Vinalhaven, Maine

Vinalhaven, Maine
Town
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Knox
Area
• Total	192.8 sq mi (499.3 km2)
• Land	25.3 sq mi (65.6 km2)
• Water	167.5 sq mi (433.7 km2)
Elevation	39 ft (12 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	1,235
• Density	48.8/sq mi (18.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	04863
Area code	207
FIPS code	23-79130
GNIS feature ID	0582782

Vinalhaven is a town located in the Fox Islands in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population is 1235 as of the 2000 census. The community is home to a thriving fishery and hosts a summer colony. It is accessible from the mainland via an approximately hour and fifteen minute long ferry ride across West Penobscot Bay, as there is no bridge.

Summer colony

Like neighboring North Haven Island, Vinalhaven is well-known for summer community of wealthy Northeasterners, mostly from Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. The northern end of Vinalhaven, on the Fox Island Thoroughfare opposite North Haven, is often informally considered part of North Haven, since Vinalhaven's north shore is less than half a mile across the Fox Island Thoroughfare from that community's town center.

Lobstering and fishing

Vinalhaven has the largest chunk of fishing ground in Penobscot Bay, rivaled only by the small island of Matinicus Isle, nearly 13 miles (21 km) to the southwest, it is not uncommon for either Islands Lobster boat captains to have $2,000 + days in the mid summer to fall. Vinalhaven lobsters have been said to be the best tasting lobsters in Maine, and Maine is said to have the best tasting lobsters in the world.

Vinalhavener's have been known to being aggressive in their fishing habits and can only be matched by the thriving lobstering community of Matinicus Isle, their rival island.

History

The island of Vinalhaven was first inhabited by the Red Paint people, 3800–5000 years ago, as evidenced by archeological remains. Abenaki Indians came later. Europeans visited local waters in the 1500s, and English Capt. Martin Pring named the islands the "Fox Islands" in 1603.

The first permanent settlement by English colonists occurred in 1766, when Thaddeus Carver arrived from Marshfield, Massachusetts, and later purchased 700 acres (2.8 km²) on the southern shore near what would bome known as Carver's Harbor.

The first settlers were actually the Indians but the first families of Vinalhaven are considered to be Arey, Calderwood, Carver, Coombs, Dyer, Ginn, Greem, Hopkins, Lane, Leadbetter, Norton, Philbrook, Pierce, Robert, Smith, Wadsworth, Warren and Vinal. In 1847, the North Island separated and became "North Haven".

High quality granite was discovered in 1826, and Vinalhaven became one of Maine's largest quarrying centers for the next century. Today the island is dotted with old granite quarries, many of which have since filled with groundwater and are popular swimming holes for residents and visitors alike. Vinalhaven granite, mined by the Bodwell Granite Company, can be seen in the State Department Building in Washington, New York's Brooklyn Bridge and the Union Mutual Life Insurance Building in Boston.

Granite was shipped for the U.S. Customs Houses and Post Offices in New York, St. Louis, Kansas City, Buffalo, etc., the railroad station and the Board of Trade in Chicago, the Washington Monument and federal office buildings in the Capital, foundation stone and the eight huge polished columns for the nave of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City, the Pennsylvania Railroad Station and the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia as well as private mansions, monuments, bridges, dams, etc. and thousands of tons of paving blocks for the streets of Portland, Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and other cities.

Notable residents

Prominent Vinalhaven families include those of:

• Eliot Elisofon (1911–1973), noted photographer for Life and National Geographic magazines.
• Robert Indiana, pop artist.
• John Jay Iselin, former president of the Cooper Union and descendant of John Jay.
• Brewster Jennings, partner in Standard Oil and CEO of Mobil Oil.
• Leverett Saltonstall, Governor of Massachusetts.
• Timothy Lane, sea captain and descendant of Benjamin Lane, who settled on the island in the late 1700s.
• Thaddeus Carver, who moved to what was then South Fox Island in 1766 from Marshfield, Massachusetts. Carver owned 700 acres (2.8 km²) on the south side of the Island. Carver's Harbor, Carver's Pond and Carver's Cemetery are all named after his family.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 1,235 people, 550 households, and 341 families residing in the town. The population density was 48.8 people per square mile (18.8/km²). There were 1,228 housing units at an average density of 48.5/sq mi (18.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.14% White, 0.32% Native American, 0.32% Asian, and 1.21% from two or more races.

There were 550 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,087, and the median income for a family was $42,917. Males had a median income of $36,094 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,287. About 5.7% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

External links

• Vinalhaven Chamber Of Commerce

44°02′53″N 68°49′54″W