Jonesport, Maine

Jonesport, Maine
Town
Seal
Jonesport Show map of Maine Jonesport Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 44°33′17″N67°34′41″W / 44.55472°N 67.57806°W / 44.55472; -67.57806
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Washington
Incorporated	February 3, 1832
Communities	Jonesport Mason Bay Monsapec West Jonesport
Area [1]
• Total	100.35 sq mi (259.91 km2)
• Land	28.51 sq mi (73.84 km2)
• Water	71.84 sq mi (186.06 km2)
Elevation	23 ft (7 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,245
• Density	44/sq mi (16.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	04649
Area code	207
FIPS code	23-36010
GNIS feature ID	0582537

Jonesport is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,245 at the 2020 census. ^[2] Jonesport is a fishing and lobstering town. It contains the villages or hamlets of Jonesport, Mason Bay, Monsapec, and West Jonesport.

History

View of Jonesport in 1908

Settled before the American Revolution, Jonesport was part of a grant of 48,160 acres (194.9 km²) made by the Massachusetts General Court in 1789 to John C. Jones ^[3] and others. It was incorporated on March 4, 1809, as Jonesborough. On February 3, 1832, a portion of Jonesborough was set off and incorporated as Jones' Port. Then a portion of Jonesport was set off and incorporated on April 7, 1925, as the island town of Beals, accessible by bridge, built in 1958, across the Moosabec Reach. ^[4]

Located on a peninsula 6 miles (9.7 km) out in the Gulf of Maine, the town's principal industries are fishing, boat building, harvesting blueberries, and tourist services. Jonesport includes many uninhabited islands which provide nesting areas for eider, cormorants, seagulls, razorbills, guillemots, loons, black scoters, grebes and eagles. There are two nature preserves: Western Brothers Island and the Great Wass Archipelago (which includes Great Wass Island), the latter shared with the town of Beals. ^[5]

In 1866, a group of Christian restorationists sailed from Jonesport to Ottoman-occupied Palestine in the hope of preparing the land for the Jews to return, thereby hastening the coming of the Christian Messiah. The Maine Friendship House, a small, wooden clapboard New England–style house built by one of those families, still stands in modern Tel Aviv. ^[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 100.35 square miles (259.91 km²), of which 28.51 square miles (73.84 km²) is land and 71.84 square miles (186.06 km²) is water. ^[1] Jonesport is situated on a peninsula between Chandler Bay, Wohoa Bay and the tidal Indian River, all part of the Gulf of Maine and Atlantic Ocean. Roque Island, Chandler Island, Great Spruce Island, and several others are located offshore, separating Chandler Bay from Englishman Bay.

The town is crossed by Maine State Route 187. It is bordered by the towns of Addison to the west, Jonesboro to the north, and Beals to the south.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	576		—
1850	826		43.4%
1860	1,148		39.0%
1870	1,305		13.7%
1880	1,917		46.9%
1890	2,124		10.8%
1900	2,074		−2.4%
1910	2,129		2.7%
1920	1,641		−22.9%
1930	1,641		0.0%
1940	1,745		6.3%
1950	1,727		−1.0%
1960	1,563		−9.5%
1970	1,326		−15.2%
1980	1,512		14.0%
1990	1,525		0.9%
2000	1,408		−7.7%
2010	1,370		−2.7%
2020	1,245		−9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]

2010 census

As of the census ^[8] of 2010, there were 1,370 people, 599 households, and 384 families living in the town. The population density was 48.1 inhabitants per square mile (18.6/km²). There were 939 housing units at an average density of 32.9 per square mile (12.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.1% White, 0.1% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 599 households, of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.9% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.69.

The median age in the town was 49 years. 18.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.3% were from 25 to 44; 30.7% were from 45 to 64; and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census

As of the census ^[9] of 2000, there were 1,408 people, 597 households, and 397 families living in the town. The population density was 49.4 inhabitants per square mile (19.1/km²). There were 877 housing units at an average density of 30.8 per square mile (11.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.80% White, 0.28% African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.43% of the population.

There were 597 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.0% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,224, and the median income for a family was $30,474. Males had a median income of $22,917 versus $15,917 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,135. About 14.7% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 22.6% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest

• Jonesport Historical Society
• Moose Peak Light
• Peabody Memorial Library

Education

Jonesport is part of the Moosabec Community School District and School Union No. 103. The three schools in the district are Beals Elementary School, Jonesport Elementary School and Jonesport-Beals High School. ^[10]

Notable people

• Marv Peasley, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
• Dana Sawyer, professor of religion and philosophy

References

1. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
2. "Census - Geography Profile: Jonesport town, Washington County, Maine". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 20, 2022.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  170.
4. Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts: A.J. Coolidge. p.  962. coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.
5. Varney, George J. (1886), Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Jonesborough, Boston: Russell^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
6. Joanna Paraszczuk, "An American colony in Jaffa", Nov. 27, 2009, Jerusalem Post
7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 16, 2012.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
10. "Moosabec Community School District and School Union No. 103". Moosabec Community School District and School Union No. 103. Retrieved June 6, 2020.

External links

• Town of Jonesport, Maine
• Peabody Memorial Library
• Jonesport Online
• Maine Genealogy – Jonesport

44°31′58″N67°35′54″W / 44.53278°N 67.59833°W / 44.53278; -67.59833