Sagadahoc County ( ) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

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 nor ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,699. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Pl ...

. In geographic area, it is the smallest county in Maine. Sagadahoc County is part of the Portland– South Portland, ME

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

Exploration and settlement

Sagadahoc County was initially part of

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

and, later, Lincoln County before being set off and incorporated in 1854. The name comes from the "Sagadahoc River", an early name for the

Kennebec River The Kennebec River (Abenaki: ''Kinəpékʷihtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 30, 2011 river within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead ...

Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fr ...

led the first known visit of Europeans to the region. In 1607, the English

Popham Colony The Popham Colony—also known as the Sagadahoc Colony—was a short-lived English colonial settlement in North America. It was established in 1607 by the proprietary Plymouth Company and was located in the present-day town of Phippsburg, Ma ...

was established in what is now Phippsburg; it was abandoned a year later, but English fishermen and trappers continued to visit the area. John Smith explored the region in 1614 and reported back to King Charles I, who named the Sagadahoc area "Leethe." When the

Plymouth Council for New England The Council for New England was a 17th-century English joint stock company that was granted a royal charter to found colonial settlements along the coast of North America. The Council was established in November of 1620, and was disbanded (alt ...

was dissolved in 1635, on the east side of the

were divided up and granted to private owners. Over the years, these proprietors extended their claims through additional

land grants A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

, purchases from Native Americans, and exploitation of the often poorly defined boundaries of their lands. By 1660, Englishmen held the titles to the whole of what is now Sagadahoc County. When

King Philip’s War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1676 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England colon ...

broke out in 1675, the plundering of one house was the only hostile act in Sagadahoc County until August, 1676, at which point three settlements were attacked and 53 people taken captive by Native Americans. The region was almost totally abandoned by settlers, and no permanent settlement was established until 1715, when Arrowsic and Brunswick were founded. Scotch-Irish

Presbyterians Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

began immigrating to the region in increasingly large numbers, though occasional violence persisted until 1759, when the

French and Indian Wars The French and Indian Wars were a series of conflicts that occurred in North America between 1688 and 1763, some of which indirectly were related to the European dynastic wars. The title ''French and Indian War'' in the singular is used in the U ...

ended in Maine.

Later conflicts

There were no significant conflicts in Sagadahoc during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, despite fear of attack from British

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several ...

s. Two British armed vessels sailed up the Kennebec River toward

, but turned back after being attacked. In the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

, the capture of HMS ''Boxer'' occurred nearby. During the Civil War the county furnished to the Union forces 2,488 men.

Nineteenth century

Steam power A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a cylinder. This pushing force can be tra ...

was first used on the Kennebec as early as 1818 for propelling

boats A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

. What became the Bath branch of the

Maine Central Railroad The Maine Central Railroad Company was a U. S. Class I railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expanded to ...

was completed in 1849; and the

Knox and Lincoln Railroad The Rockland Branch is a railroad from Brunswick, Maine to Rockland, Maine. A charter was granted in 1849 to build a railway from the Portland and Kennebec Railroad on the west side of the Kennebec River to Rockland. Construction through the rock ...

was opened in 1871. The first newspaper was published in the county in 1820. Sagadahoc County was set off from Lincoln and incorporated in 1854, with Bath as the

. Its valuation in 1870 was $11,041,340. In 1880 it was $10,297,215. The polls in 1870 numbered 4,669, and in 1880, 5,182. The population in 1870 was 18,803. In 1880 it was 19,276. From 1880 to 2000, the county's population nearly doubled to 35,214.

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (31%) is water. It is the smallest county in Maine by area.

Adjacent counties

Kennebec County Kennebec County is a county located in the South-central portion of the U.S. state of Maine. At the 2020 census, the population was 123,642. Its county seat is Augusta, the state capital. The county was established on February 20, 1799, fro ...

– north * Lincoln County – east *

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom *Cumberland, historic county *Cumberla ...

– west *

Androscoggin County Androscoggin County (French: ''Comté d'Androscoggin'') is a county in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 111,139. Its county seat is Auburn and its largest city is Lewiston. Androscoggin County com ...

– northwest

National protected area

* Pond Island National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

2000 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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 35,214 people, 14,117 households, and 9,641 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 139 people per square mile (54/km²). There were 16,489 housing units at an average density of 65 per square mile (25/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.49%

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 ...

, 0.92%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

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 ...

, 0.31% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.38% 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 1.21% from two or more races. 1.11% of the population were

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 for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 14,117 households, out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.96. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $41,908, and the median income for a family was $49,714. Males had a median income of $34,039 versus $24,689 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 county was $20,378. About 6.90% of families and 8.60% 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 ...

, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over. 22.0% were of

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, 11.6%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 11.1%

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, 10.6%

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

or American, 8.0%

French Canadian French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fre ...

and 7.3%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

ancestry according to

Census 2000 The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 ce ...

. 96.1% spoke

and 2.2%

as their first language. According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Sagadahoc County has the lowest rate of immunization of two-year-olds in the state, at 26%, only a third of the statewide average of 75% and more than 30% lower than the next lowest county in the state.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

, there were 35,293 people, 15,088 households, and 9,869 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 18,288 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.2% white, 0.8% Asian, 0.7% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.9% were

, 16.8% were

, 11.8% were

, 8.1% were

, 6.6% were

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

, 6.5% were Scottish, and 6.4% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

. Of the 15,088 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.6% were non-families, and 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 44.1 years. The median income for a household in the county was $55,486 and the median income for a family was $66,650. Males had a median income of $46,068 versus $35,107 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,983. About 5.7% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the

, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

State senators representing Sagadahoc County

*Senator

Pamela Cahill Pamela Cahill is a lobbyist and politician from Maine. Cahill, was elected to seven consecutive terms between the Maine House of Representatives (1981–1986) and Maine Senate (1987–1994). The Wiscasset Republican served in leadership positi ...

, R-Woolwich, 1986–1994 **Pamela Cahill was elected to the

Maine Senate The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constituti ...

following three terms in the

Maine House of Representatives The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 voting members and three nonvoting members. The voting members represent an equal number of districts across the state and are elected via ...

of Representatives. She served in leadership positions, both as Assistant Minority Leader and Minority Leader. She ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor in the

Maine gubernatorial election, 1994 The 1994 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1994. Independent candidate Angus King defeated Democratic Party candidate Joseph Brennan, a former Governor of Maine, Republican Party challenger Susan Collins, a regional coordina ...

. She was twice elected Assistant Secretary of the Maine Senate, in both 1994 and 2000. She also served as Chairwoman of the Maine Republican Party. *Senator Mary Small, R-Bath, 1994–2002 **Mary Small was elected to the Maine Senate in 1994 with over 55% of the vote. In the three succeeding elections Small was easily reelected, receiving over 60% in each election. She had previously served in the Maine House of Representatives, representing her hometown of Bath. In her final term, Small served as Republican floor leader in an equally divided senate. *Senator Arthur Mayo III, R/D-Bath, 2002–2006 **Republican Arthur Mayo was elected to the Maine Senate in 2002, succeeding Mary Small. He was reelected in 2004. Following the election, Mayo changed his party registration, becoming a Democrat and joining the Democrat Caucus. He became the first Democrat to represent Sagadahoc County in the state senate in over two decades. In 2006, he was defeated by a political newcomer and small business owner, Paula Benoit. *Senator Paula Benoit, R-Phippsburg, 2006–2008 **Paula Benoit was elected to the Maine Senate in 2006, besting incumbent senator Arthur Mayo. Mayo's change in registration was a major issue in the campaign. As senator, Benoit worked on a variety of issues, most notably the rights of the adopted. She was nationally recognized for her work. In 2008, she faced a strong challenge from Richmond selectman Seth Goodall. Following her senate service, Benoit went on to serve as executive director of AdopteeCARE. She also served as director of the

Blaine House The Blaine House, also known as the James G. Blaine House, is the official residence of the governor of Maine and their family. The executive mansion was officially declared the residence of the governor in 1919 with the name "Blaine House". I ...

. In 2013, following Goodall's resignation, Benoit sought her former senate seat. *Senator

Seth Goodall Seth A. Goodall is an American politician and lawyer. Goodall served as a Democratic State Senator from Maine's 19th District, representing part of Sagadahoc County, including the population centers of Bath and Topsham from December 2008 unt ...

, D-Richmond, 2008–2013 **Seth Goodall was elected to the Maine Senate in 2008, narrowly besting Paula Benoit by a margin of 162 votes. He was reelected in 2010, and again in 2012. Following the 2012 elections, he served as State Senate Majority Leader. He resigned in 2013 to become the regional administrator of the Small Business Administration. *Senator

Eloise Vitelli Eloise A. Vitelli (born 1949) is the majority leader of the Maine Senate. She is a Democrat representing Senate District 24, which serves all of Sagadahoc County and the adjacent town of Dresden, Maine in Lincoln County. Vitelli was first elect ...

, D-Arrowsic, 2013–2014 ** Eloise Vitelli was elected to the Maine Senate in the special election to replace Senator Goodall. She previously served as chairwoman of the Sagadahoc County Democrats. *Senator Linda Baker, R-Topsham, 2014–2017 ** Linda Baker was elected to the Maine Senate in 2014, defeating the incumbent state senator Eloise Vitelli and former Richmond selectwoman Alice Knapp. She previously served as chairwoman of the Maine Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources. *Senator

, D-Arrowsic, 2017–Present ** Eloise Vitelli was elected again as Democratic State Senator in Maine's 23rd District in November 2016 and again in November 2020.Portland Press Harold

November 4, 2020. Eloise Vitelli was chosen to be the Assistant Majority Leader in December 2020.

Voter Registration

Presidential election results

Communities

City

(county seat)

Towns

* Arrowsic * Bowdoin, Maine, Bowdoin *

Bowdoinham Bowdoinham is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,047 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland– South Portland– Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The town is located on the we ...

* Georgetown * Phippsburg *

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

* Topsham * West Bath *

Woolwich Woolwich () is a district in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was maintained thr ...

Unorganized territory

* Perkins Township (Swan Island)

Census-designated places

* Topsham

References

External links

Sagadahoc County governmentMaine Genealogy: Sagadahoc County, Maine
{{coord, 43.91, -69.84, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-ME_source:UScensus1990 Maine counties Maine placenames of Native American origin 1854 establishments in Maine Portland metropolitan area, Maine Populated places established in 1854