Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in
the United States. As of the 2000
census, the city population was 7,609. It is the county seat of Knox County6.
It was settled in 1769, and was originally part of Thomaston, Maine. In 1848 it became
a separate town named East Thomaston, and was chartered as a city in 1854.[1] Rockland is also an officially designated
micropolitan area, and has made several "best cities and towns to live"
lists in recent years. Since the early 1990s, Rockland has seen a shift in its economy away from
the fishery and toward a service center city. It has also seen a large increase in tourism and the downtown has transformed into
one of unique shops, boutiques, fine dining and art galleries. Rockland is the commercial center of the midcoast Maine region,
with many historic inns, a coffee roaster, a food co-op and is also home to the
Farnsworth Art Museum.
Geography
Rockland is located at 44°6′34″N, 69°6′53″W (44.109569,
-69.114652)1. It is bordered to the south
by the town of Owls Head to the west by Thomaston,
Maine and to the north by Rockport, Maine. Penobscot Bay on the Atlantic ocean borders Rockland to the east. About ten miles to the east are the
islands of North Haven, Maine, and Vinalhaven which can be reached by ferry service from Rockland.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 39.1 km² (15.1 mi²). 33.4 km² (12.9 mi²) of it
is land and 5.7 km² (2.2 mi²) of it (14.50%) is water.
2003/10/25 Part of Rockland harbor and Rockland viewed from the Owls Head Transportation Museum's Stearman Biplane
Transportation
The city is served by the Knox County Regional Airport with several
passenger flights daily, and is the departure point for ferries to the islands of Penobscot
Bay, offered by the Maine State Ferry Service. The city also has daily trailways bus service and private taxi service. Starting in the summer of 2005 Maine Eastern Railroad made Rockland its eastern
terminus with daily trips during the tourist season. This is primarily a tourist train that allows visitors to take day trips
along the Maine coast without having to drive. The western terminus for this train is Brunswick, Maine. There are plans to eventually connect this train to Amtrak service in either
Portland or Brunswick.
Rockland is served by several highways. U.S. Route 1 runs through Rockland and is the
primary route through the city. Most major truck freight to the city runs on this route as well as most of the tourist traffic
that enters the city. This is also an important commuter route for those who work in Rockland. Taking Route 1 south out of the
city eventually brings you to Portland, ME. Taking Route 1 North out of Rockland will
take you through Camden, ME and Belfast, ME. This
route can eventually take you to the Bangor, ME area or to the Bar Harbor, ME area. State Route 17 starts in Rockland and heads in a Northwestern direction
eventually reaching the New Hampshire border. This is another important commuter route for Rockland as well as an important
corridor between Rockland and Augusta, Maine the state capitol as well as a commercial
center. This route also connects to I-95 in Augusta. Rockland is also served by
State Route 73 from the South. This route connects Rockland to bedroom communities to the south and terminates at State Route 131
on the St. George Peninsula.
Demographics
Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, which sits at the end of a 4,300 ft long breakwater, was completed in 1902 and is owned by the
City of Rockland.
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 7,609 people, 3,434 households, and 1,943 families residing
in the city. The population density was 227.6/km² (589.2/mi²). There were 3,752
housing units at an average density of 112.2/km² (290.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.90% White, 0.25% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 3,434 households out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were
non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.78.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from
45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,209, and the median income for a family was $37,083. Males had a median
income of $27,212 versus $20,708 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$16,659. About 10.4% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
Farnsworth Art Museum & Wyeth Center
The Farnsworth Art Museum offers a
nationally recognized collection of American art in its elegantly appointed galleries. Such great names in 18th- and 19th-century
American art history as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, Thomas Eakins, Eastman Johnson, Fitz Hugh Lane, Frank Benson, Childe
Hassam, and Maurice Prendergast are represented in the museum's permanent collection entitled Maine in America.
The museum also houses the nation's second-largest collection of works by premier 20th-century sculptor Louise Nevelson and
has opened four new galleries to showcase contemporary art. Its Wyeth Center exclusively features works of Andrew, N.C. and Jamie
Wyeth, America's first family of art.
Rockland Public Library
The Rockland Public
Library, located in downtown, opened in its current location in 1904, a gift of Andrew
Carnegie. In addition to thousands of books, the library also hosts children's reading programs, films, and lectures.
Strand Theatre
The Historic Strand Theatre,
located in downtown Rockland, has been entertaining moviegoers since 1923. Independently owned and listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, the theatre underwent an extensive historic restoration in 2004–2005. The Strand was updated with
state-of-the-art sound and projection equipment, the interior and exterior were restored, and a new marquee was added.
Rockland's only movie theatre, the Strand offers the best of independent and world cinema, documentary, classic and
retrospective film. In addition, the Strand hosts live musical performances & concerts, comedy, conferences, and other
special events. The theatre is also available for rent on a limited basis.
Penobscot School
Founded in 1986 as a non-profit language school and center for international exchange, Penobscot School is a unique community international
school. Over the years, hundreds of people from the U.S. and from around the world have advanced their foreign language skills at
Penobscot School and have learned more about the world in the process. You are invited to be a part of this experiment in
language learning in the context of the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
Penobscot School’s primary mission is to offer effective courses of language study for adults. Courses are designed to allow
you, the student, to learn in your own way and at your own pace and to enjoy yourself while learning. The goal is maximum
language acquisition for meaningful, real-life communication.
More than a language school, Penobscot School is a center for exchange between people of different cultures. One of the most
popular languages at Penobscot School is English. Over 500 adults have come to Rockland from 48 different countries. Foreign
visitors and American students of foreign languages creates a synergy — a true university of learners.
WRFR-LP Radio Free Rockland
-
WRFR-LP is a low power FM radio station licensed by
the FCC to serve the City of Rockland, Maine, and surrounding towns. The construction permit was granted on March 19, 2001. The Station has been broadcasting 24/7 since Valentines
Day, 2002. The station is licensed to Penobscot School, a non-profit center for language learning and international
exchange in Rockland. Penobscot School appoints the station manager and has established WRFR as an independent community radio
station with a mission to serve and be open to everyone in its listening area. WRFR is non-commercial and is operated entirely by
volunteers. It is also carried on 99.3 in Camden.
North Atlantic Blues Festival
North Atlantic Blues Festival
14th annual fest held July 14 & 15 2007. Harbor Park is a beautiful outdoor setting, held rain or shine. 11- 6 PM each day
national touring blues musicians play on stage with the Atlantic ocean as back drop. Sat night Main street is closed to traffic
for the famous Club Crawl, 15 venues have music. Check the website for acts and ticket info. Hot Line info 207-593-1189.
Maritime History
Lobster Festival
The Maine Lobster Festival is held the
first weekend of August in Rockland Maine. Every year there is a parade and the worlds biggest lobster cooker. You can tour a
naval ship, participate in lobster crate races and enjoy great entertainment. People come from all over the world to eat 25,000
pounds of lobster! Also there are 1000 volunteers every year.
In recent years, headliners have included JoDee Messina, Don Rickles, Beausoleil, Ricky Skaggs, Dickey Betts, SheDaisy, Dwight
Yoakam, The Temptations, Marshall Tucker Band, Willie Nelson, The Dixie Chicks, Sha Na Na, Asleep at The Wheel, and Chubby
Checker, among many others. In 2006, our entertainment included Country stars Andy Griggs and Julie Roberts, acclaimed song
writer Don McLean (American Pie), and the legendary classic rockers Blood Sweat & Tears as headliners for the Maine Lobster
Festival.
Atlantic Challenge/Apprentice Shop
The Apprenticeshop
is one of the oldest and finest traditional boat building schools in the country. Begun in 1972 within the complex of The Maine
Maritime Museum in Bath and founded by Lance Lee, the ‘Shop was inspired by the philosophy of Kurt Hahn—who believed that
education should encourage both thought and action, not one or the other, but both at once. Lee believed that practicing
resourcefulness and learning through boatbuilding—a medium that requires decisions, care, patience, forethought, and time, is as
important as learning boatbuilding.
More than three decades have passed since the first keel was laid in a newly resurrected ‘Shop in Bath, and our mission has
never changed. Thousands of apprentices, interns, volunteers and visitors have passed through, and hundreds of examples of work
have left the ‘Shop floor for new lives on the water. While we are drawn to the beauty and function of the craft we produce, we
are confident that it is not solely about the boats.
Coast Guard Station Rockland
The U. S. Coast Guard has a lengthy history of service in the Penobscot Bay area. Earlier in this century, several lighthouses
and lifeboat stations served local mariners. The current station is located on two parcels of land in downtown Rockland. Small boat docks and
support facilities are located on a wharf at the end of Tillson Avenue. Formerly known as Tillson's Wharf, this property was
acquired in June 1941 by the U.S. Navy to be used as a naval section base during WWII. It was given to the Coast Guard in 1943
and became Base Rockland along with the wharf now known as Coast Guard Moorings. Coast Guard Moorings has been used by many Coast
Guard Cutters over the years and now serves the ABBIE BURGESS, THUNDER BAY, TACKLE and Station small boats.
Maine Lighthouse Museum
The Maine Lighthouse Museum is the
proud home of the largest collection of lighthouse lenses, and one of the most important landmark collections of lighthouse
artifacts and Coast Guard memorabilia in the United States. The collection was formerly displayed at the Shore Village Museum
until its closing in October, 2004.
Recreation
Situated on the western shore of Penobscot Bay, recreation on the water is the center of summertime activities. Rockland's
waterfront features many boatyards and chandleries, and the Rockland Yacht Club also hosts events for sailors. The many islands in the bay provide a rich and varied experience
for sea kayaking, with guided tours
available.
The Rockland Golf Club is located a mile from
downtown, and the Samoset Golf
Club (both open to the public) is in nearby Rockport. The winding, hilly roads offer great bicycle rides, and trails offer
challenging rides for mountain bikers. Group rides depart from a local bike shop.
Wintertime provides for other activities, including ice fishing ice boating and
skating on Lake Chickawakee, cross country skiing, and alpine sports at the Camden Snowbowl nearby.
Famous Natives and Residents
External links
Coordinates:
44.109569° N 69.114652°
W
References
- ^ a b c Maine League of Historical
Societies and Museums (1970). in Doris A. Isaacson: Maine: A Guide 'Down East'. Rockland, Me: Courier-Gazette, Inc.,
261-262.
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