Editing Prospect, Maine

{{Short description| Town in the state of Maine, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Prospect, Maine
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Fort Knox from Bucksport, ME.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[Fort Knox (Maine)|Fort Knox]] {{circa|1910}}
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Waldo County Maine Incorporated Areas Prospect Highlighted.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Prospect (in yellow) in Waldo County and the state of Maine
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Maine]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Maine|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Waldo County, Maine|Waldo]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1794

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name ="Gazetteer files"/>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 52.32
|area_land_km2            = 46.85
|area_water_km2           = 5.46
|area_total_sq_mi         = 20.20
|area_land_sq_mi          = 18.09
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.11

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 698
|population_density_km2   = 14.9
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 35
|elevation_ft             = 115
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|33|7|N|68|52|12|W|region:US-ME|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 04981
|area_code                = [[Area code 207|207]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 23-61210
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0582688
|website                  = {{URL|www.prospectmaine.org}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Prospect''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Waldo County, Maine|Waldo County]], [[Maine]], United States. The population was 698 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2302761210|title=Census - Geography Profile: Prospect town, Waldo County, Maine|access-date=January 23, 2022}}</ref>

The most prominent landmark in Prospect is [[Fort Knox (Maine)|Fort Knox]], a large 19th-century fort. It is now a major tourist attraction, as is the [[Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory]].

==History==

Originally part of [[Frankfort, Maine|Frankfort]], it was settled in 1759 when [[Fort Pownall Memorial|Fort Pownall]] was completed at Fort Point on [[Cape Jellison]]. Prospect was set off and incorporated in 1794. Land was then set off from Prospect in 1845 to form part of [[Searsport, Maine|Searsport]]. Stockton (later [[Stockton Springs, Maine|Stockton Springs]]) was set off and incorporated in 1857. [[Shipbuilding]] was an early industry. By 1859, the town had one [[gristmill]], three [[sawmill]]s and a shingle mill.<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/n316 278]–280| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> Construction on [[Fort Knox (Maine)|Fort Knox]] began in 1844, using [[granite]] from [[Mount Waldo]] in Frankfort. It was built to defend the [[Penobscot River]] and the [[lumber]] port of [[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]] during the [[Aroostook War]]. Although never fully completed, work on the huge defense stopped in 1869.<ref>{{Citation
  | last = Varney
  | first = George J.
  | title = Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Prospect
  | place = Boston
  | publisher = Russell
  | year = 1886
  | url = http://history.rays-place.com/me/prospect-me.htm }}
</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|20.20|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|18.09|sqmi|sqkm|2}}  is land and {{convert|2.11|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=December 16, 2012}}</ref> Drained by the south branch of the [[Marsh River (Maine)|Marsh River]], Prospect is situated along the west bank of the [[Penobscot River]].

The town is crossed by [[U.S. Route 1 in Maine|U.S. Route 1]], [[U.S. Route 1A in Maine|U.S. Route 1A]], [[Maine State Route 3]] and [[Maine State Route 174]].

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
|1800= 770
|1810= 1300
|1820= 1771
|1830= 2383
|1840= 3492
|1850= 2467
|1860= 1005
|1870= 886
|1880= 770
|1890= 697
|1900= 648
|1910= 597
|1920= 431
|1930= 288
|1940= 430
|1950= 392
|1960= 412
|1970= 358
|1980= 511
|1990= 542
|2000= 642
|2010= 709
|2020= 698
|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=December 16, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 709 people, 291 households, and 197 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|39.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 337 housing units at an average density of {{convert|18.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 291 households, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the town was 44.3 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 36% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.6% male and 48.4% female.

===2000 census===

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 642 people, 253 households, and 190 families living in the town.  The population density was {{convert|35.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 286 housing units at an average density of 15.8 per square mile (6.1/km{{sup|2}}).  The racial makeup of the town was 98.60% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.16% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 1.25% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.16% of the population.

There were 253 households, out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,607, and the median income for a family was $41,406. Males had a median income of $32,292 versus $24,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,243.  About 7.6% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

== Notable people ==
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· The article must mention how they are associated with Prospect, 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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* [[Joseph Plumb Martin]], Revolutionary War era soldier, noted for publishing accounts of his military service
* [[Freeman McGilvery]], Civil War era artillery officer
* [[Ephraim K. Smart]], US congressman

==Sites of interest==

* [[Fort Knox (Maine)|Fort Knox]]
* [[Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.prospectmaine.org/ Town of Prospect, Maine]
* [http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=19247 Dorcas Library]
* [http://fortknox.maineguide.com/ Fort Knox and Penobscot Narrows Observatory]
* [http://www.mainegenealogy.net/individual_place_record.asp?place=prospect Maine Genealogy: Prospect, Waldo County, Maine]

{{Waldo County, Maine}}
{{Penobscot River}}

{{coord|44|33|11|N|68|51|53|W|type:city_region:US-ME|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Waldo County, Maine]]
[[Category:Towns in Maine]]