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48-637: Kittery is a town in York County, Maine , United States, and the oldest incorporated town in Maine . Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island , Kittery includes Badger's Island , the seaside district of Kittery Point , and part of the Isles of Shoals . The southernmost town in the state, it is a tourist destination known for its many outlet stores . Kittery is part of

96-477: A combined $ 37,784,774. The shipyard's total economic affect on the region in 2022 was $ 1,457,952,317 and in 2021 was $ 1,322,611,898. In 2022, 7,251 people were employed at the shipyard. The Kittery Outlets is an outdoor shopping area located on Route 1 next to Interstate 95 with over 100 retailers, including national brands and local shops. The town in 2024 approved the removal of one of the shopping plazas, The Outlets at Kittery, to be replaced with apartment housing,

144-559: A female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.96. Age distribution was 24.80% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males. The median age

192-649: A hotel, and a restaurant. Kittery Foreside is a popular, walkable neighborhood adjacent to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard that has many commercial businesses, including boutique shops, restaurants, and cafes. It also features historic homes, large shade trees, and a number of arts and culture organizations. The Weathervane Restaurant chain was founded in Kittery in 1969. In 2023, the Portland Press Herald reported that Kittery has

240-578: A purchase of land in York County is in 1668, when Francis Small traded goods with the Newichewannock tribe of this area. Their Chief Wesumbe, also known as Captain Sandy, was friendly with Small and warned him of a plot against his life. A group of renegade tribesmen planned on murdering Small instead of paying him with the furs that were owed to him. Small escaped after watching his house in what

288-675: Is based in Kittery/Kittery Point. York County, Maine York County is both the southernmost and the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Maine , along the state of New Hampshire 's eastern border. It is divided from Strafford County, New Hampshire , by the Salmon Falls River and the connected tidal estuary, the Piscataqua River . York County was permanently established in 1639. Several of Maine's earliest colonial settlements are found in

336-544: Is included in The Maine Spencers: a history and genealogy, with mention of many associated families.' Kittery originally extended from the Atlantic Ocean inland up the Salmon Falls River , including the present-day towns of Eliot , South Berwick , Berwick , and North Berwick . Located opposite Portsmouth , New Hampshire , the town developed into a center for trade and shipbuilding. In 1652, after

384-551: Is land and 279 square miles (720 km ) (22%) is water. At the 2000 census , there were 186,742 people, 74,563 households and 50,851 families living in the county. The population density was 188 inhabitants per square mile (73/km ). There were 94,234 housing units at an average density of 95 per square mile (37/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 97.56% White , 0.42% Black or African American , 0.24% Native American , 0.73% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.17% from other races , and 0.85% from two or more races. 0.70% of

432-753: Is now Cornish, Maine, burn to the ground. Small returned and rebuilt. The Chief made up the loss by selling Small all the lands bounded by the Great and Little Ossipee Rivers, the Saco River, and the New Hampshire border. Known now as the five Ossipee towns, the tract included all of Limington, Limerick, Cornish (formerly named Francisborough), Newfield and Parsonsfield. The large size of the county led to its division in 1760, with Cumberland and Lincoln counties carved out of its eastern portions. When Massachusetts adopted its state government in 1780, it created

480-575: Is the third oldest state historical society after the Massachusetts Historical Society and New York Historical Society . Influential members of the Maine Historical Society included many of Maine's Yankee businessmen, intellectuals, philanthropists, and political figures, including James Phinney Baxter , Josiah Crosby , George J. Varney ,. William Willis , mayor of Portland, was the president of

528-523: The District of Maine to manage its eastern territories. In 1805 the northern portion of York County was separated to form part of Oxford County . When Maine achieved statehood in 1820 all of the counties of the District of Maine became counties of Maine . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,270 square miles (3,300 km ), of which 991 square miles (2,570 km )

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576-461: The Gulf of Maine and Atlantic Ocean , Kittery is drained by Spruce Creek , Spinney Creek, Chauncey Creek, and the Piscataqua River . The town is crossed by Interstate 95 , U.S. Route 1 , Maine State Route 101 , Maine State Route 103 , and Maine State Route 236 . As of the census of 2010, there were 9,490 people, 4,302 households, and 2,488 families living in the town. The population density

624-676: The Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. One part of Levett's scheme did survive: the name of York, which now adorns the county. The now-decommissioned Fort Levett on Cushing Island in Casco Bay is named for Capt. Levett. In 1639, Gorges obtained a renewed patent, the Gorges Patent , for the area between the Piscataqua and Kennebec Rivers , in the form of a royal charter from Charles I of England . The area

672-524: The Plymouth Council for New England , which itself had been granted a royal patent by James I to the coast of North America between the 40th and the 48th parallels "from sea to sea". This first patent encompassed the coast between the Merrimack and Kennebec rivers, as well as an irregular parcel of land between the headwaters of the two rivers. In 1629, Gorges and Mason agreed to split

720-585: The Portland – South Portland – Biddeford , Maine metropolitan statistical area . The town's population was 10,070 at the 2020 census . English settlement around the natural harbor of the Piscataqua River estuary began about 1623. By 1632 the community was protected by Fort William and Mary on today's New Hampshire side of the river; in 1689 defensive works that later became Fort McClary in Kittery Point were added on today's Maine side to

768-737: The Rock Rest summer guest house in Kittery Point providing lodging to Black vacation travelers. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Rock Rest was featured in the 2020 documentary Driving While Black , that aired on PBS. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 75.30 sq mi (195.03 km), of which 57.52 sq mi (148.98 km) are covered by water. Situated beside

816-444: The 19th century until the 1950s. Other parks include Beaches include: Kittery is home to Robert William Traip Academy (9–12), a formerly private, preparatory school which became public and town-run in 1967. Kittery is also home to Horace Mitchell Primary School (K–3) and Shapleigh School (4–8). The movie Thinner (1996), based on the 1984 Stephen King novel , was filmed in Kittery. The Saturday morning cartoon DinoSquad

864-545: The King's blessing, Levett embarked on a scheme to found a colony on the site of present-day Portland . Levett was granted 6,000 acres (24 km ) of land, the first Englishman to own the soil of Portland. There he proposed to found a settlement named York after the city of his birth in England. Ultimately, the project was abandoned, the men Levett left behind disappeared, and Levett died aboard ship on his return to England from

912-521: The Maine Historical Society from 1856 to 1865. James Phinney Baxter was president from 1889 to 1921. Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. , state historian of Maine, was president of MHS from 1977 to 1979. The research library at the Maine Historical Society is named for John Marshall Brown and his wife Alida (Carroll) Brown. The current library building was built in 1907 (replacing the Morton Block), designed by Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow , nephew of

960-530: The Pepperrell family, they established fisheries offshore at the Isles of Shoals , where fish were caught, salted, and exported to Europe . Other pioneers were hunters, trappers, and workers of the region's abundant timber . The settlement at the mouth of the Piscataqua River was protected by Fort McClary . Thomas Spencer, Esquire, immigrant from Gloucestershire , England, is also a notable settler of Kittery with his wife Patience Chadbourne. Their story

1008-427: The age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.2% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age in

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1056-405: The average family size was 2.86. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males. The median income for a household in the town

1104-554: The colonial era in Kittery Parish, which included present-day Kittery, Eliot, Berwick and South Berwick, as many as 500 enslaved people were brought to Kittery Parish and striped of their identities The Maine Historical Society calls Sir William Pepperrell (1696 – 1759) of Kittery "Maine's most prolific and infamous slave owner." In 1705, during Queen Anne's War , tribes of the Wabanaki Confederacy raided

1152-559: The county, which is the state's oldest and one of the oldest in the United States. As of the 2020 census , its population was 211,972, making it Maine's second-most populous county. Its county seat is Alfred . York County is part of the Portland – South Portland , Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area . The first patent establishing the Province of Maine was granted on August 10, 1622, to Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason by

1200-400: The county. The population density was 199.0 inhabitants per square mile (76.8/km ). There were 105,773 housing units at an average density of 106.8 per square mile (41.2/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 96.4% white, 1.1% Asian, 0.6% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of

1248-684: The death of Gorges, Maine became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . Francis Small was a pioneer resident of Kittery, and operated a trading post near the confluence of the Ossipee River and Saco River . Here major Indian trails converged—the Sokokis Trail (now Route 5 ), the Ossipee Trail (now Route 25 ), and the Pequawket Trail (now Route 113 ). The site supported the lucrative fur trade with Indians, but had

1296-680: The facility rebuilt the USS Constitution , and built the Civil War USS Kearsarge . Seavey's Island was annexed and became site of the now defunct Portsmouth Naval Prison . In 1905, the Treaty of Portsmouth , which formally ended the Russo-Japanese War , was signed at the shipyard. From 1946 and 1977, when racial discrimination in public accommodations was common, Clayton and Hazel Sinclair operated

1344-411: The first candidate from any party to break 70,000 votes in the county, doing so in 2020 . At the same time, it has voted for Republican Senator Susan Collins in all of her reelection campaigns, most recently in 2020 . 43°25′N 70°40′W  /  43.41°N 70.67°W  / 43.41; -70.67 Maine Historical Society The Maine Historical Society was founded in 1822 and

1392-500: The highest per capita number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants and food businesses in Maine. In Kittery, coastal property, shoreland infrastructure, and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are all vulnerable to rising seas caused by the changing climate. Most vulnerable are low-lying roads, the bridges to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, other bridges, businesses, a church, a fire station, and the working waterfront. To respond to these threats,

1440-582: The north. Kittery was incorporated in 1647, staking a claim as the "oldest incorporated town in Maine." It was named after the birthplace of a founder, Alexander Shapleigh, from his manor of Kittery Court at Kingswear in Devon , England . Shapleigh arrived in 1635 aboard the ship Benediction , which he co-owned with another prominent settler, Captain Francis Champernowne, a cousin of Sir Ferdinando Gorges , lord proprietor of Maine. Together with

1488-513: The patent at the Piscataqua River , with Mason retaining the land south of the river as the Province of New Hampshire . Gorges named his more northerly piece of territory New Somersetshire . This venture failed, however, because of lack of funds and colonial settlement. Also failed was a venture by Capt. Christopher Levett , an agent for Gorges and a member of the Council for New England. With

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1536-645: The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow , and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The library underwent an extensive renovation in 2007, at which time it was named for the Browns. Since 1822, the Maine Historical Society has maintained a library collection. The holdings are dedicated to the history of Maine and include books, archival material, maps, newspapers, photographs, as well as engineering and architectural drawings. The library also collects on family history, specifically Maine, early New England and eastern Canada . The Maine Historical Society Museum

1584-473: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The most cited ethnicities were English (17.9%), French (14.5%), French Canadian (13.9%), Irish (12.5%), United States or American (9.6%) and Italian (5.1%). 90.84% of the population spoke English and 6.92% spoke French as their first language. There were 74,563 households, of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 9.50% had

1632-409: The population. There were 4,078 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and

1680-497: The population. In terms of ancestry, 22.3% were English , 19.3% were Irish , 9.8% were French Canadian , 8.1% were German , 7.9% were Italian , 5.8% were American , and 5.6% were Scottish . Of the 81,009 households, 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.4% were non-families, and 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size

1728-458: The risks of living isolated in the wilderness . Small became the largest property owner in the history of Maine, and was known as "the great landowner". In 1663, John Josselyn wrote: "Towns there are, are not many in this province. Kittery, situated not far from Passacataway (Portsmouth), is the most populous." In late 1694 or early 1695 the enslaved woman Rachel of Kittery, Maine was murdered by her enslaver, Nathaniel Keen in Kittery. During

1776-677: The town formed a Climate Change Adaptation Committee. The Kittery Art Association was formed in 1958. It manages the KAA Gallery at 2 Walker Street in Kittery Foreside, as a cultural center and exhibition gallery. The Kittery Art Association purchased the gallery building in 2022 from the town library, where the property was known as the Taylor Building, for $ 558,700. The Kittery Art Association used to be located at 8 Coleman Avenue in Kittery Point. The Rice Public Library

1824-400: The town was 43.2 years. 18.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.3% male and 51.7% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 9,543 people, 4,078 households, and 2,528 families living in the town. The population density

1872-584: The town, killing six residents and taking five prisoners. During the Revolution , the first vessels of the U.S. Navy were constructed on Badger's Island , including the USS Ranger (1777) commanded by John Paul Jones . The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , the nation's first federal navy yard, was established in 1800 on Fernald's Island. It connects to the mainland by two bridges. During the Civil War,

1920-458: Was $ 52,200, and the median income for a family was $ 53,343. Males had a median income of $ 37,096 versus $ 29,850 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 24,153. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over. The Kittery economy is driven by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard . In 2021, 438 shipyard workers lived in Kittery and were paid

1968-485: Was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 43.0 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 55,008 and the median income for a family was $ 65,077. Males had a median income of $ 47,117 versus $ 34,001 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 27,137. About 5.6% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over. Historically, York County

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2016-503: Was 38 years. The median household income was $ 43,630, and the median family income was $ 51,419. Males had a median income of $ 36,317 versus $ 26,016 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 21,225. About 5.90% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 197,131 people, 81,009 households, and 53,136 families living in

2064-464: Was 533.7 inhabitants per square mile (206.1/km). There were 4,942 housing units at an average density of 278.0 per square mile (107.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 97.1% White , 0.01% African American , 0.1% Native American , 1.1% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.5% from other races , and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population. There were 4,302 households, of which 23.5% had children under

2112-402: Was 535.5 inhabitants per square mile (206.8/km). There were 4,375 housing units at an average density of 245.5 per square mile (94.8/km). The racial makeup of the town was 95.98% White , 1.78% Black or African American , 0.18% Native American , 0.65% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.45% from other races , and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of

2160-413: Was built in 1889 at 8 Wentworth Street. The library reopened in 2022 after a $ 6.1 million renovation. The nonprofit The Dance Hall is located in the former Grange Hall in Kittery Foreside. It hosts performances and classes in dance and music. Sites of interest include: Kittery includes many parks, beaches, and recreational spaces. The largest is Fort Foster , a former federal military installation from

2208-560: Was one of the more Democratic counties in Maine, a solid Republican state for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. York backed Democrat Woodrow Wilson in both 1912 and 1916 , and voted for the Democratic nominee in each election from 1936 to 1948 , even as the state as a whole backed the Republican in each of those elections. It was also one of only two counties in Maine to back Democrat John F. Kennedy in 1960 ( Androscoggin

2256-460: Was roughly the same as that covered in the 1622 patent after the 1629 split with Mason. The second colony also foundered for lack of money and settlers, although it survived the death of Gorges in 1647. In the 1650s the nearby Massachusetts Bay Colony asserted territorial claims over what is now southern Maine, and by 1658 had completely absorbed what is now southwestern Maine into York County, Massachusetts . The first known and recorded offer for

2304-461: Was the other). Since 1952 , it has voted for the statewide winner in each presidential election, except for 1976 when Democrat Jimmy Carter won York County while the state as a whole voted for Republican Gerald Ford . Although home to the Bush family compound , it only supported the Bush family in one of its four presidential runs (that of George H. W. Bush in 1988 ). Democrat Joe Biden became

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