North Haven, Maine
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North Haven is a famous upper class enclave, summer colony and island located in in Penobscot Bay, Maine. The island is part of Knox County and lies roughly 12 miles offshore. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 381; during the summer months, the population swells into the thousands with visitors and second-home owners. Though the island is a popular destination, it provides few tourist amenities -- one inn, two grocery stores, and two gift shops -- and is instead geared toward those who have vacation homes on the island. The island is accessed by three-times daily ferry service from Rockland, Maine, provided by the Maine State Ferry Service. North Haven is unique among Maine island communities for offering a K-12 school (Maine's smallest), whereas most islands only have elementary schools and tuition their high school students to high schools on the mainland.
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Summer colony
North Haven is most well-known for its sizable summer community of wealthy Northeasterners, mostly from Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, who have been coming to the island for nearly a century for its relaxed and unpretentious way of life. The adjacent, south side of the Fox Island Thoroughfare, which separates North Haven from Vinalhaven is often informally considered part of North Haven, since Vinalhaven's north shore is nearly a dozen miles from that community's town center.
Prominent North Haven families include those of:
- Jonathan Bush, brother of president George H.W. Bush and father of Billy Bush
- Pierre S. du Pont IV, former governor of Delaware and 1988 Republican candidate for president
- Henry Cobb, architect, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
- Gardner Cox, American portraitist
- J. Christopher Flowers, principal, JC Flowers & Co., and largest shareholder of Shinsei Bank
- Eric Hopkins (http://www.erichopkins.com), Noted artist
- Thomas Lamont, partner of J.P. Morgan
- John D. Macomber, head of the Export-Import Bank of the United States under President George H.W. Bush
- Robert Montgomery, actor
- Dwight Morrow, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and father-in-law of Charles Lindbergh
- Chellie Pingree, President and CEO of Common Cause is a full-time resident.
- Nicholas Platt, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, the Philippines, and Zambia
- The descendants of Charles Pratt, founder of Pratt Institute and principal of Charles Pratt and Company, a forerunner to Standard Oil
- Thomas J. Watson, Jr., CEO of IBM and son of its founder, Thomas J. Watson
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 213.6 km² (82.5 mi²). 30.1 km² (11.6 mi²) of it is land and 183.5 km² (70.8 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 85.89% water. At its widest points, it is roughly 12 miles long and 3 miles wide.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 381 people, 162 households, and 109 families residing in the town. The population density is 12.6/km² (32.7/mi²). There are 488 housing units at an average density of 16.2/km² (41.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 95.28% White, 1.05% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 3.15% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 2.36% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 162 households out of which 29.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% are married couples living together, 4.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% are non-families. 27.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.35 and the average family size is 2.86.
In the town the population is spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 112.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $40,446, and the median income for a family is $42,361. Males have a median income of $31,071 versus $16,000 for females. The per capita income for the town is $17,112. 7.2% of the population and 4.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Island Dirt - News from North Haven (http://www.islanddirt.com)
- North Haven Arts and Enrichment at Waterman's Community Center (http://www.watermans.org)
- North Haven Community School (http://nhcsxserve.sad7.k12.me.us)