Editing Union, Maine

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = View at Union, ME.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Union Common in 1915
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Knox County Maine incorporated and unincorporated areas Union highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Knox County, Maine|Knox County]] and the state of [[Maine]].

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = [[Maine]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Maine|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Knox County, Maine|Knox]]
|parts_type               = Villages
|parts                    = Union<br />East&nbsp;Union<br />North&nbsp;Union<br />South&nbsp;Union
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|Leader_title             = 
|Leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Incorporated
|established_date         = 1786

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name ="Gazetteer files"/>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 89.33
|area_land_km2            = 83.27
|area_water_km2           = 6.06
|area_total_sq_mi         = 34.49
|area_land_sq_mi          = 32.15
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.34

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2383
|population_density_km2   = 28.6
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = −5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 13
|elevation_ft             = 43
|coordinates              = {{Coord|44|12|41|N|69|16|27|W|region:US-ME_type:city|display=title,inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 04862
|area_code                = [[Area code 207|207]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 23-78115
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0582772
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.union.govoffice2.com/}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Union''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Knox County, Maine]], United States. The population was 2,383 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2301378115|title=Census - Geography Profile: Union town, Knox County, Maine|access-date=January 17, 2022}}</ref> It is home to the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage and annual [[Union Fair]].

==History==
Union was part of a tract of land called the [[Muscongus Patent]], a grant made March 2, 1629, by the [[Plymouth Council for New England|Plymouth Council]] to John Beauchamp and Thomas Leverett. About 1720, it was purchased by General [[Samuel Waldo]] of [[Boston]] and thereafter called the Waldo Patent. The first white settlers by the names of Anderson, Malcolm, and Crawford, arrived in 1772.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://unionhistoricalsociety.org/aboutunion.html#uhistory |title=About Union |website=unionhistoricalsociety.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404102236/http://unionhistoricalsociety.org/aboutunion.html |archive-date=April 4, 2015}}</ref> The town was settled on July 19, 1774, and named Taylor Town after the original purchaser and settler, Dr. John Taylor from [[Lunenburg, Massachusetts]]. Dr. John Taylor purchased Union for £1,000. On May 3, 1786, it was organized as the Plantation of Sterlingtown, and on October 20, 1786, the town was incorporated and named Union. [[Washington, Maine|Washington]] was formed from a portion of Union in 1811.<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/n369 331]–332| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = A History and Description of New England Coolidge Mansfield. }}</ref>

Agriculture was the principal business, and on October 5, 1869, the North Knox Agricultural & Horticultural Society opened the first annual [[Union Fair]]. The town had mills operated by [[water power]] at the outlets of ponds. Factories at Union produced [[carriage]]s, [[cultivator]]s, [[leather]], [[wiktionary:harness|harness]], boots and shoes. South Union had a cabinet and musical instrument factory, an [[iron foundry]], a [[machine shop]] and a [[coffin]] factory. East Union had a [[lumbermill]], in addition to a chair and table factory.<ref>{{Citation
 | last = Varney
 | first = George J.
 | title = Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Union
 | place = Boston
 | publisher = Russell
 | year = 1886
 | url = http://history.rays-place.com/me/union-me.htm }}
</ref>

A [[war memorial]] was dedicated at the [[common land|common]] on July 4, 1888. When Union celebrated on July 19, 1974, the [[wikt:bicentennial|bicentennial]] of its settlement, a [[time capsule]] was buried near the statue, to be dug up July 19, 2024. The capsule contains a picture of children from around the town and "scores of current [[memorabilia]]." Union was the subject of the 1940 [[historical novel]], ''Come Spring'', by author [[Ben Ames Williams]].<ref>E. A. Matthews, ''Horse and Buggy Days: A Brief History of Union, Maine''</ref>

<gallery  widths="200" heights="135">
File:Falls, South Union, Maine, by G. S. Osgood.jpg|South Union falls {{circa|1880}}
File:Hotel at Union, Maine, by F. W. Cunningham.jpg|The Burton House {{circa|1880}}
File:Burton House & Stable, Union, ME.jpg|The Burton House in 1907
</gallery>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|34.49|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|32.15|sqmi|sqkm|2}}  is land and {{convert|2.34|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> Union is drained by the [[Medomak River]], [[Saint George River]], Pettengill Stream, Fuller Brook, Hope Brook, Little Medomak Brook and the Back River. Coggans Hill, elevation {{convert|817|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} [[above sea level]], is the highest point in the town.

==Education==
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.<ref>"[https://www.msad40.org/schools/union/ Union Elementary School]." [[Regional School Unit 40]]. Retrieved on November 6, 2018. "Downstairs in our building, [...]  RSU 40/MSAD 40 Administrative Offices and Rivers Alternative Middle School are both located upstairs."</ref>

Medomak Valley Middle School and [[Medomak Valley High School]] are in nearby [[Waldoboro, Maine|Waldoboro]].

Vose Library is in Union.<ref>[http://www.voselibrary.org Home]. Vose Library. Retrieved on November 6, 2018.</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 199
|1800= 573
|1810= 1266
|1820= 1391
|1830= 1612
|1840= 1784
|1850= 1972
|1860= 1957
|1870= 1701
|1880= 1548
|1890= 1436
|1900= 1248
|1910= 1233
|1920= 1133
|1930= 1060
|1940= 1150
|1950= 1085
|1960= 1196
|1970= 1189
|1980= 1569
|1990= 1989
|2000= 2209
|2010= 2259
|2020= 2383
|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 2,259 people, 981 households, and 638 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|70.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,203 housing units at an average density of {{convert|37.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 0.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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.

===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 2,209 people, 863 households, and 632 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|68.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,052 housing units at an average density of {{convert|32.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.64% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.09% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.23% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.23% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.81% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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.

==Sites of interest==
[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Knox County, Maine|National Register of Historic Places]]:

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

== Notable people ==
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· The article must mention how they are associated with Union, 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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* [[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]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''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

==External links==
{{Commons category|Union, Maine}}
* [http://www.union.maine.gov/ Town of Union, Maine]

{{Knox County, Maine}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Union, Maine| ]]
[[Category:1786 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Knox County, Maine]]
[[Category:Towns in Maine]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1786]]