Editing Limerick, Maine

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Limerick, Maine
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|image_skyline            = Main Street, Limerick, ME.jpg
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            = Main Street (Sokokis Trail)
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               = Seal of Limerick, Maine.jpg

<!-- Maps -->
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|pushpin_map              = Maine
|pushpin_label_position   = bottom <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_mapsize          =

<!-- Location -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the state of Maine
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|41|N|70|46|W|region:US-ME|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Maine|County]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Maine]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[York County, Maine|York]]
|established_title        = Settled
|established_date         = 1775
|established_title1       = Incorporated
|established_date1        = March 6, 1787

<!-- Area -->
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Board of Selectmen
|leader_name              = Chair:Brady Connors; Co Chair: Cassandra Jerszyk<br>Vice Chair:Wade Andrews <br>John Medici <br>Bernard Carroll <br>Howard Burnham
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name ="Gazetteer files"/>
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 73.17
|area_total_sq_mi         = 28.25
|area_land_km2            = 70.29
|area_land_sq_mi          = 27.14
|area_water_km2           = 2.87
|area_water_sq_mi         = 1.11

<!-- Population -->
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_m              = 143
|elevation_ft             = 469
|population_total         = 3188
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_density_km2   = 45.4
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 04048
|area_code                = [[Area code 207|207]]
|website                  = [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927035228/http://www.limerick-me.gov/ www.limerick-me.gov]
|footnotes                =
|pushpin_label            = Limerick
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 23-39195
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0582556
}}

'''Limerick''' (pronounced "LIM-rick") is a town in [[York County, Maine]], United States. It is part of the [[Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area]]. The population was 3,188 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2303139195|title=Census - Geography Profile: Limerick town, York County, Maine|access-date=January 16, 2022}}</ref>

==History==

This was territory of the Newichewannock [[Abenaki]] people, whose village was located on the [[Salmon Falls River]]. In 1668, [[Francis Small]] of [[Kittery, Maine|Kittery]], a trader, bought from Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) a large tract of land, for which he exchanged two [[blanket]]s, two gallons of [[rum]], two pounds of [[gunpowder]], four pounds of [[musket]] balls and twenty strings of [[bead]]s. Small thereupon sold half of his interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of [[Eliot, Maine|Eliot]], one of the wealthiest merchants in the [[Piscataqua River|Piscataqua]] region.<ref name=Coolidge>{{Cite book  | last = Coolidge  | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield   | title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge  | year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| pages = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n225 191]–192| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.  }}</ref>

Settlement was delayed, however, by the ongoing [[French and Indian Wars]], which finally ended with the 1763 [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|Treaty of Paris]]. In 1773, the heirs of Francis Small and Nicholas Shapleigh promised a township to lawyer [[James Sullivan (governor)|James Sullivan]] of [[Biddeford, Maine|Biddeford]] if he defended their larger claims. Sullivan accepted and in 1775 helped settle Limerick Plantation, named after [[Limerick]] in [[Ireland]], his father's birthplace. It would be incorporated on March 6, 1787. Among the early settlers was Dr. Joshua Leavitt, for whom Leavitt Brook in Limerick is named. The town of [[New Limerick, Maine|New Limerick]] in [[Aroostook County]] would be settled by people from Limerick, Maine.<ref name="Coolidge"/>

The village grew along the old Sokokis Trail (now [[Maine State Route 5|Route 5]]), which connected the Sokokis village at Pequawket (now [[Fryeburg, Maine|Fryeburg]]) to the tribe's coastal encampment at what is today [[Saco, Maine|Saco]]. Endowed with good soil, Limerick became a thriving [[farming]] community. Chief crops included [[hay]], [[apple]]s, [[grape]]s and [[cranberry|cranberries]]. [[Cattle]] and [[dairy]] products were important. In addition, the town had four [[blacksmith]] shops, four [[shoemaking|shoemakers]], two [[hatmaking|hatmakers]], two [[wiktionary:harness|harness]] makers and three [[Tanning (leather)|tanneries]]. Various brooks provided [[water power]] for industry, including four [[furniture]] factories and a [[clothing]] factory. There were also [[gristmill]]s, [[roof shingle|shingle]] mills and [[lumber]] mills. In 1826 the [[The Morning Star (19th century U.S. newspaper)|Morning Star]], a Free Will Baptist abolitionist newspaper, was founded in the town. In 1846, James Bradbury established the Limerick Manufacturing Company at Brown Brook. It was bought in 1857 by Joshua Holland. The firm produced the nationally famous Holland Blankets, which were supplied to troops during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. A village once called Hollandville developed around the mill.<ref>{{Citation
  | last = Varney
  | first = George J.
  | title = Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Limerick
  | place = Boston
  | publisher = Russell
  | year = 1886
  | url = http://history.rays-place.com/me/limerick-me.htm }}
</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|28.25|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|27.14|sqmi|sqkm|2}}  is land and {{convert|1.11|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name ="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer2010.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-12-16}}</ref> Set among hills and lakes, Limerick is drained by Leavitt Brook, Brown Brook and Spencer Brook.

The town borders [[Newfield, Maine|Newfield]], [[Parsonsfield, Maine|Parsonsfield]], [[Cornish, Maine|Cornish]], [[Waterboro, Maine|Waterboro]] and [[Limington, Maine|Limington]]. Maine State routes [[Maine State Route 5|5]], [[Maine State Route 11|11]], and [[Maine State Route 160|160]] cross through Limerick.

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
|1790= 409
|1800= 829
|1810= 1177
|1820= 1377
|1830= 1419
|1840= 1508
|1850= 1473
|1860= 1441
|1870= 1425
|1880= 1253
|1890= 966
|1900= 874
|1910= 965
|1920= 761
|1930= 1199
|1940= 1080
|1950= 961
|1960= 907
|1970= 963
|1980= 1356
|1990= 1688
|2000= 2240
|2010= 2892
|2020= 3188
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</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=2012-12-16}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,892 people, 1,100 households, and 803 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|106.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,569 housing units at an average density of {{convert|57.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 1,100 households, of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.0% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the town was 39.4 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 11.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

===2000 census===

As of the [[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> of 2000, there were 2,240 people, 850 households, and 607 families living in the town.  The population density was {{convert|82.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,279 housing units at an average density of {{convert|47.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.21% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.31% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.13% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.04% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.25% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.36% of the population.

There were 850 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,845, and the median income for a family was $44,917. Males had a median income of $32,829 versus $24,036 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $18,844.  About 7.5% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==

Limerick students grades K–5 attend the Line Elementary School, which is also shared by Newfield and which is based in Newfield. It is part of [[RSU 57|Regional School Unit 57]]. Students in grades 6–8 attend Massabesic Middle School, while students in grades 9–12 attend [[Massabesic High School]], both of which are in Waterboro.

<gallery>
File:Limerick Academy, Limerick, ME.jpg|Town center {{circa|1915}}
File:View of Elm Street, Limerick, ME.jpg|Elm Street {{circa|1915}}
File:Weddell Home, Limerick, ME.jpg|Weddell House {{circa|1915}}
File:Congregational Church, Limerick, ME.jpg|Cong. Church {{circa|1915}}
</gallery>

== Notable people ==
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· The article must mention how they are associated with Limerick, 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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* [[Alpheus Felch]], US Senator; fifth [[List of Governors of Michigan|governor of Michigan]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000063|title=FELCH, Alpheus, (1804 - 1896)
|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date= December 13, 2013}}</ref>
*[[Joseph M. Harper]], US Representative and Acting Governor of New Hampshire<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000224|title=HARPER, Joseph Morrill, (1787 - 1865)|publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= December 13, 2013}}</ref>
*[[Isaiah H. Hedge]], MD, abolitionist, early donor to [[Bates College]], physician
* [[Moses MacDonald]], US Representative<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000004|title= MACDONALD, Moses, (1815 - 1869)  |publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date= December 13, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Louise Lamprey]], writer of children's literature<ref name=Library>Maine State Library and Lamprey, Louise 1869-1951, "Louise Lamprey Correspondence" (2016). Maine Writers Correspondence. 791. 
https://digitalmaine.com/maine_writers_correspondence/791</ref>
* [[Annie Carroll Moore]], children's librarian<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unc.edu/~bflorenc/libraryladies/moore.html |title=Anne Carroll Moore |publisher=UNC |access-date=December 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022163446/http://www.unc.edu/~bflorenc/libraryladies/moore.html |archive-date=October 22, 2012 }}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

==External links==

{{Commons category|Limerick, Maine}} <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
* [http://www.limerickme.org/ Town of Limerick, Maine]
* [http://www.limerickmaine.com/Community/Library/library.html Limerick Public Library]
* [http://www.limerickmainehistorical.org/ Limerick Historical Society]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071212065606/http://fc.sad57.k12.me.us/~Line_School/ Line Elementary School]
* [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Voices-of-Limerick/345718978790652  Voices of Limerick   Facebook based citizens forum]
* [http://www.mainegenealogy.net/individual_place_record.asp?place=limerick Maine Genealogy: Limerick, York County, Maine]
* [http://actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com/2012/01/31/one-minute-hikes/one-minute-hike-sawyer-mountain-limerick-maine/ Hiking Sawyer's Mountain]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Limerick-Maine.html City-Data.com]

{{York County, Maine}}
{{Saco River}}

[[Category:Limerick, Maine| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1775]]
[[Category:Portland metropolitan area, Maine]]
[[Category:Towns in York County, Maine]]