Islesboro is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

Waldo County Waldo County is a county in the state of Maine, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,607. Its county seat is Belfast. The county was founded on 7 February 1827 from a portion of Hancock County and named after ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

, United States, comprising Islesboro Island and several smaller islands. The population was 583 at the 2020 census. It has a summer colony accessible by state ferry service from Lincolnville Beach three miles to the west, by private boat, or by

air taxi An air taxi is a small commercial aircraft that makes short flights on demand. In 2001 air taxi operations were promoted in the United States by a NASA and aerospace industry study on the potential Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) ...

service. Home to Warren Island State Park, Islesboro includes the village of Dark Harbor.

History

The

Penobscot people The Penobscot (Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewi'') are an Indigenous people in North America from the Northeastern Woodlands region. They are organized as a federally recognized tribe in Maine and as a First Nations band government in the Atlantic ...

called it Pitaubegwimenahanuk, meaning "the island that lies between two channels", although

André Thevet André Thevet (; ; 1516 – 23 November 1590) was a French Franciscan priest, explorer, cosmographer and writer who travelled to the Near East and to South America in the 16th century. His most significant book was '' The New Found World, or ...

recorded the name Aiayascon in 1556. It was part of the

Waldo Patent The Waldo Patent, a letters patent also known as the Muscongus Patent or the Lincolnshire Patent, was a document granting title to of land in what is now the U.S. state of Maine. It is named variously for businessman Samuel Waldo, who eventually ...

. First called Long Island Plantation, it was settled in 1769. It was incorporated as Islesborough on January 28, 1789, although over time the spelling was contracted to Islesboro. With many harbors and coves, the island was home to the largest commercial

shipping Freight transport, also referred as ''Freight Forwarding'', is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. The term shipping originally referred to transport by sea but in American English, it has been ...

fleet in the bay during the 19th century. Following the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, however, Islesboro developed as a resort community, and many large and luxurious summer homes were built. Their large

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

s cruised and raced throughout the

Gulf of Maine , image = , alt = , caption = , image_bathymetry = GulfofMaine2.jpg , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = Major features of the Gulf of Maine , location = Northeast coast of the ...

. The town remains an upper-class enclave and summer colony.

Geography

Islands and villages

Situated in upper Penobscot Bay, the island town separates East from West Penobscot Bay. Islesboro Island is narrow, mainly north-south and 14 miles long. Smaller islands include Job Island, Seven Hundred Acre Island, Spruce Island, Warren Island, Seal Island, Ram Island, Thrumcap, Middle Island, Minot Island, Ensign Island (#1 and #2), Lime Island, Flat Island, Hutchins Island, Little Island, Little Bermuda(?), Joe's Rock, and Birch Point. Semi-submerged features include Haskell Ledge, Minor Ledge, and Minot Island Ledge. The main island consists of two wider landmasses separated by a narrow

isthmus An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmus ...

called The Narrows. Neighborhoods and villages (small clusters of buildings) are distributed across the two: * Up Island, the northern landmass ** Pripet, also known as Warren's Landing or Beckett's Landing – the historic site of a kiln and steamboat wharf ** North Islesboro – historic village and current site of a general store ** Ryder's Cove – historic summer vacation spot and steamboat destination * Down Island, the southern landmass ** Islesboro Village, also known as Guinea Village – near Islesboro Harbor ** Hewes Point – historic summer vacation spot and steamboat destination ** Town Center – town offices, community center, and post office ** Grindle Point – current ferry landing, with historic lighthouse ** Dark Harbor – historic summer vacation spot and steamboat destination

Size and features

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. There is one large pond, called Meadow Pond, in the northern portion of the Island, the work of beavers that have dammed a narrow place. Ice was once harvested from this pond for export to places as far away as India. Hewes Point was named for Paola Hewes, an early pioneer settler.

Climate

This

climatic Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorological ...

region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Islesboro has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 566 people, 270 households, and 161 families living in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 850 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.7%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.5% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.5% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population. There were 270 households, of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. Of all households 34.4% were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.57. The median age in the town was 52.1 years. 17.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.4% were from 25 to 44; 37.5% were from 45 to 64; and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 603 people, 280 households, and 176 families living in the town. The

was 42.3 people per square mile (16.3/km²). There were 741 housing units at an average density of 52.0 per square mile (20.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.18%

, 0.17%

, 0.17% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.50% from

, and 0.83% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population. There were 280 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. Of all households 30.7% were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.69. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $39,643, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $24,750 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $25,653. About 5.5% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Islesboro Central School is one of four island schools in Maine that cover all grades (K–12), the others being North Haven, Vinalhaven, and

Mount Desert Island Mount Desert Island (MDI; french: Île des Monts Déserts) in Hancock County, Maine, is the largest island off the coast of Maine. With an area of it is the 52nd-largest island in the United States, the sixth-largest island in the contiguous ...

. It is also unique that it allows mainland students to pay tuition to attend from grades 5 through 12. The "

magnet A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nicke ...

" students, and some teachers, who live on the mainland take the ferry across every morning where they are met with a school bus to take them to school. Students come from a range of midcoast towns to attend ICS. The number of the students in the school fluctuates, but is around 100 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The school is a member of the Busline League for middle school sports, and is in Class D, South, in the

Maine Principals' Association The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) is the governing body for sports competitions among all public and some private high schools in the state of Maine. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. The MPA of ...

. The competitive sports offered through the school include cross country running, sailing, soccer, basketball, and

Ultimate Frisbee Ultimate, originally known as ultimate Frisbee, is a non-contact team sport played with a frisbee flung by hand. Ultimate was developed in 1968 by AJ Gator in Maplewood, New Jersey. Although ultimate resembles many traditional sports in its ath ...

Notable people

Winthrop Aldrich Winthrop Williams Aldrich GBE (November 2, 1885February 25, 1974) was an American banker and financier, scion of a prominent and powerful political family, and US Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Early years Aldrich was born in Rhode Islan ...

, banker and US Ambassador to Great Britain * Kirstie Alley, actress * John Judson Ames, editor and proprietor of the first newspaper in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...

Honor Blackman Honor Blackman (22 August 1925 – 5 April 2020) was an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in '' The Avengers''Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 58. (1962 ...

, actress *

C. Douglas Dillon Clarence Douglas Dillon (born Clarence Douglass Dillon; August 21, 1909January 10, 2003) was an American diplomat and politician, who served as U.S. Ambassador to France (1953–1957) and as the 57th Secretary of the Treasury (1961–1965). He w ...

, diplomat and politician * Joan Dillon, American born duchess and princess *

Ruth Draper Ruth Draper (December 2, 1884December 30, 1956) was an American actress, dramatist and noted diseuse who specialized in character-driven monologues and monodrama. Her best-known pieces include ''The Italian Lesson'', ''Three Women and Mr. Cliff ...

, dramatist *

Charles Dana Gibson Charles Dana Gibson (September 14, 1867 – December 23, 1944) was an American illustrator. He was best known for his creation of the Gibson Girl, an iconic representation of the beautiful and independent Euro-American woman at the turn of the ...

, illustrator *

Isabel Gillies Isabel Boyer Gillies (born February 9, 1970) is an American author and actress. She played Kathy Stabler, Elliot Stabler's wife in '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''. Her memoir ''Happens Every Day'' was a ''New York Times'' bestseller, and h ...

, actress and author *

Ved Mehta Ved Parkash Mehta (21 March 19349 January 2021) was an Indian-born writer who lived and worked mainly in the United States. Blind from an early age, Mehta is best known for an autobiography published in instalments from 1972 to 2004. He wrote fo ...

, author *

Sister Parish Sister Parish (born Dorothy May Kinnicutt; July 15, 1910 – September 8, 1994) was an American interior decorator and socialite. She was the first practitioner brought in to decorate the Kennedy White House, a position soon entrusted to French i ...

, interior decorator *

Kelly Preston Kelly Kamalelehua Smith (October 13, 1962 – July 12, 2020), known professionally as Kelly Preston, was an American actress. She appeared in more than 60 television and film productions, including '' Mischief'' (1985), '' Twins'' (1988), ...

, actressTour John Travolta and Kelly Preston's Shingle Style Home in Maine , Architectural Digest
Retrieved 2017-04-27. * George Stevens Jr., film director * John Train, investment advisor and author * John Travolta, actor * Lily Tuck, writer

References

External links

Official Web Page

The Alice L. Pendleton Library

Islesboro Community Center

Islesboro Island Trust

Islesboro Comprehensive Plan

Islesboro Central School District

Maine Genealogy: Islesboro, Waldo County, Maine

{{authority control Islands of Maine Islands of Waldo County, Maine Populated coastal places in Maine Towns in Waldo County, Maine Coastal islands of Maine