Acton, Maine | |
|---|---|
 Acton Cornerc. 1920 | |
 Logo | |
  Acton | |
| Coordinates:43°32′53″N70°55′55″W / 43.54806°N 70.93194°W /43.54806; -70.93194 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | York |
| Incorporated | 1830 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Board of Selectmen |
| • Chair | David Winchell |
| • Selectmen | Tom McGurty Daniel Norwood Ed Walsh |
| Area | |
• Total | 41.11 sq mi (106.47 km2) |
| • Land | 37.72 sq mi (97.69 km2) |
| • Water | 3.39 sq mi (8.78 km2) |
| Elevation | 748 ft (228 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,671 |
| • Density | 71/sq mi (27.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 04001 |
| Area code | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-00275 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582315 |
| Website | www |
Acton is atown inYork County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,671 at the2020 census.[2] It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every late summer. It is part of thePortland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area.
It was part of the extensive Ossipee Tract sold on November 28, 1668, by Newichawannock Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) toFrancis Small, a trader fromKittery. Small sold a half interest in the tract to Major Nicholas Shapleigh ofEliot. In 1770, heirs found the unrecorded deed and divided the land, with Shapleigh's descendants awarded one half ofLimerick and all ofParsonsfield andShapleigh. First called Hubbardstown Plantation, Shapleigh was in 1785 incorporated and named in honor of Nicholas Shapleigh. Its western portion was set off and incorporated on March 6, 1830, as Acton, named afterActon, England.[3]
The town was first settled at Acton village in 1776 by Benjamin Kimens, Clement Steele and John York, all fromYork. In 1779, Joseph Parsons built agristmill on theSalmon Falls River nearWakefield, New Hampshire. Othermills followed at Acton's variouswater power sites, includingsawmills, gristmills, ahemp mill, acarding mill, afelt mill, atannery and ashoe factory. In 1877, a vein ofsilver was discovered near Goding Creek and theLebanon border.Prospectors dugmines during the 1880s, after which the enterprise declined.[4]
Although much of the soil was poor forfarming, the ridges yielded good crops. In 1866, the Shapleigh & Acton Agricultural Society was formed and commenced sponsoring an annual fair andcattle show. It continues each late summer as the Acton Fair.
The last living member of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Ralph Farnham, lived in Acton for 80 years before his death in 1860 at the age of 104.[5]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.11 square miles (106.47 km2), of which 37.72 square miles (97.69 km2) is land and 3.39 square miles (8.78 km2) is water.[1] Acton is drained by theLittle Ossipee River, theMousam River and theSalmon Falls River. The highest elevation in town is Hussey Hill,[6] 1,051 feet (320 m)above sea level. Hussey Hill is also Maine's southernmost 1,000-foot (300-meter) mountain and only elevation above 1,000 feet in town.
The town is crossed by State Route109. Acton borders the towns ofNewfield to the north,Shapleigh to the east,Lebanon to the south,Sanford to the southeast, and theNew Hampshire towns ofMilton to the west andWakefield to the northwest.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 1,398 | — | |
| 1840 | 1,401 | 0.2% | |
| 1850 | 1,359 | −3.0% | |
| 1860 | 1,218 | −10.4% | |
| 1870 | 1,008 | −17.2% | |
| 1880 | 1,050 | 4.2% | |
| 1890 | 878 | −16.4% | |
| 1900 | 778 | −11.4% | |
| 1910 | 603 | −22.5% | |
| 1920 | 499 | −17.2% | |
| 1930 | 449 | −10.0% | |
| 1940 | 392 | −12.7% | |
| 1950 | 473 | 20.7% | |
| 1960 | 501 | 5.9% | |
| 1970 | 697 | 39.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,228 | 76.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,727 | 40.6% | |
| 2000 | 2,145 | 24.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,447 | 14.1% | |
| 2020 | 2,671 | 9.2% | |
| [7][8][9] | |||
As of the census[10] of 2010, there were 2,447 people, 1,014 households, and 689 families living in the town. Thepopulation density was 64.9 inhabitants per square mile (25.1/km2). There were 2,199 housing units at an average density of 58.3 units per square mile (22.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.0%White, 0.4%African American, 0.4%Native American, 0.3%Asian, 0.4% fromother races, and 0.5% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 1,014 households, of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% weremarried couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.1% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.87.
The median age in the town was 45.7 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 35.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.0% male and 49.0% female.
As of thecensus[11] of 2000, there were 2,145 people, 855 households, and 615 families living in the town. The population density was 57.0 inhabitants per square mile (22.0/km2). There were 1,910 housing units at an average density of 50.7 units per square mile (19.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.41%White, 0.09%African American, 0.33%Native American, 0.23%Asian, and 0.93% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 855 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% weremarried couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $39,036, and the median income for a family was $45,353. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $24,643 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $19,447. About 7.0% of families and 10.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of November 2012[12] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Total Voters | Percentage | |||
| Unenrolled | 751 | 39.4% | |||
| Republican | 593 | 31.1% | |||
| Democratic | 478 | 25.1% | |||
| Green Independent | 84 | 4.4% | |||
| Total | 1,906 | 100% | |||
The children of Acton in grades Pre-K–8 go to Acton Elementary School, which is part of theActon Schools Department. High school students go toSanford High School.
coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.
Places adjacent to Acton, Maine | |
|---|---|
Municipalities and communities ofYork County, Maine,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities and villages | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county | |
43°32′03″N70°54′35″W / 43.53417°N 70.90972°W /43.53417; -70.90972
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
