Byron, Maine

Byron, Maine
Town
Coos Canyon, in the center of Byron
Byron, Maine Location within the state of Maine
Coordinates: 44°43′37″N 70°38′52″W / 44.72694°N 70.64778°W / 44.72694; -70.64778
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Oxford
Incorporated	1833
Area^[1]
• Total	52.56 sq mi (136.13 km²)
• Land	51.81 sq mi (134.19 km²)
• Water	0.75 sq mi (1.94 km²)
Elevation	948 ft (289 m)
Population (2010)^[2]
• Total	145
• Estimate (2012^[3])	144
• Density	2.8/sq mi (1.1/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	04275
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-09550
GNIS feature ID	0582381

Byron is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 145 at the 2010 census. Home to Coos Canyon on the Swift River, Byron includes the village of Houghton.

History

It was settled as Township No. 8, then incorporated on January 24, 1833 as Byron, named for the English poet Lord Byron. Nicknamed Hop City, agriculture was the principal occupation. Crops included wheat, corn, potatoes and oats. Lumbering was extensive in winter, with two sawmills operating. The Rumford Falls & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was completed in 1896, carrying freight, tourists and "rusticators" from Rumford up the Swift River valley through Byron and Houghton to Mooselookmeguntic Lake.

The Swift River is a popular place to either pan for gold or swim at Coos Canyon, a 32-foot (10 meter) high gorge where the water depth occasionally exceeds 20 feet (6 meters). Just down river from the gorge is a small local beach, called Toby's Beach. And a 20-foot ledge, popular during the summer, for daring jumpers.

There is a beautiful camping area off state route 17, across from Coos Canyon.

In March 2013, the town sought to require all homes in the town to possess at least one firearm,^[4] not unlike Kennesaw, Georgia's similar 1982-origin local ordnance.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 52.56 square miles (136.13 km²), of which, 51.81 square miles (134.19 km²) of it is land and 0.75 square miles (1.94 km²) is water.^[1] Set on either side of a narrow, uneven intervale in the Western Maine Mountains, Byron is drained by the Swift River.

The town is crossed by state route 17. It borders the towns of Roxbury to the south, Andover to the west, and unincorporated townships to the north and east.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	219		—
1850	296		35.2%
1860	323		9.1%
1870	242		−25.1%
1880	191		−21.1%
1890	180		−5.8%
1900	204		13.3%
1910	187		−8.3%
1920	217		16.0%
1930	96		−55.8%
1940	125		30.2%
1950	96		−23.2%
1960	108		12.5%
1970	132		22.2%
1980	114		−13.6%
1990	111		−2.6%
2000	121		9.0%
2010	145		19.8%
Est. 2014	144	^[5]	−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census^[6]

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 145 people, 58 households, and 35 families residing in the town. The population density was 2.8 inhabitants per square mile (1.1/km²). There were 223 housing units at an average density of 4.3 per square mile (1.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.9% White and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.

There were 58 households of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 1.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.11.

The median age in the town was 49.2 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 2.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15.1% were from 25 to 44; 42.7% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 55.2% male and 44.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there were 121 people, 50 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The population density was 2.3 people per square mile (0.9/km²). There were 199 housing units at an average density of 3.8 per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.87% White and 4.13% Asian.

There were 50 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the town, the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,375, and the median income for a family was $34,375. Males had a median income of $41,875 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,334. There were 12.1% of families and 9.3% of the population living below the poverty line, including 14.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Site of interest

Coos Canyon

References

1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
↑ Karkos, Terry (March 8, 2013). "Maine town of Byron aims for mandatory gun possession — Lewiston-Auburn — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Byron, Maine.

Maine.gov -- Byron, Maine

Municipalities and communities of Oxford County, Maine, United States
County seat: Paris
Towns	Andover Bethel Brownfield Buckfield Byron Canton Denmark Dixfield Fryeburg Gilead Greenwood Hanover Hartford Hebron Hiram Lovell Mexico Newry Norway Otisfield Oxford Paris Peru Porter Roxbury Rumford Stoneham Stow Sumner Sweden Upton Waterford West Paris Woodstock
Plantations	Lincoln Plantation Magalloway Plantation
Unorganized territories	Milton North Oxford South Oxford
CDPs	Dixfield Fryeburg Mexico Norway Oxford Rumford South Paris
Other villages	Center Lovell Dickvale East Andover East Dixfield‡ Kezar Falls North Waterford Rumford Center Waterford Flat West Bethel
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county

Androscoggin River watershed
Tributaries	Alder River Bear River Cathance River Chickwolnepy Stream Clear Stream Concord River Cupsuptic River Dead Cambridge River Dead Diamond River Dead River (ME) Dead River (NH) Dead River (Sabattus) East Branch Cupsuptic River East Branch Dead Diamond River East Branch Nezinscot River East Branch Pleasant River East Branch Swift River Ellis River First East Branch Magalloway River Kennebago River Little Androscoggin River Little Dead Diamond River Little East Branch Cupsuptic River Little Magalloway River Little River Magalloway River Middle Branch Dead Diamond River Middle Branch Little Magalloway River Mollidgewock Brook Moose Brook Moose River Muddy River Nezinscot River Peabody River Pleasant River Rangeley River Rapid River Rattle River Sabattus River Sanborn River Second East Branch Magalloway River South Branch Little Dead Diamond River South Branch Sunday River Sunday River Swift Cambridge River Swift Diamond River Swift River Third East Branch Magalloway River Webb River West Branch Dead Diamond River West Branch Ellis River West Branch Little Dead Diamond River West Branch Little Magalloway River West Branch Magalloway River West Branch Nezinscot River West Branch Peabody River West Branch Pleasant River West Branch Swift River Wild River
Lakes	Akers Pond Androscoggin Lake Lake Auburn Aziscohos Lake Echo Lake Greenough Pond Kennebago Lake Mooselookmeguntic Lake Parker Pond Parmachenee Lake Pontook Reservoir Range Ponds Rangeley Lake Richardson Lakes Sabattus Pond Success Pond Thompson Lake Tripp Pond Umbagog Lake Webb Lake
Towns	Albany Andover Auburn Berlin Bethel Bowdoin Brunswick Buckfield Byron Cambridge Canton Carthage Chesterville Dixfield Dummer Durham Errol Fayette Gilead Gorham Greene Greenwood Hanover Hartford Hebron Jay Leeds Lewiston Lisbon Livermore Livermore Falls Mechanic Falls Mexico Minot Monmouth Mount Vernon Newry Norway Otisfield Oxford Paris Peru Pittsburg Poland Randolph Rangeley Readfield Roxbury Rumford Sabattus Shelburne Sumner Topsham Turner Upton Vienna Wales Wayne Weld Wentworth's Location West Paris Woodstock
Landmarks	Brown Company Maine Central Railroad Old Speck Mountain Range Ponds State Park Rumford Mill St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad White Mountains

Coordinates: 44°43′19″N 70°37′50″W / 44.72194°N 70.63056°W / 44.72194; -70.63056

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