Follow
This project is part of the State of Maine Portal.=
Sagadahoc County, Maine is a county in southeastern Maine, along the North Atlantic Ocean coast. As of the 2010 census, the population was 35,293. Its county seat is Bath, an important tourism center. In geographic area, it is the smallest county in Maine.
Sagadahoc County is part of the Portland-South Portland, ME Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is home to the Pond Island National Wildlife Refuge.
History
Samuel de Champlain led the first known visit of Europeans to the region. In 1607, the English Popham Colony was established in what is now Phippsburgh; it was abandoned a year later, but English fishermen and trappers continued to visit the area. John Smith explored the region in 1614 and reported back to King Charles I, who named the Sagadahoc area "Leethe."
When the Plymouth Council for New England was dissolved in 1635, 10,000 acres (40 km2) on the east side of the Kennebec River were divided up and granted to private owners. Over the years, these proprietors extended their claims through additional land grants, purchases from Native Americans, and exploitation of the often poorly defined boundaries of their lands. By 1660, Englishmen held the titles to the whole of what is now Sagadahoc County.
When King Philip’s War broke out in 1675, the plundering of one house was the only hostile act in Sagadahoc County until August, 1676, at which point three settlements were attacked and 53 people taken captive by Native Americans. The region was almost totally abandoned by settlers, and no permanent settlement was established until 1715, when Arrowsic and Brunswick were founded. Scotch-Irish Presbyterians began immigrating to the region in increasingly large numbers, though occasional violence persisted until 1759, when the French and Indian Wars ended in Maine.
Steam power was first used on the Kennebec as early as 1818 for propelling boats, leading to Bath's status as an important port and shipbuilding center. What became the Bath branch of the Maine Central Railroad was completed in 1849; and the Knox and Lincoln Railroad was opened in 1871. The first newspaper was published in the county in 1820.
Ethnic Groups
The racial makeup of the county in 2010 was 96.2% white, 0.8% Asian, 0.7% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.9% were English, 16.8% were Irish, 11.8% were German, 8.1% were French Canadian, 6.6% were Italian, 6.5% were Scottish, and 6.4% were American. In 2000, 96.1% spoke English and 2.2% French as their first language.
About the Project
Please use this project to add, research, document, and discuss your ancestors from Sagadahoc County. You can add profiles for:
- People born in Sagadahoc County
- People who lived in Sagadahoc County
- People who died in Sagadahoc County
When you find helpful resources for research, please share them here so that others can benefit.
If you have projects related specifically to Sagadahoc County, like projects for towns or families centered within the county, you can also add those.
If you have any questions, suggestions, or general thoughts to share, please use the "Discussions" link at the upper right corner of the page.