in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 640 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- PrincetonPrinceton, MainePrinceton is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Princeton, Massachusetts. The population was 892 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- RobbinstonRobbinston, MaineRobbinston is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 525 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- Roque BluffsRoque Bluffs, MaineRoque Bluffs is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 264 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.5 square miles , of which, 10.6 square miles of it is land and 8.9 square miles of...
- SteubenSteuben, MaineSteuben is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. Upon incorporation in 1795 it was named after Baron Frederick William Rudolph Gerald Augustus von Steuben, the Inspector General of the U.S. Army during the Revolutionary War...
- TalmadgeTalmadge, MaineTalmadge is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner Benjamin Talmadge. The population was 70 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- TopsfieldTopsfield, MaineTopsfield is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 225 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- VanceboroVanceboro, MaineVanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
- WaiteWaite, MaineWaite is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Benjamin Waite, a lumberman. The population was 105 at the 2000 census....
- WesleyWesley, MaineWesley is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after John Wesley, founder of the English Methodist movement. The population was 114 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- WhitingWhiting, MaineWhiting is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Timothy Whiting, an early settler. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
- WhitneyvilleWhitneyville, MaineWhitneyville is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Colonel Joseph Whitney, a mill owner. The population was 262 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
Territories
- North WashingtonNorth Washington, MaineNorth Washington is an unorganized territory in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 547 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- East Central WashingtonEast Central Washington, MaineEast Central Washington is an unorganized territory in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 768 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
Indian reservations
- Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation
- Passamaquoddy Indian Township Reservation