Wilton (town), Maine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wilton is a town in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,123 at the 2000 census. The town was originally known as Harrytown after a local Native American, then renamed Tyngstown for the captain leading expedition that killed him. In 1803 a resident who had moved from Wilton, New Hampshire paid the cost of incorporation in order to have the town named after his former residence.^[1]

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Famous Residents
4 Residents

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 42.8 square miles (110.9 km²), of which, 41.3 square miles (106.9 km²) of it is land and 1.6 square miles (4.0 km²) of it (3.64%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 4,123 people, 1,667 households, and 1,148 families residing in the town. The population density was 99.9 people per square mile (38.6/km²). There were 1,882 housing units at an average density of 45.6/sq mi (17.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.45% White, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.

There were 1,667 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% 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 2.94.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,563, and the median income for a family was $42,679. Males had a median income of $32,175 versus $20,300 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,702. About 5.6% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Famous Residents

George Henry Bass (1855 - 1925): Founder of G.H. Bass & Co. Bass shoes (including those worn by Charles Lindbergh during his Atlantic crossing and Admiral Byrd in his expeditions in Antarctica) were made exclusively in Wilton from 1876 to 1998, when Bass' parent company, Phillips-Van Heusen moved operations overseas. John Russell Bass (b. 1878), son of G.H. Bass, was treasurer for G. H. Bass & Co. and served as Maine delegate to the Republican national convention in 1920, 1944 and 1952. The Bass company built much of its success on its Bass penny weejun, introduced in 1936 and said by Bass to be based on Norwegian fisherman's shoes. The style was an instant hit, and became a staple on college campuses across the nation. Today the shoe is known as the Leavitt penny weejun, but it is no longer made in Wilton.^[3]

Folk artist Ray LaMontagne was a resident of Wilton until about the spring of 2007, when he moved "Up towards Rangely (Maine)".

See also: Wilton (CDP), Maine