augusta maine

Augusta, Maine
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Augusta, Maine

Augusta, Maine, taken from the bridge

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Location in Kennebec County, Maine
Coordinates: 44°18′38″N 69°46′48″W / 44.31056, -69.78
Country United States
State Maine
County Kennebec
Established 1754
Government
- Mayor Roger J. Katz
Area
- Total 58.3 sq mi (150.9 km²)
- Land 55.4 sq mi (143.4 km²)
- Water 2.9 sq mi (7.5 km²) 4.98%
Elevation 68 ft (20 m)
Population (2000)
- Total 24,260
- Density 335.1/sq mi (129.4/km²)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 207
FIPS code 23-02100
GNIS feature ID 0581636
Website: www.ci.augusta.me.us

Augusta is the capital of the U.S. state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine [1]. The city's population is 18,560 (July 2006 est.). Located on the Kennebec River at the head of tide, it is home to the University of Maine at Augusta.

Contents
1 History
2 Notable residents
3 Geography
4 Demographics
5 Sites of interest
6 References
7 External links



[edit] History

State House in 1905, showing the original Charles Bulfinch designThe area was first explored by members of the ill-fated Popham Colony in September 1607. It was first inhabited by English settlers from the Plymouth Colony in 1629 as a trading post on the Kennebec River. The settlement was known by its Indian name -- Cushnoc (or Coussinoc or Koussinoc), meaning "head of tide." Fur trading was at first profitable, but with Indian uprisings and declining revenues, the Plymouth Colony sold the Kennebec Patent in 1661. Cushnoc would remain empty for the next 75 years into the French and Indian Wars.

A hotbed of Abenaki hostility toward British settlements was located further up the Kennebec at Norridgewock. In 1722, the tribe and its allies attacked Fort Richmond (now Richmond) and destroyed Brunswick. In response, Norridgewock was sacked in 1724 during Dummer's War, when English forces gained tentative control of the Kennebec. In 1754, a blockhouse named Fort Western (now the oldest wooden fort in America), was built at Cushnoc on the eastern bank. It was intended as a supply depot for Fort Halifax upriver, as well as to protect its own region.[1] In 1775, Benedict Arnold and his 1100 troops would use Fort Western as a staging area before continuing their journey up the Kennebec to the Battle of Quebec.

Cushnoc was incorporated as part of Hallowell in 1771. Known as "the Fort," it was set off and incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court in February 1797 as Harrington. In August, however, the name changed to Augusta after Augusta Dearborn, daughter of Henry Dearborn. In 1799, it became county seat for newly created Kennebec County.[1] Maine became a state in 1820, and Augusta was designated its capital in 1827. The Maine State Legislature continued meeting in Portland, however, until completion in 1832 of the new Maine State House designed by Charles Bulfinch. Augusta was chartered as a city in 1849.

Excellent soil provided for agriculture, and water power from streams provided for industry. In 1837, a dam was built across the Kennebec where the falls drop 15 feet at the head of tide, and by 1838 10 sawmills were contracted. With the arrival of the Kennebec & Portland Railroad in 1851, Augusta became a mill town. In 1883, the property of A. & W. Spague Company was purchased by the Edwards Manufacturing Company, which erected extensive brick mills for manufacturing cotton textiles. Other Augusta firms produced lumber, sash, doors, shutters, broom handles, stone cutters' tools, shoes, cemetery monuments, ice and furniture. The city developed as a publishing and shipping center. Today, government and post-secondary education are important businesses.

AUGUSTA, Maine --- Despite a team-high 12 points from Julianne Kowalski (Montville, N.J.), the Colby College women's basketball team fell 74-52 to University of New England on Monday night at the Augusta Civic Center.


The Mules (1-2) will play at Maine Maritime Academy at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Carrie Bunnell (Barnet, Vt.) scored 20 points and had six rebounds to pace UNE (1-3).

Alison Cappelloni (Sudbury, Mass.) finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, while Meredith Aronson (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) had 10 points and five assists for Colby.

U. NEW ENGLAND 74, COLBY 52

U. NEW ENGLAND (1-3)

Carrie Bunnell 8-15 0-0 20; Sara Pelkey 6-12 4-7 16; Katie Diggins 7-12 0-1 14; Marissa Hesketh 4-7 2-2 10; Alli Gamache 3-7 0-0 8; Chelsey Meszaros 1-1 0-0 2; Sam Robbins 1-1 0-0 2; April Mroz 0-1 0-0 0; Kylie Bragdon 0-1 0-0 0; Annie Foster 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 30-59 8-12 74.

COLBY (1-2)

Julianne Kowalski 6-9 0-0 12; Alison Cappelloni 4-16 2-2 11; Meredith Aronson 3-8 4-4 10; Katie McCabe 4-10 1-1 9; Karlyn Adler 1-7 0-0 3; Mary Cummings 1-4 0-0 3; Heather Quadir 1-6 0-0 2; Abby Harris 0-1 2-2 2; Heather Pratt 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-62 9-9 52.

U. New England................ 43 31 - 74

Colby......................... 21 31 - 52

3-point goals-U. New England 6-13 (Carrie Bunnell 4-9; Alli Gamache 2-3; Annie Foster 0-1), Colby 3-16 (Karlyn Adler 1-2; Mary Cummings 1-3; Alison Cappelloni 1-7; Heather Quadir 0-2; Meredith Aronson 0-2). Fouled out--U. New England-None, Colby-None. Rebounds-U. New England 42 (Katie Diggins 9), Colby 31 (Alison Cappelloni 7). Assists-U. New England 25 (Alli Gamache 6), Colby 12 (Meredith Aronson 5). Total fouls-U. New England 8, Colby 14. A-200