| Deer Isle, Maine | |
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| — Town — | |
| Mill Creek and Town Hall in 1907 | |
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Deer Isle, Maine
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Hancock |
| Incorporated | 1789 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 123.7 sq mi (320.4 km2) |
| • Land | 29.7 sq mi (76.9 km2) |
| • Water | 94.0 sq mi (243.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,876 |
| • Density | 63.2/sq mi (24.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 04627 |
| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-17145 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582437 |
Deer Isle is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,876 at the 2000 census. Notable landmarks in Deer Isle are the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and the town's many art galleries.
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The town was incorporated in 1789, at which time it included the islands of Little Deer Isle, Deer Isle, and Isle au Haut.[1] In 1868 Isle au Haut became a separate town. In 1897 the southern third of Deer Isle incorporated as the town of Stonington.[2]
In the 19th century, the granite industry flourished on Deer Isle where its quarries supplied granite for structures such as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, the US Naval Academy, the Manhattan Bridge, and at President John F. Kennedy's tomb at Arlington National Cemetery.[3]
In John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, Deer Isle was a stopping point for the author after the insistence of his literary agent that he visit the cottage of Eleanor Brace, at Dunham's Point. Steinbeck wrote, "One doesn't have to be sensitive to feel the strangeness of Deer Isle.".[4]
It was Deer Isle that musician Dan Fogelberg and his wife Jean chose for their final home, and where he died in 2007. This isle was the home town of the dock that was the inspiration for the painter Fairfield Porter. Many small private islands can be found in the waters surrounding Deer Isle.
The town of Deer Isle is one of two communities on the island of Deer Isle. The other is Stonington, Maine. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 123.7 square miles (320 km2). 29.7 square miles (77 km2) of the town is land and 94.0 square miles (243 km2) of it is water.
Deer Isle is separated from the mainland by Eggemoggin Reach and may be reached by car via a narrow 1939 suspension bridge bearing the island's name.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,876 people, 781 households, and 523 families residing in the town. The population density was 63.2 people per square mile (24.4/km²). There were 1,575 housing units at an average density of 53.0 per square mile (20.5/km²), and the racial makeup of the town was 98.61% White; 0.16% African American; 0.11% Native American; 0.21% Asian; and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.
There were 781 households of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% of the population under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,826, and the median income for a family was $40,714. Males had a median income of $27,008 versus $19,052 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,875. About 5.9% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.