Editing Brewer, Maine

{{short description|City in Maine, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See Template:Infobox Settlement for additional fields that may be available-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| name               = Brewer
| nickname           = 
| settlement_type    = City
| motto              = "A Community of Caring" 
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| pushpin_map        = Maine
| pushpin_label      = Brewer
| pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Maine
| pushpin_mapsize    = <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
<!-- Location ------------------>| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Maine]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Maine|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Penobscot County, Maine|Penobscot]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Mayor-council government]]
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Michele LaBree Daniels (2020–2022,2024-2025)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brewermaine.gov/city-council/contact-city-council/ |title=Contact Councilors &#124; the City of Brewer |access-date=2013-03-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325091911/http://www.brewermaine.gov/city-council/contact-city-council/ |archive-date=2013-03-25 }}</ref>
| leader_title1      = City Manager
| leader_name1       = Eric Glidden<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brewermaine.gov/city-manager/|title = City Manager • the City of Brewer, Maine}}</ref>
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = 1777
| established_title2 = Incorporated (town)
| established_date2  = February 22, 1812
| established_title3 = Incorporated (city)
| established_date3  = March 30, 1889
<!-- Area    --------------------->| area_magnitude     = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_23.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=April 8, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 40.62
<!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion-->| area_land_km2      = 39.47
<!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->| area_water_km2     = 1.16
| area_total_sq_mi   = 15.68
| area_land_sq_mi    = 15.24
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.45
| area_water_percent = 2.87
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 9672
| population_density_km2 = 245.07
| population_density_sq_mi = 634.73
| population_note    = <!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone           = EST
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
| coordinates        = {{coord|44|47|48|N|68|45|41|W|region:US-ME_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m        = 15
| elevation_ft       = 49
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->| postal_code_type   = ZIP Code
| postal_code        = 04412
| area_code          = 207
| website            = [http://www.brewermaine.gov/ www.brewermaine.gov]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 23-06925
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0562936
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
}}

'''Brewer''' is a city in [[Penobscot County, Maine]], United States. It is part of the [[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]] metropolitan area.   The city is named after its first settler, Colonel John Brewer.<ref name="MAGDE">{{cite book |last= Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums |editor=Doris A. Isaacson |title=Maine: A Guide 'Down East' |year=1970 |publisher=Courier-Gazette, Inc. |location=Rockland, Me | pages = 392–393 }}</ref>  The population was 9,672 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2306925|title=Census - Geography Profile: Brewer city, Maine|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 8, 2022}}</ref>

Brewer is the sister city of Bangor. The two are at the [[head of navigation]] on opposite sides of the [[Penobscot River]] [[estuary]] and are connected by three bridges.  Brewer and Bangor were originally both part of Condeskeag Plantation, though the Brewer part was also called "New Worcester" after John Brewer's birthplace.  In 1788, [[Orrington, Maine]] was incorporated with Brewer/New Worcester as its major village.  The other half of Kenduskeag incorporated in 1791 as [[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]].  Finally, in 1812, Brewer broke away from Orrington and incorporated as a separate town.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|15.68|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|15.23|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.45|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-11-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

The villages of South Brewer and North Brewer are both within city limits. South Brewer was formerly the city's major industrial area.

===Climate===
This [[climate|climatic]] region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Brewer has a [[humid continental climate]], abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=48357&cityname=Brewer%2C+Maine%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Brewer, Maine]</ref>

==Government==
{{see also|List of mayors of Brewer, Maine}}

==Education==
*[[Brewer Community School]]

==Historic buildings==

The Victorian-style Daniel Sargent House (1847 and later) in South Brewer is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Sargent%2C_Daniel_House |title=Sargent, Daniel House - Archiplanet |access-date=2008-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521075826/http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Sargent,_Daniel_House |archive-date=2011-05-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sargent was the owner of a large South Brewer sawmill. During the Civil War, he commanded the company of "Tigers" (Penobscot River Drivers) in the [[2nd Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment]], also called "The Bangor Regiment". This was the first unit to march out of the state in 1861, and participated in 11 battles over two years. Sargent was eventually promoted to Lt. Col., or second in-command of the regiment.

[[File:FirstCongregationalBrewerMaine.png|left|thumb|First Congregational Church]]
The city's most imposing architectural landmark is the [[shingle style]] First Congregational Church, which stands on a bluff above the river overlooking Bangor.

==Historic industries==

Brewer was as famous for [[brick-making]] in the 19th century as Bangor was for lumber. By the 1850s, there were 12–15 brickyards in Brewer making 12 million bricks annually. Most of these were shipped to Boston and vicinity.<ref>{{cite book|title=Annual Report of the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Statistics for the State of Maine, 1897|year=1897|publisher=Kennebec Journal Print|location=Augusta, Maine|page=52}}</ref> It is said that most of the [[Back Bay]] and [[South End, Boston|South End]] neighborhoods of Boston are built of Brewer brick. Frank O. Farrington of Brewer patented a machine for edging and turning bricks in 1859.<ref>''Scientific American'', February 12, 1859, p. 182</ref>

[[Ship-building]] was also a major Brewer industry, as was [[saw mill|saw-milling]]. Brewer's sawmills tended to be [[steam-powered]], unlike those farther up the [[Penobscot River]], which were powered by [[waterfalls]]. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the city also had a significant [[ice trade|ice industry]], which survives today in the form of the [[Getchell Brothers]] company.
[[File:Recto Agricultural Bank 5 dollars 1849 urn-3 HBS.Baker.AC 1124337.jpeg|alt=5 dollar banknote inscribed "Five Dollars; Agricultural Bank; Brewer; Maine"|thumb|5 dollar banknote from Agricultural bank in Brewer]]

The [[Eastern Manufacturing]] Company opened a pulp and paper mill in South Brewer in 1889<ref>{{cite book|title=Annual Report of the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Statistics for the State of Maine, 1910|year=1910|publisher=Kennebec Journal Print|location=Augusta, Maine|page=[https://archive.org/details/annualreportbur04maingoog/page/n86 37]|url=https://archive.org/details/annualreportbur04maingoog|quote=eastern manufacturing brewer 1889.}}</ref> that became the city's largest employer. The mill closed in 2004, and the site has now been re-developed by the [[Cianbro]] Corporation.<ref>{{cite news|title=A history of Eastern Fine Paper, South Brewer (timeline)|url=http://archive.bangordailynews.com/2006/10/07/a-history-of-eastern-fine-paper-south-brewer-timeline/|newspaper=Bangor Daily News|date=Oct 7, 2006}}</ref> The Eastern began as a sawmill owned by Fred W. Ayer, who in the late 1880s began experimenting with paper-making (using the newly developed [[sulfite]] process) in order to utilize his left-over slab lumber. In 1899, Ayer patented a new method of sulfite digestion which subsequently became the basis for operations at the Eastern, as well as the Great Northern mill in [[Millinocket, Maine]], thus circumventing an important patent owned by the competing [[International Paper]] Corporation. "The Eastern", as the mill was known locally, began specializing in fine grades of paper around 1905 (such as their trademark "Atlantic Bond"), and the company was eventually renamed Eastern Fine Paper, Inc..

==Notable events==

In 1900, Dione Polliot, a 17-year-old [[French-Canadian]] girl, won $10 (over $200 today) for being the first person to climb to the top of the 173-foot chimney of the [[Eastern Manufacturing Company]]. The company had a standing offer of $5 to the first boy who made it to the top, but all had turned back half-way. The bet was spontaneously doubled when Polliot took the dare. The feat was reported in ''[[The New York Times]]'', which called Polliot "not only the prettiest girl in South Brewer, but the pluckiest".<ref>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1900/08/19/101064562.pdf "DIONE CLIMBED THE LADDER.; She Won $10 and When Offered a Husband, Said She Preferred a White Flannel Waist"], ''The New York Times'', August 19, 1900</ref>

In the early hours of August 29, 1903, [[bank robber]]s broke into the [[Brewer Savings Bank]] using dynamite. They took $300 from the vault (most of the money having been removed beforehand) and retreated across the bridge to [[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]] firing their guns at people in Brewer and police on the Bangor side. Despite mobilizing the entire Bangor police force in pursuit, they escaped capture.<ref>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1903/08/30/102020517.pdf "A Bank Looted: Cracksmen Terrorize the Inhabitants of a Town"], ''The New York Times'', August 30, 1903</ref>

On June 12, 1906, four [[Brewer High School (Brewer, Maine)|Brewer High School]] students drowned while sailing at Brewer Lake. On hearing the news, a woman in nearby [[Old Town, Maine|Old Town]] went into a trance and reportedly identified the location of the bodies with some accuracy, though they were recovered before her information arrived at the lake. The incident was later reported in the ''Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research''. Graduation ceremonies were canceled and 1,000 people attended the funeral.<ref>[http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=136110&zoneid=224 "Deaths Prompted Psychic Research"], ''Bangor Daily News''  {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In January 2019, a photographer conducting a [[First Amendment audits|First Amendment Audit]] was criminally trespassed from City Hall after video recording the public lobby.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/gP6VVbo46mw Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115211840/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP6VVbo46mw Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP6VVbo46mw| title = Trespassed Harassed Followed Brewer City Hall I.D. Refusal First Amendment Audit | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/8VnGJnVo1FA Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200228163203/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VnGJnVo1FA Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VnGJnVo1FA| title = No I.D Threats #1 "2 hr Detainment" #2 "Charged instead of Warning" Brewer P.D. 1st Amendment Audit | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This prompted calls from across the country to various city offices inquiring into the event.

== Notable people ==
[[Image:Chamberlain Memorial.jpg|right|thumb|Chamberlain Memorial in Brewer]]
<!-- Note:
· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
· The article must mention how they are associated with Brewer, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
· Alphabetical by last name please.
· All others will be deleted.
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* [[Battle of Hampden|Gen. John Blake]], U.S. Army officer, led militia in the [[Battle of Hampden]] (1814) during the War of 1812<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ma-roots.org/military/militia/blake.html|title=General John Blake's Brigade|website=www.ma-roots.org|access-date=2019-04-10|archive-date=2014-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106213756/http://www.ma-roots.org/military/militia/blake.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Joseph E. Brooks]], member of the [[Maine House of Representatives]] and journalist
* [[Joshua Chamberlain|Maj. Gen. Joshua Chamberlain]], educator, Civil War hero and 32nd [[List of Governors of Maine|Governor of Maine]] 
* [[Sean Danielsen]], lead vocalist and guitarist of the band [[Smile Empty Soul]]
* [[Howie Day]], singer-musician, raised in Brewer, graduated from [[Brewer High School (Maine)|Brewer High School]] (1999)<ref>"Pop Singer Howie Day Pleads Not Guilty To In-Flight Rowdiness." Canadian Press, The (n.d.): Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.</ref>
* [[Charles Fletcher Dole]], influential [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] minister, speaker and writer
* [[Fannie Hardy Eckstorm]], author, ornithologist, folklorist and researcher on psychic phenomena
* [[Oliver C. Farrington]], noted geologist and meteorite expert at the [[Field Museum of Natural History]] in Chicago
* [[Kenneth P. MacLeod]], President of the Maine Senate
* [[Stephanie Lynne Niznik]], was an American film, television, and theatre actress.
* [[William E. Quinby]], editor of the ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'', United States Ambassador to the [[Netherlands]]<ref>Babst, Earl D. ''Michigan and the Cleveland era; sketches of University of Michigan staff members and alumni who served the Cleveland administrations, 1885–89, 1893-97.''  Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1948 [https://books.google.com/books?id=2XSBJ-4UfSQC&pg=PA207 Web.] 16 Nov. 2011. page 208.</ref>
* [[Ambureen Rana]], Maine state representative<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ambureen Rana |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Ambureen_Rana |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 744
|1830= 1078
|1840= 1736
|1850= 2628
|1860= 2835
|1870= 3214
|1880= 3170
|1890= 4193
|1900= 4835
|1910= 5667
|1920= 6064
|1930= 6329
|1940= 6510
|1950= 6862
|1960= 9009
|1970= 9300
|1980= 9017
|1990= 9021
|2000= 8987
|2010= 9482
|2020= 9672
|footnote=sources:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.library.umaine.edu/census/townsearch.asp?county=Penobscot&town=Brewer&from=1790&to=2000&optype=ex|title=Fogler Library - Maine Census Population Totals - Database Search Results for Minor Civil Divisions|access-date=2010-03-15|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726221946/http://www.library.umaine.edu/census/townsearch.asp?county=Penobscot&town=Brewer&from=1790&to=2000&optype=ex|archive-date=2011-07-26 }}, accessed March, 2010.</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-11-23}}</ref> of 2010, there were 9,482 people, 4,163 households, and 2,448 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|622.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 4,457 housing units at an average density of {{convert|292.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.7% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.8% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.0% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 4,163 households, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.81.

The median age in the city was 41.1 years. 20.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.2% were from 25 to 44; 27.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

===2000 census===
At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 8,987 people, 3,842 households and 2,401 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|595.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 4,064 housing units at an average density of {{convert|269.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.63% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.33% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.63% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.55% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.23% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.60% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 3,842 households, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% 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 2.86.

22.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The [[median household income]] was $36,949 and the median family income was $46,632. Males had a median income of $35,016 compared with $26,850 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $20,158. About 8.6% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

==References==

{{portal|Maine}}
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.brewermaine.gov/ City of Brewer]
* {{citation |url=https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/city_ban_directories/ |title=Bangor and Brewer City Directories |via=Bangor Public Library }}, 1875-1922

{{Penobscot County, Maine}}
{{MELargestCities}}
{{Maine}}
{{Penobscot River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Brewer, Maine| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Maine]]
[[Category:Cities in Penobscot County, Maine]]