Freeport, Maine

Freeport, Maine
Town
View of downtown
Seal
Nickname: The Birthplace of Maine
Location inCumberland Countyand the state ofMaine.
Coordinates:43°50′38″N70°6′6″W
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Cumberland
Incorporated	February 14, 1789
Villages	Freeport Bustins Island Cushing Briggs Mast Landing Pleasant Hill Porter Landing South Freeport Wardtown
Area
• Total	46.47 sq mi (120.36 km2)
• Land	34.70 sq mi (89.87 km2)
• Water	11.77 sq mi (30.48 km2)
Elevation	36 ft (11 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	8,737
• Density	252/sq mi (97.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5(Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4(EDT)
ZIP Codes	04032–04034
Area code	207
FIPS code	23-26525
GNISfeature ID	0582481
Website	www.freeportmaine

Freeportis atowninCumberland County,Maine,United States. Freeport is included in theLewiston-Auburn,Maine metropolitan New England City and town area. The population was 8,737 at the2020 census.Once home to a prominent shipbuilding industry, timber operations, and farming, it is now known for its numerous outlet stores; Freeport is home toL.L. Bean,Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park,and theDesert of Maine.

Freeport is part of thePortland–South Portland–Biddeford,Mainemetropolitan statistical area.TheHarraseeket Historic Districtis in Freeport.

History

The town was once a part ofNorth Yarmouthcalled Harraseeket, after theHarraseeket River.First settled about 1700, it was set off and incorporated on February 14, 1789, as Freeport. It is probably named "from the openness of its harbor" (free from ice).Freeport developed as four villages—Mast Landing, Porter's Landing, South Freeport and Freeport Corner—all of which are now part of theHarraseeket Historic District,listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.

At thehead of tideon the Harraseeket River is Mast Landing, from whichtimberwas shipped, particularly for use asmasts.Theestuarywasdammedto providewater powerfor agristmill,sawmillandfullingmill, with modest manufacturing andwoodworking.Porter's Landing was involved inshipbuilding,important in Freeport following theRevolutionary War.The industry reached its peak in the decade between 1850 and 1860, but declined with theCivil War.South Freeport,the largest of the waterfront villages, once had fourshipyards.Other businesses includedfishing,canningandfarming.In 1903, theCasco Castlewas built here byAmos Geraldto encourage travel bytrolleycars. The hotel burned in 1914, but its tower still stands.

Freeport Corner was an inland village for farming andtrade,but the 1849 entrance of therailroadhelped it develop into the town's commercial center, which it remains. In the 19th century, fabric was sent from New York and Boston to be made into clothing by local piece workers. Businessman E. B. Mallet established here a sawmill,brickyard,granitequarryand largeshoe factory.

In 1912,Leon Leonwood Beanopened a store in the basement of his brother's apparel shop at Freeport Corner, selling the "Bean Boot"(or Maine Hunting Shoe). This store,L. L. Bean,became so popular that in 1951 it started remaining open 24 hours a day. Its retail andmail order catalogfacilities expanded into Freeport's principal business, and a worldwide company with annual sales of over a billion dollars.The L.L. Bean flagship store is the anchor tooutlet shoppingin the town of Freeport. The town sees about 3.5 million visitors annually, spending $308 million in 2015 alone.L.L. Bean, for its part, has invested heavily in activities for both visitors and residents, including theirOutdoor Discovery Schools,and their Summer Concert Series, which has attracted artists such asEdwin McCain,Great Big Sea,Buckwheat Zydeco,andRockapella.

In 1982,McDonald'smade plans to tear down the Gore House, an 1850sGreek Revivalhouse to build one of its stores. Outcry from residents caused the town to adopt new ordinances concerning what businesses could and could not do with their buildings, and McDonald's built the restaurant inside the house and opened it in 1984, maintaining the exterior appearance. This was one of the first times that McDonald's had been forced to change its restaurant design to fit local requirements.

• 
  Old Ledge Schoolhousec. 1905
• 
  Main Streetc. 1910
• 
  Main Streetc. 1912
• 
  Jameson Tavernc. 1915
• 
  Rockapellaperforms at the L.L. Bean Summer Concert Series, July 2003
• 
  Facade ofMcDonald'slocated in Freeport where the restaurant was forced to maintain the pre-existing exterior of the house.
• 
  Main Street, 2012

Geography

According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the town has a total area of 46.47 square miles (120.36 km²), of which 34.70 square miles (89.87 km²) is land and 11.77 square miles (30.48 km²) is water.Situated at the northeastern extremity ofCasco Bay,Freeport is drained by theHarraseeket River.

Freeport bordersBrunswickandDurhamto the north,Pownalto the west, andYarmouthto the southwest. Freeport also shares small borders withCumberlandandHarpswellin Casco Bay. Cumberland and Harpswell are not connected to Freeport by roads, but since Freeport's town border ranges out into Casco Bay, the other towns' borders meet Freeport's.

Climate

Thisclimaticregion is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm, often humid summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to theKöppen climate classificationsystem, Freeport has awarm-summer humid continental climate,abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Transportation

BothU.S. 1andInterstate-295run directly through Freeport, the latter with three exits northbound (20, 22 and 24) and two exits southbound (22 and 20).

Amtrak'sDowneastertrain service stops atFreeport stationwith service to thePortland Transportation Centerand Boston'sNorth Station.

Greater Portland Metro'sBREEZprovides bus service between Brunswick and Portland, with four stops in Freeport.

Demographics

See also:Freeport (CDP), Maine

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	1,320		—
1800	2,237		69.5%
1810	2,184		−2.4%
1820	2,184		0.0%
1830	2,623		20.1%
1840	2,662		1.5%
1850	2,629		−1.2%
1860	2,792		6.2%
1870	2,457		−12.0%
1880	2,279		−7.2%
1890	2,482		8.9%
1900	2,339		−5.8%
1910	2,460		5.2%
1920	2,488		1.1%
1930	2,184		−12.2%
1940	2,764		26.6%
1950	3,280		18.7%
1960	4,055		23.6%
1970	4,781		17.9%
1980	5,863		22.6%
1990	6,905		17.8%
2000	7,800		13.0%
2010	7,879		1.0%
2020	8,737		10.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of thecensusof 2010, there were 7,879 people, 3,209 households, and 2,173 families residing in the town. Thepopulation densitywas 227.1 inhabitants per square mile (87.7/km²). There were 3,690 housing units at an average density of 106.3 per square mile (41.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.2%White,0.6%African American,0.4%Native American,2.3%Asian,0.2% fromother races,and 1.4% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 3,209 households, of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% weremarried couplesliving together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. Of all households, 25.1% were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.89.

The median age in the town was 45 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 34.7% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census

As of thecensusof 2000, there were 7,800 people, 3,065 households, and 2,151 families residing in the town. The population density was 224.8 inhabitants per square mile (86.8/km²). There were 3,276 housing units at an average density of 94.4 per square mile (36.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.22%White,0.42%BlackorAfrican American,0.31%Native American,1.04%Asian,0.04%Pacific Islander,0.33% fromother races,and 0.64% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 3,065 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% weremarried couplesliving together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. Of all households, 22.4% were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $52,023, and the median income for a family was $58,134. Males had a median income of $41,703 versus $27,490 for females. Theper capita incomefor the town was $27,724. About 4.0% of families and 5.9% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Freeport is part ofRegional school unit#5.

Public schools

• Morse Street School, grades K–2
• Mast Landing School, grades 3–5
• Freeport Middle School, grades 6–8
• Freeport High School,grades 9–12

Private schools

• École Française du Maine, grades K–7 (French immersion)
• Maine CoastWaldorf School
• Pine Tree Academy(Seventh-day Adventist Church)

Sites of interest

• Desert of Maine
• Mann Cemetery
• Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park
• Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment

Notable people

• Cyrus Augustus Bartol,pastor and writer
• Melissa Coleman,author, columnist, and writer
• Aaron Lufkin Dennison,watchmaker
• Beth Edmonds,president of the state senate
• Sara Gideon,Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives,Democratic Nominee for U.S. Senate in 2020
• John Gould,humorist, columnist
• Donald B. MacMillan,admiral, Arctic explorer
• Christopher McCormick,businessman
• Edward C. Plummer,historian
• Joan Benoit Samuelson,Olympic marathon gold medalist (1984)
• Stephen Gill Spottswood- Bishop of theAfrican Methodist Episcopal Zion Church,Chairman of theNAACP
• Rufus Soule,shipbuilder and state politician

External links

• Town of Freeport official website