Editing Verona Island, Maine

{{short description|Town in Maine, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Verona Island, Maine
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|image_skyline            = Verona Island Maine Sign US1.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Sign for Verona Island on US1
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

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|pushpin_map              = Maine#USA
|pushpin_label            = Verona Island
|pushpin_label_position   = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = 
|pushpin_mapsize          =
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<!-- 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        = [[Hancock County, Maine|Hancock]]
|parts_type               = Villages
|parts                    = Verona<br>Verona&nbsp;Park
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = <!-- Mayor -->
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name ="Gazetteer files"/>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_land_km2            = 16.16
|area_water_km2           = 6.55
|area_total_km2           = 22.71
|area_total_sq_mi         = 8.77
|area_land_sq_mi          = 6.24
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.53

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 507
|population_density_km2   = 31.4
|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_ft             =
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|32|2|N|68|46|59|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 04416
|area_code                = [[Area code 207|207]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               =
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
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|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Verona Island''' is a town located on an island of the same name in the [[Penobscot River]] in [[Hancock County, Maine|Hancock County]], [[Maine]], United States.  The population was 507 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2300978925|title=Census - Geography Profile: Verona Island town, Hancock County, Maine|access-date=January 30, 2022}}</ref>

== History ==
The island and community has undergone numerous name changes. It was originally '''Penobscot Island''', part of the [[Waldo Patent]]. When [[Henry Knox]] bequeathed it to his orphaned grandchildren, it became known as '''Orphan Island'''. In 1839 it became the [[Plantation (settlement or colony)|plantation]] of '''Wetmore Isle'''. The name was changed to '''Verona''' (after [[Verona, Italy]]) upon its incorporation as a town on February 18, 1861. The town lengthened its name to '''Verona Island''', matching the name of the landform on which it was located, in a March 27, 2004 [[referendum]].<ref>[http://janus.state.me.us/legis/ros/lom/LOM121st/12Pub514-550/Pub514-550-22.htm March 27, 2004 name change referendum], Maine Legislature</ref>

The island was once a shipbuilding village. In 1905 the last vessel was built. This was the ''Roosevelt'', which carried [[Robert Peary]] from New York to the Arctic in 1908 for his final expedition to the [[North Pole]].<ref name="MAGDE">{{cite book|last=Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums |editor-first=Doris A. |editor-last=Isaacson |title=Maine: A Guide 'Down East' |year=1970 |publisher=Courier-Gazette, Inc. |location=Rockland, ME |page=272}}</ref>

The [[Waldo–Hancock Bridge]] (carrying [[U.S. Route 1 in Maine|U.S. 1]]), which opened November 16, 1931, to connect Verona Island and [[Prospect, Maine|Prospect]] in [[Waldo County, Maine|Waldo County]], is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] but was in such bad condition that it was replaced. Demolition of the bridge began on November 20, 2012.<ref>{{webarchive |title=Waldo-Hancock Bridge Removal |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401061616/https://www.maine.gov/mdot/whbridgeremoval/index.htm |date=1 April 2013}}</ref>

The new bridge, opened on December 30, 2006, is called the [[Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory]]. The legislature's Transportation Committee originally decided it would be named the Downeast Gateway Bridge, but strong opposition by community leaders from eastern Waldo County forced this decision to be reconsidered. The new name was unanimously approved on March 9, 2006, by the committee.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|8.77|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|6.24|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|2.53|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>

The highest point is McCloud Mountain, at an elevation of {{convert|344|ft}} above sea level.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1840= 139
|1850= 405
|1860= 399
|1870= 352
|1880= 356
|1900= 234
|1910= 229
|1920= 233
|1930= 228
|1940= 391
|1950= 374
|1960= 435
|1970= 437
|1980= 559
|1990= 515
|2000= 533
|2010= 544
|2020= 507
|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 |df=mdy-all }}</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 544 people, 238 households, and 164 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|87.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 292 housing units at an average density of {{convert|46.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 2.4% 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 238 households, of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.1% were non-families. 25.6% 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 2.29 and the average family size was 2.66.

The median age in the town was 47.3 years. 17.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.4% were from 25 to 44; 36.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 533 people, 223 households, and 161 families living in the town.  The population density was {{convert|85.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 262 housing units at an average density of {{convert|42.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.69% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.13% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.19% of the population.

There were 223 households, out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,827, and the median income for a family was $47,778. Males had a median income of $35,125 versus $31,563 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,714.  About 5.7% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

==See also==
* [[List of islands of Maine]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hcpcme.org/veronaisland/index.htm Verona Island], Hancock County Planning Commission

{{Hancock County, Maine}}
{{Maine Islands}}
{{Penobscot River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Islands of Hancock County, Maine]]
[[Category:Towns in Hancock County, Maine]]
[[Category:Penobscot River]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Maine]]
[[Category:Islands of Maine]]