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Kennebec County, Maine is a county in south-central Maine. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,151. Its county seat is Augusta, the state capital. The county was established on February 20, 1799 from portions of Cumberland and Lincoln Counties. The name
Kennebec comes from the Eastern Abenaki /kínipekʷ/, meaning "large body of still water" or "large bay."

Kennebec County comprises the Augusta-Waterville, ME Micropolitan Statistical Area.

In 2010, the center of population of Maine was located in Kennebec County, in the city of Augusta.

History

Kennebec County's economy has traditionally been industrial. A large amount of paper and textiles were produced, and mills sprung up all along the Kennebec River.

The area was first explored by 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 unoccupied for the next 75 years. This area was inhabited by the Canibas Indians. During the 17th century they were on friendly terms with the English settlers in the region.

Ethnic Groups

In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 97.45% White, 0.34% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.6% were of English, 17.4% French, 13.4% French Canadian, 10.9% United States or American and 9.9% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.5% spoke only English at home, while 5.48% spoke French.

The ethnic makeup of the county in 2010 was 24.2% English, 17.0% Irish, 8.3% German, 7.7% French Canadian, 5.7% American, and 5.4% Scottish.

There are many churches in Kennebec County, the largest including Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Congregationalist, Unitarian, Church of the Nazarene, Church of Christ, Adventist and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). However, the largest single denomination is Roman Catholicism.

• Wikipedia: Kennebec County, Maine

About the Project

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