Piscataquis County, Maine

Infobox U.S. County
county = Piscataquis County
state = Maine


map size = 150
founded = 1838
seat = Dover-Foxcroft | area_total_sq_mi =4377
area_land_sq_mi =3966
area_water_sq_mi =411
area percentage = 9.39%
census yr = 2000
pop = 17235
density_km2 = 1.7| density_sq_mi = 4.3
web =
|

Piscataquis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2000, its population was 17,235. Its county seat is Dover-FoxcroftGR|6.

Piscataquis County was incorporated in 1838, taken from parts of adjacent Penobscot and Somerset counties. It is located at the geographic center of Maine. Originally it extended north to the Canadian border, but in 1844 its northern portion was annexed by Aroostook County. In land area, Piscataquis is one of the largest U.S. counties east of the Mississippi River.

Piscataquis is an Abenaki word meaning "branch of the river" or "at the river branch."

Baxter State Park, a large wilderness preserve, is located in Piscataquis County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,377 square miles (11,337 km²), of which, 3,966 square miles (10,272 km²) of it is land and 411 square miles (1,065 km²) of it (9.39%) is water. The largest lake in the county is Moosehead Lake at 120 square miles (310 km²). The highest point in the county is Mount Katahdin at 5,271 feet (1,606 meters), while the geographic center is Greeley Landing in the Town of Dover-Foxcroft.

Adjacent counties

*Aroostook County, Maine - north
*Penobscot County, Maine - southeast
*Somerset County, Maine - west

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 17,235 people, 7,278 households, and 4,854 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 13,783 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.84% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. 0.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.6% were of English, 16.4% French, 15.3% United States or American and 11.5% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.9% spoke English and 2.0% French as their first language.

There were 7,278 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.40% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 27.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,250, and the median income for a family was $34,852. Males had a median income of $28,149 versus $20,241 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,374. About 11.20% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

County Commissioners: Tony Bartley, Chair (District 1, Greenville); Tom Lizotte (District 2, Dover-Foxcroft); Fred Trask (District 3, Lakeview Plantation)

County Manager: Mike Henderson (Marine Corps Reserve, Iraq)

Interim County Manager: Owen Pratt

Sheriff: John Goggin

District Attorney: Chris Almy

Judge of Probate: Doug Smith

Registrar of Probate: Judith Raymond

Registrar of Deed: Linda Smith

Treasurer: Donna Hathaway

In 2004 Piscataquis County was one of only two counties in Maine to vote for George W. Bush over Democrat John Kerry. Bush won 53% to Kerry's 44. In 2000 Bush won 52% to Gore's 40%.

Municipalities

*Abbot
*Atkinson
*Beaver Cove
*Bowerbank
*Brownville
*Dover-Foxcroft
*Greenville
*Guilford
*Kingsbury Plantation
*Lake View Plantation
*Medford
*Milo
*Monson
*Parkman
*Sangerville
*Sebec
*Shirley
*Wellington
*Willimantic

Territories

*Blanchard
*Southeast Piscataquis
*Northeast Piscataquis
*Northwest Piscataquis

Notable residents

*Max Schubel, composer

References

External links

* [http://piscataquis.us/ Official website of Piscataquis County]
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=v-wXxhDO5LUC&dq=History+of+Maine&lr=&num=50&as_brr=0&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 History of Piscataquis County, Maine: From Its Earliest Settlement to 1880.] By Amasa Loring. Published 1880.
* [http://www.pcedc.org Piscataquis County Economic Development Council]
* [http://www.spccc.org/ Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.mooseheadlake.org/index.shtml Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.trcmaine.org/ Three Rivers Community Alliance]