Newry, Maine
Bear River
Newry, Maine Location within the state of Maine
Coordinates: 44°30′11″N 70°50′7″W / 44.50306, -70.83528
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Oxford
Incorporated	1805
Area
- Total	61.4 sq mi (159.1 km²)
- Land	61.4 sq mi (159.0 km²)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.1 km²)
Elevation	712 ft (217 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	344
- Density	5.6/sq mi (2.2/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	04261
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-49275
GNIS feature ID	0582623

Newry is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total year-round population of 344. Newry is the home of Sunday River ski resort and has a proportionately large seasonal (winter) population.

History

Poplar Tavern in c. 1918

First called Sunday River Plantation, it was settled in 1781 by Benjamin Barker and his two brothers from Methuen, Massachusetts, together with Ithiel Smith of Cape Elizabeth. But the settlement was plundered in 1782 by Indians and abandoned. Then John J. Holmes of New Jersey purchased the land in 1794 with his sister's surname on the deed: Bostwick. On June 15, 1805, Bostwick Plantation was renamed by settlers that had come from Newry in what is now Northern Ireland.^[1]

The trade route (now Route 26) from Portland to Errol, New Hampshire, completed in 1802, passed through Newry. Farms were established on the intervales, which had excellent soil. Hay was the principal crop. Slopes of the mountains provided pasturage for grazing animals. A sawmill and gristmill were built on the Bear River, and by 1870 the population was 416. Today, Newry is noted as the home of Sunday River ski resort.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 61.4 square miles (159.1 km²), of which, 61.4 square miles (159.0 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.05%) is water. Newry is drained by the Bear River and Sunday River, which both flow into the Androscoggin River.

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 344 people, 142 households, and 90 families residing in the town. The population density was 5.6 people per square mile (2.2/km²). There were 1,075 housing units at an average density of 17.5/sq mi (6.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.26% White, 0.87% Native American, 0.29% Asian, and 0.58% from two or more races.

There were 142 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% 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 2.96.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,321, and the median income for a family was $51,250. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $19,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,982. About 3.8% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Site of interest

• Step Falls Preserve

References

• History of Newry, Maine (1886)

External links

• Town of Newry, Maine

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Coordinates: 44°29′14″N, 70°47′13″W