Lubec, Maine

History

Located on a peninsula overlooking an excellent ice-free harbor, the town was first settled about 1775. Originally part of Eastport, it was set off and incorporated on June 21, 1811, and named for Lübeck, Germany. Following the War of 1812, Lubec was the site of considerable smuggling trade in gypsum, although principal industries remained agriculture and fisheries. By 1859, there was a tannery, three gristmills and nine sawmills; by 1886, there were also two shipyards, three boatbuilders and three sailmakers.

From 1897 to 1898, the town was the site of a swindle in the sale of stock in the Electrolytic Marine Salts Company, the brainchild of Reverend Prescott Jernegan and Charles Fisher of Martha's Vineyard. Jernegan claimed to have developed a method of using "accumulators" to get gold from sea water, and bought an old grist mill to turn it into a factory. The scheme attracted an abundance of investors, who were all too eager to funnel money into the company after being promised astronomical returns. In the summer of 1898, work was suspended without explanation at the factory. Jernegan and Smith vanished, and the fraud was gleefully exposed by newspapers across New England.

Lubec reached its population peak in the 1910s and 20s, hovering a little above 3,300 during this era. Since then, the population has generally been in a gradual but steady decline, and currently sits at a little over 1,300.

Jacqueline and Robert Norton, two retirees from Lubec, were passengers on the ill-fated American Airlines Flight 11 which was crashed into the World Trade Center in the September 11 attacks. It was allegedly Mr. and Mrs. Norton's first flight on a commercial aircraft. Robert Norton, 85, was the oldest person to die that day directly as a result of the attacks.

Geography

Lubec is located in northeastern Maine, at 44°51′38″N 66°59′5″W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 78.38 square miles (203.00 km²), of which, 33.25 square miles (86.12 km²) of it is land and 45.13 square miles (116.89 km²) is water. Lubec is located on a peninsula in Passamaquoddy Bay, slightly south of Eastport. The West Quoddy Head is southeast.

West Quoddy Head in Lubec is the easternmost point in the contiguous United States, located at 44°48′54″N 66°57′1″W longitude. It is adjacent to the Quoddy Narrows, a narrow strait between Canada and the United States, one of the entrances into Passamaquoddy Bay. Since 1808, West Quoddy Head Lighthouse has been on the site to guide ships through this waterway. The present lighthouse with its distinctive red-and-white stripes was built in 1858.

Lubec is crossed by Maine State Route 189. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge connects the town to Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada.

Sites of interest

Climate

Lubec has a humid continental climate with mild summers and winters moderated by its position adjacent to the Atlantic. Generally speaking its cold for its coastline position at 44 degrees latitude, due to winters being dominated by continental air.

Demographics

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the town was $20,565, and the median income for a family was $26,098. Males had a median income of $25,170 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,081. About 20.3% of families and 28.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 49.6% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,359 people, 682 households, and 356 families residing in the town. The population density was 40.9 inhabitants per square mile (15.8/km²). There were 1,147 housing units at an average density of 34.5 per square mile (13.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 682 households of which 16.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.8% were non-families. Of all households 41.9% were made up of individuals and 20.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.58.

The median age in the town was 54 years. 14.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.4% were from 25 to 44; 36.9% were from 45 to 64; and 28.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

Education

Lubec Consolidated School belongs to Maine School Administrative District #19. James Underwood is the Superintendent of Schools.

Notable people