Hiram, Maine
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| Hiram, Maine | |
  Hiram, Maine
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Oxford |
| Incorporated | 1814 |
| Area | |
| - Total | 38.8 sq mi (100.6 km²) |
| - Land | 37.5 sq mi (97.2 km²) |
| - Water | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km²) |
| Elevation | 823 ft (251 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 1,423 |
| - Density | 37.9/sq mi (14.6/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 04041 |
| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-33315 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582520 |
Hiram is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States with a population of 1,423 as of the 2000 U.S. census. It includes the villages of Hiram, East Hiram, South Hiram and Durgintown. Hiram is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area.
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[edit] History
First known as Great Ossipee after the river, it was settled in 1774 by Benjamin Ingalls. It was organized as Hiram Plantation, named after Hiram I, the biblical king of Tyre.[1] Like King Hiram's domain, Hiram Plantation was set among forests. It was incorporated as a district on February 27, 1807, and as the town of Hiram on June 14, 1814. It annexed land from Baldwin in 1821 and 1844, then from Brownfield in 1852.
The soil was sandy loam, which yielded hay as a principal crop. Manufacturing timber became an important industry. Hiram had 5 sawmills and planing mills, producing short and long lumber, barrel staves and shooks. It also had 2 gristmills and a carding mill. Other products included men's clothing, harness and slate blackboards. Hiram was a junction where the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad met the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad.
[edit] Notable residents
- Peleg Wadsworth, general and town founder
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 38.8 square miles (100.6 km²), of which, 37.5 square miles (97.2 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (3.35%) is water. Hiram is drained by the Ossipee River and Saco River.
The town is crossed by state routes 5, 113, 117 and 160. It is bordered by the towns of Brownfield and Denmark to the north, Porter to the west, Sebago and Baldwin to the east, and Cornish and Parsonsfield to the south.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,423 people, 534 households, and 388 families residing in the town. The population density was 37.9 people per square mile (14.6/km²). There were 769 housing units at an average density of 20.5/sq mi (7.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.61% White, 0.07% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 534 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,167, and the median income for a family was $36,964. Males had a median income of $27,784 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,293. About 12.0% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] References
- ^ Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums (1970). in Doris A. Isaacson: Maine: A Guide 'Down East'. Rockland, Me: Courier-Gazette, Inc., 411.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
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