Calais, Maine
From Free net encyclopedia
Calais is a city in the state of Maine in the United States on the St. Croix River on the border with St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. It is located in Washington County, Maine. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,447. Its name is pronounced as callous, not the French-style cal-ayy Template:Audio.
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History
The River and its area were first explored by Samuel de Champlain when he and his men spent a winter there in the early 1600s. However, the first permanent settlers did not arrive until 1770.
On June 27, 1789, the Massachusetts General Court sold the township to Mr. Waterman Thomas for 19¢ an acre. On June 16, 1809, the area was incorporated as a town. The city was given the name Calais after its ancient counterpart in France in honor of France's very significant contribution to American independence during the American Revolution. The State of Maine granted a City Charter on August 24, 1850.
Since 1948, the City of Calais has functioned under the Council/Manager form of government. The City's charter bestows upon the mayor and council the responsibility to set policy for all local matters. The mayor is elected at large for a two-year term while the six councilors are elected at large for three-year terms on a staggered, non-partisan basis.
Notable persons born in Calais:
- Horatio Nelson Young, (1845-1913)
Calais Today
Due to changes in shipping routes, Calais is no longer the hot-spot it once was. Business in Calais is a concern, as evidenced by the several empty storefronts on Main Street. Attempts to improve Calais' economic viability have been attempted recently (notably the recent Downeast Heritage Center) yet have failed to produce long-term results. Many of the town's residents work at the Domtar paper mill in nearby Baileyville or in other nearby towns rather than in Calais proper. Many high-school and college graduates look outside of Calais for their futures, as job security is always a problem. Furthermore, drugs (mostly through the Canadian border) are a large concern and Calais has one of the largest perscription drug abuse problems per capita in the entire world.
Every summer Calais, in cooperation with nearby St. Stephen, holds the annual International Festival. This festival celebrates the unique atmosphere of the border-towns and their mutual friendship. The week-long festival includes concerts, dances, fireworks, a home-made raft race down the St. Croix river, and several other public events in order to bring the population together. It culminates in the Street Fair, an event which begins with a parade through the Main Street of St. Stephen, across the border, and down Main Street of Calais, followed by the closing of Main Street to traffic and a day-long fair.
Geography
Calais is located at 45°9'58" North, 67°14'33" West (45.166045, -67.242434)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 103.7 km² (40.0 mi²). 88.2 km² (34.0 mi²) of it is land and 15.5 km² (6.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 14.94% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 3,447 people, 1,486 households, and 904 families residing in the city. The population density was 39.1/km² (101.3/mi²). There were 1,921 housing units at an average density of 21.8/km² (56.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.81% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.61% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,486 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,623, and the median income for a family was $39,118. Males had a median income of $37,684 versus $20,058 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,135. 16.8% of the population and 11.1% of families were below the poverty line. 18.5% of those under the age of 18 and 19.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Media
There are a few television stations (mostly from Saint John's, New Brunswick and Bangor, Maine that serve Calais via rebroadcast transmitters:
| Call letters | Analog Channel | Digital Channel | Network | City and state | Origin Station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBAT-TV | 4 | Unknown | CBC | Saint John, NB | CBAT-TV |
| CBAFT-1 5 | 5 | Unknown | SRC | Saint John, NB | CBAFT-TV |
| CKLT-TV | 9 | Unknown | CTV | Saint John, NB | CKLT-TV |
| CIHF-2 12 | 12 | Unknown | Global | Saint John, NB | CIHF-TV |
| Maine Public Broadcasting Network | 13 | 10.1, 10.2 | MPBN/PBS | Calais, ME | Maine Public Broadcasting Network |
| W21BH | 21 | Unknown | TBN | Machias, ME | W21BH |
| W57AQ | 57 | 8 | NBC | Calais, ME | WLBZ |
| W61AO | 61 | None | CBS | Calais, ME | WABI-TV |
Stations available on Cable:
- WVII (ABC), (Bangor)
- WBAN (The WB/[[The WB 100+]]) (Cable-Only), (Bangor)
- Atlantic Satellite Network (In St. Stephen, New Brunswick)