Peru, Maine

Peru, Maine
Town
Bird's-eye View
Peru, Maine Location within the state of Maine
Coordinates: 44°29′41″N 70°26′14″W / 44.49472°N 70.43722°W / 44.49472; -70.43722
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Oxford
Incorporated	1821
Area^[1]
• Total	47.60 sq mi (123.28 km²)
• Land	46.68 sq mi (120.90 km²)
• Water	0.92 sq mi (2.38 km²)
Elevation	807 ft (246 m)
Population (2010)^[2]
• Total	1,541
• Estimate (2012^[3])	1,529
• Density	33.0/sq mi (12.7/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	04290
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-58270
GNIS feature ID	0582673

Peru is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,541 at the 2010 census. In 1970 the town had 1345 residents.

History

It was granted by the Massachusetts General Court to several residents from Falmouth, Maine. The first grantee to settle would be Merrill Knight in 1793. Organized in 1812 as Plantation Number 1 (also Thompsontown), it was incorporated on February 5, 1821 as the 240th town in Maine. Peru was named in the spirit of liberty and solidarity for Peru, the South American country which declared independence from Spain on July 28, 1821.^[4]

With dark soil free from stones, farming was an early industry. The chief crop was hay, and raising sheep became a common occupation. In addition, there were five sawmills which manufactured long and short lumber, as well as specialty products like wooden bowls. In 1870, the population was 931.^[5]

Formerly possessing an independent public school department, Peru joined Maine School Administrative District 21 in 2006.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.60 square miles (123.28 km²), of which, 46.68 square miles (120.90 km²) of it is land and 0.92 square miles (2.38 km²) is water.^[1] Peru is drained by the Androscoggin River. Worthley Pond, 2 miles long by half a mile wide, is in the southern part of the town.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1820	343		—
1830	666		94.2%
1840	1,002		50.5%
1850	1,109		10.7%
1860	1,121		1.1%
1870	931		−16.9%
1880	825		−11.4%
1890	692		−16.1%
1900	773		11.7%
1910	746		−3.5%
1920	738		−1.1%
1930	826		11.9%
1940	965		16.8%
1950	1,080		11.9%
1960	1,229		13.8%
1970	1,345		9.4%
1980	1,564		16.3%
1990	1,541		−1.5%
2000	1,515		−1.7%
2010	1,541		1.7%
Est. 2014	1,514	^[6]	−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census^[7]

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 1,541 people, 629 households, and 446 families residing in the town. The population density was 33.0 inhabitants per square mile (12.7/km²). There were 909 housing units at an average density of 19.5 per square mile (7.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.6% White, 0.6% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 629 households of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.1% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the town was 47 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.4% were from 25 to 44; 36.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[8] of 2000, there were 1,515 people, 585 households, and 436 families residing in the town. The population density was 32.3 people per square mile (12.5/km²). There were 849 housing units at an average density of 18.1 per square mile (7.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.27% White, 0.33% Native American, 0.13% Asian, and 0.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 585 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.98.

West Peru from Dixfield in 1906

In the town the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,083, and the median income for a family was $43,047. Males had a median income of $32,171 versus $23,214 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,383. About 3.4% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Samuel Thurston, first congressional delegate from Oregon Territory

References

1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
↑ Maine Genealogy: Peru, Oxford County, Maine
↑ Varney, George J. (1886), Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Peru, Boston: Russell
↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

Municipalities and communities of Oxford County, Maine, United States

County seat: Paris

Towns	Andover Bethel Brownfield Buckfield Byron Canton Denmark Dixfield Fryeburg Gilead Greenwood Hanover Hartford Hebron Hiram Lovell Mexico Newry Norway Otisfield Oxford Paris Peru Porter Roxbury Rumford Stoneham Stow Sumner Sweden Upton Waterford West Paris Woodstock

Plantations	Lincoln Plantation Magalloway Plantation

Unorganized territories	Milton North Oxford South Oxford

CDPs	Dixfield Fryeburg Mexico Norway Oxford Rumford South Paris

Other villages	Center Lovell Dickvale Kezar Falls North Waterford Waterford Flat

Androscoggin River watershed

Tributaries	Alder River Bear River Cathance River Chickwolnepy Stream Clear Stream Concord River Cupsuptic River Dead Cambridge River Dead Diamond River Dead River (ME) Dead River (NH) Dead River (Sabattus) East Branch Cupsuptic River East Branch Dead Diamond River East Branch Nezinscot River East Branch Pleasant River East Branch Swift River Ellis River First East Branch Magalloway River Kennebago River Little Androscoggin River Little Dead Diamond River Little East Branch Cupsuptic River Little Magalloway River Little River Magalloway River Middle Branch Dead Diamond River Middle Branch Little Magalloway River Mollidgewock Brook Moose Brook Moose River Muddy River Nezinscot River Peabody River Pleasant River Rangeley River Rapid River Rattle River Sabattus River Sanborn River Second East Branch Magalloway River South Branch Little Dead Diamond River South Branch Sunday River Sunday River Swift Cambridge River Swift Diamond River Swift River Third East Branch Magalloway River Webb River West Branch Dead Diamond River West Branch Ellis River West Branch Little Dead Diamond River West Branch Little Magalloway River West Branch Magalloway River West Branch Nezinscot River West Branch Peabody River West Branch Pleasant River West Branch Swift River Wild River

Lakes	Akers Pond Androscoggin Lake Lake Auburn Aziscohos Lake Echo Lake Greenough Pond Kennebago Lake Mooselookmeguntic Lake Parker Pond Parmachenee Lake Pontook Reservoir Range Ponds Rangeley Lake Richardson Lakes Sabattus Pond Thompson Lake Tripp Pond Success Pond Umbagog Lake Webb Lake

Towns	Albany Andover Auburn Berlin Bethel Bowdoin Brunswick Buckfield Byron Cambridge Canton Carthage Chesterville Dixfield Dummer Durham Errol Fayette Gilead Gorham Greene Greenwood Hanover Hartford Hebron Jay Leeds Lewiston Lisbon Livermore Livermore Falls Mechanic Falls Mexico Minot Monmouth Mount Vernon Newry Norway Otisfield Oxford Paris Peru Pittsburg Poland Randolph Rangeley Readfield Roxbury Rumford Sabattus Shelburne Stewartstown Sumner Topsham Turner Upton Vienna Wales Wayne Weld Wentworth's Location West Paris Woodstock

Landmarks	Brown Company Maine Central Railroad Old Speck Mountain Range Ponds State Park Rumford Mill St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad White Mountains

Coordinates: 44°30′24″N 70°24′19″W / 44.50667°N 70.40528°W / 44.50667; -70.40528

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