Union, Maine

Union, Maine
Town
Union Common in 1915
Location in Knox County and the state of Maine.
Coordinates: 44°12′41″N 69°16′27″W / 44.21139°N 69.27417°W / 44.21139; -69.27417
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Knox
Incorporated	1786
Villages	Union East Union North Union South Union
Area [1]
• Total	34.49 sq mi (89.33 km2)
• Land	32.15 sq mi (83.27 km2)
• Water	2.34 sq mi (6.06 km2)
Elevation	43 ft (13 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,383
• Density	74/sq mi (28.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	04862
Area code	207
FIPS code	23-78115
GNIS feature ID	0582772
Website	www.union.govoffice2.com

Union is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,383 at the 2020 census.^[2] The town was incorporated in 1786 from territory that was part of the Waldo Patent. Union hosts the Union Fair, which has been held annually since 1869, and contains the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage.

Union was part of the Muscongus Patent, also known as the Waldo Patent, a large land grant originally made on March 23, 1630, by the Plymouth Council for New England to John Beauchamp of London and Thomas Leverett of Boston, England.^[3][4] The grant encompassed nearly all of present-day Knox and Waldo counties.^[5]

Around 1720, Samuel Waldo acquired control of the patent, which subsequently became known as the Waldo Patent.^[6] Waldo was a prominent merchant and land speculator who served in the capture of Louisburg in 1745.^[7]

The area that became Union was organized as a plantation called Sterlingtown on May 3, 1786, and incorporated as a town named Union on October 20, 1786.^[8] The town was initially part of Lincoln County until Knox County was established on April 1, 1860.^[9] In 1811, the town of Washington, Maine was formed from a portion of Union's territory.^[10]

Agriculture became the principal economic activity in Union during the 19th century. The Union Fair, one of Maine's oldest continuous agricultural fairs, was established when the North Knox Agricultural and Horticultural Society held its first annual fair on October 5, 1869.^[11] The society was formed by an association of neighbors from five small communities: Appleton, Hope, Union, Warren, and Washington.^[12] In 1895, the organization was renamed the Knox Agricultural Society by legislative action.^[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.49 square miles (89.33 km²), of which 32.15 square miles (83.27 km²) is land and 2.34 square miles (6.06 km²) is water.^[1]

Union is drained by the Medomak River, Saint George River, Pettengill Stream, Fuller Brook, Hope Brook, Little Medomak Brook and the Back River. The town contains several ponds, including Crawford Pond, Seven Tree Pond, and Round Pond.^[14] Crawford Pond, the largest at 596 acres, extends into Warren and reaches a maximum depth of 57 feet.^[15] Seven Tree Pond covers 528 acres and is part of the Saint George River system.^[16] Round Pond, located entirely within Union, encompasses 255 acres.^[17] Crawford Pond features 100 Acre Island, a nature preserve managed by the Georges River Land Trust.^[18]

Coggans Hill, elevation 817 feet (249 meters) above sea level, is the highest point in the town.

Union is part of the Maine School Administrative District 40. Union Elementary School is in the town, with the MSAD headquarters and Rivers Alternative Middle School within the school building's second floor.^[19]

Medomak Valley Middle School and Medomak Valley High School are in nearby Waldoboro.

Vose Library is in Union.^[20]

As of the census^[22] of 2010, there were 2,259 people, 981 households, and 638 families residing in the town. The population density was 70.3 inhabitants per square mile (27.1/km²). There were 1,203 housing units at an average density of 37.4 per square mile (14.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.

There were 981 households, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.0% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% 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 2.77.

The median age in the town was 46.5 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 35.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

As of the census^[23] of 2000, there were 2,209 people, 863 households, and 632 families residing in the town. The population density was 68.8 inhabitants per square mile (26.6/km²). There were 1,052 housing units at an average density of 32.8 per square mile (12.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.64% White, 0.09% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.23% Asian, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.27% of the population.

There were 863 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 24.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,679, and the median income for a family was $41,050. Males had a median income of $30,984 versus $23,438 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,240. About 6.1% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

National Register of Historic Places:

• Ebenezer Alden House
• The Common
• Lermond Mill
• Joseph and Hannah Maxcy Homestead
• Union Town House
• Matthews Museum

• Obadiah Gardner, US senator
• Christine Savage, state legislator
• John Langdon Sibley, librarian of Harvard University from 1856 to 1877
• Augustin Thompson, physician and businessman who created Moxie

• 200 Years in Union by Chester Nash, Patricia Kahn, and the Union Historical Society in 1974. Printed by the Courier-Gazette.
• 200 Years in Union: Corrections and Additions Supplement by the Union Historical Society
• "Union Past and Present" by Union Weekly Times, 1895
• Sibley's History of Union by John L. Sibley
• Come Spring by Ben Ames Williams

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Union, Maine.

• Town of Union, Maine