Ashland, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ashland, Maine
Town
Location of Ashland, Maine
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Aroostook
Villages	Ashland Frenchville Sheridan Squa Pan
Area
• Total	81.54 sq mi (211.19 km2)
• Land	80.41 sq mi (208.26 km2)
• Water	1.13 sq mi (2.93 km2)
Elevation	722 ft (220 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,202
• Density	15/sq mi (5.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	04732, 04737, 04759
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-01710
GNIS feature ID	0582331

Ashland is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,202 at the 2020 census.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 81.54 square miles (211.19 km²), of which 80.41 square miles (208.26 km²) is land and 1.13 square miles (2.93 km²) is water. Around Ashland are the smaller towns and townships of Masardis, Oxbow Plantation, Portage, Nashville Plantation, and Garfield Plantation.

History

For thousands of years, Native American tribes inhabited this region.

In the 1830s William Dalton became the first Euro-American to establish residency at the site of the future town. The community was organized as a plantation in 1840, at which time there were 40 heads of household listed. It was incorporated as a town in 1862, under the name of Ashland. From 1869 to 1876 the town was renamed "Dalton," but then reverted to its historic and current name. The town grew geographically in size when Sheridan Plantation, which had been organized in 1878 to the north of Ashland, was annexed by Ashland in 1901 to form its present boundaries.

The town of Ashland was located on the nineteenth-century stage route from Patten to Fort Kent. In the nineteenth-century logging was the main industry. The lumber industry was at a peak about 1915, although some continues to the present.

Russell Camp Maine c. 1900

Demographics

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 1,302 people, 603 households and 355 families living in the town. The population density was 16.2 per square mile (6.3/km²). There were 733 housing units at an average density of 9.1 per square mile (3.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.6% White, 0.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 0.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 603 households, of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.1% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.74.

The median age in the town was 45.2 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 29.3% were from 45 to 64; and 20.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

Education

The town was served by Ashland Community High School for grades 7–12 and the Ashland Central School for grades K–6. In 2010 construction was completed and the new consolidated Ashland District School, next to the former high school, was opened for grades K–12. The building that housed Ashland Community High School for nearly 50 years was demolished that year to make way for new athletic fields.

See also

In Spanish: Ashland (Maine) para niños