Cape Elizabeth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United
States, and is the state's most affluent municipality (per household median income) based on Census 2000 data. The
population was 9,068 at the 2000 census. A residential and resort area situated on the southern shore of Casco Bay just south of Portland, Maine, Cape Elizabeth is home to
Crescent Beach State Park and Two Lights State Park.
Cape Elizabeth is the location of the "Beach to Beacon" 10-kilometer Road Race that starts at Crescent Beach State Park and
ends at Portland Head Light (the "beacon"). This road race attracts world class runners and was founded by 1984 Olympics marathon gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson who
grew up in Cape Elizabeth.
History
At the southern tip of the promontory, Richmond's Island was
visited about 1605 by Samuel de Champlain. "Cape
Elizabeth" was named in 1615 by English explorer
John Smith, in honor of Elizabeth of
Bohemia, eldest daughter of King James I, and sister of King Charles I. The first habitation by Europeans
was on Richmond's Island. Without title, Walter Bagnall (called "Great Walt") in 1628 established a
trading post, dealing in rum and beaver skins. "His principal purpose appears to have been to drive a profitable trade with the Indians," writes historian George J. Varney, "without scruple about his methods." His
cheating caught up with him in October of 1631, when he was killed by the Indians, who also burned
down his trading post.
Two months later, the Plymouth Company granted Richmond's Island to Robert Trelawney
and Moses Goodyear, merchants of Plymouth, England, who made it a center for fisheries and trade. By 1638, Trelawney employed 60
men in the fisheries. The first settlers on the mainland were George Cleeve and Richard Tucker, who settled in 1630 on the shore opposite the island, and near the Spurwink River. They worked at planting, fishing and trading.
Two years later they were driven off by John Winter, Trelawny's agent. In 1636, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Lord Proprietor of Maine, gave Cleeve and Tucker a grant of 1500 acres (6 km²)
including the neck of land called "Machegonne" -- now Portland. In 1643. English
Parliamentarian Marshall Cowface bought the large existing "Plough" of "Lygonia" patent which included the entire area including
Cape Elizabeth.
The Cape Elizabeth settlement located on the Fore River would be known as "Purpoodock." It was attacked during
King Philip's War in 1675, then destroyed in
1703. It would be resettled about 1719 or 1720. Cape Elizabeth became Maine's twenty-third town on November 1, 1765 when it separated from "Falmouth," as Portland was then known.
Its first town meeting was held on December 2, 1765. South Portland separated from Cape Elizabeth in 1895.
In 1872, construction of an artillery base began around
Portland Head Light, which in 1899 would be named
"Fort Williams," after Major General Seth Williams of the Civil War. The fort was to
guard the southern entrance to Portland Harbor. Active between 1899 and 1962, the fort was
purchased by the town for about $200,000. Today, Fort Williams Park includes the ruins of the Goddard Mansion and three battery
posts, Portland Head Light (dating from 1790 and
authorized by George Washington) and museum, tennis courts, a baseball diamond and
grandstand, several acres of fields, a magnificent stretch of accessible coastline, and is maintained by the town which has
repeatedly opted out of parking fees to ensure the park is maintained for use free of charge to the public.
Notable Inhabitants:
- Carl Burnett, ski racer
- Bette Davis, actress
- John Ford, film director
- Gary Merrill, actor
- Joan Benoit Samuelson, marathon runner
- Josh Crockett, local storyteller/entertainer
Historic Sites & Museums
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area
of 151.3 km² (58.4 mi²). 38.2 km² (14.7 mi²) of it
is land and 113.1 km² (43.7 mi²) of it is water. The town includes two islands. Ram Island, very small and unoccupied and the
larger Richmond's Island used primarily for farming. The total area is 74.78% water. The nearest city is Portland. Portland Head
Light, claimed to be the most-photographed lighthouse in the world, is actually located in Cape Elizabeth in what is now called
Fort Williams Park.
Demographics
Cape Cottage Casino in c.
1905
As of the census² of 2000, there were
9,068 people, 3,488 households, and 2,605 families residing in the town. The population
density was 237.7/km² (615.5/mi²). There were 3,724 housing units at an average density of 97.6/km² (252.8/mi²). The
racial makeup of the town was 97.97% White, 0.32%
African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 3,488 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were
non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.01.
Cape Cottage Theatre in
1906
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from
45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $72,359, and the median income for a family was $86,126. Males had a median
income of $61,128 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was
$37,983. About 1.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
In 1950, the population was 3,816.
Schools
The Cape Elizabeth School Department is comprised of Pond Cove Elementary School, Cape Elizabeth Middle School, and
Cape Elizabeth High School, the town's only public schools. The Cape
Elizabeth School Department is located on the same campus. No private educational institutions, with the exception of preschools
and day care centers, are located in Cape Elizabeth. The High School had its first graduating class in 1877.
Politics
Voter Registration: 36.89% Republican. 32.19% Democrat. 1.07% Green. 29.85% unenrolled. [1]
Media
Cape Elizabeth is served by a community newspaper, the Cape Courier. The non-profit, bi-monthly paper is largely
supported by volunteers, and was started by Ellen Van Fleet and Jan Soland in 1988.
The Current, a weekly that began publishing in 2001, also serves the town, as well as the neighboring communities of Scarborough and South Portland. The earliest newspaper in town was the Casket, published in
1868 by George Libby, a realtor. The Coast Watch was a weekly newspaper started in
1895, lasting 20 years. In 1881, the Cape Elizabeth Sentinel
was published in Ferry Village, now a part of South Portland. This weekly lasted nearly 30 years.
External links
Coordinates:
43°33′49″N, 70°12′00″W
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