Curlie

Counties

State Counties Song (sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle ) Sixteen counties has our state; Cumberland and Franklin, Piscataquis and Kennebec, Aroostook, Androscoggin, Waldo, Washington, and York, Lincoln, Knox and Hancock, Somerset and Sagadahoc, Oxford and Penobscot!

There are sixteen counties in the state of Maine. Please submit sites to this category that focus on all 16 counties.

Sites for single counties should be submitted to the appropriate category.

Androscoggin

Formed from Cumberland, Oxford, Kennebec and Lincoln Counties. Name from Indian word meaning "where alewives are cured." Incorporated March 18, 1854. Twelve towns and two cities. Auburn, county seat. Area 459 square miles. -Maine Register-

Submit only sites that focus on Androscoggin county.

Aroostook

Originally part of Penobscot and Washington Counties. Named for Indian word meaning "beautiful river." Incorporated March 16, 1839. Enlarged March 21, 1843, by additions from Penobscot and March 12, 1844, by additions from Piscataquis and Somerset Counties. Contains two cities, 54 towns and 11 plantations. Area, 6,453 square miles. Houlton, county seat. -Maine Register-

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Cumberland

Incorporated, 1760 and named for William, Duke of Cumberland, son of George II. Originally included Androscoggin, Franklin, and parts of Oxford, Kennebec and Somerset counties. Twenty two towns, three cities. Area is 853 square miles. Portland is the county seat. -Maine Register-

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Franklin

Incorporated March 20, 1838. Contains eighteen towns, four organized plantations, twenty two unorganized townships and three gores. Encompasses 1,789 square miles. County Seat is in Farmington. -Maine Register-

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Hancock

Named after Governor John Hancock of Massachusetts. Incorporated in 1789, county area is 1,522 square miles. Acadia National Park, 10,000 acres, is located on Mt. Desert Island. There is one city, 36 towns and 15 unorganized territories. Ellsworth is the County Seat. -Maine Register-

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Kennebec

Name comes from the Indian word meaning "wide and placid river." The sixth county incorporated (1799). Contains twenty five town, four cities and one unorganized township. County seat is Augusta (State Capital). 879 square miles. -Maine Register-

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Knox

Formed from Lincoln and Waldo Counties. Incorporated in 1860 and named for General Henry Knox, a friend and member of President George Washington's cabinet, whose residence was in Thomaston. Contains one city, sixteen towns, one organized plantation and one unorganized township. Rockland is the County Seat. Knox County is approximately 374 square miles along midcoast Maine. -Maine Register-

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Lincoln

Named for Benjamin Lincoln of Boston. Incorporated 1760. 457 square mile area. Contains 18 towns and one plantation. County seat is in Wiscasset. -Maine Register-

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Oxford

Covers 2,023 square miles. Originally the northern part of York and Cumberland. Incorporated the 7th county, 1805. Thirty four towns, two organized plantation and 19 unorganized townships. Paris is the County seat. -Maine Register-

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Penobscot

Penobscot, meaning "place of rocky shores". Incorporated the 9th county. Fifty three towns, three cities and five plantations. Bangor is the County Seat. Encompasses 3,258 square miles. -Maine Register-

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Piscataquis

From the Indian word meaning "river branch". Incorporated 1838. Contains 17 town, two organized plantations and 28 named, unorganized townships. 3,770 square miles. County Seat is Dover-Foxcroft. -Maine Register-

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Sagadahoc

From the Indian word meaning, "mouth of the river." Incorporated 1854. 250 square miles. Contains one city, nine towns and one township. Bath is the County Seat. -Maine Register-

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Somerset

Once part of Kennebec, this county was incorporated 1809. It contains 27 towns and 6 plantations. Skowhegan is the County Seat. 3633 square miles. -information from Maine Register-

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Waldo

Named after General Samuel Waldo, a Boston merchant who brought the Muscongus Patent around 1737. Renamed Waldo Patent after General Henry Knox purchased the land from Waldo's heirs. Incorporated in 1827. Contains 25 towns and one city. Belfast is the county seat. 724 square miles. -Maine Register-

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Washington

True Downeast, borders New Brunswick, Canada. Named for first American President George Washington. Incorporated 1789. Contains 2528 square miles. Two cities, 41 towns and 3 plantations. County seat is Machias. -Maine Register-

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York

A county rich with history, the original name given by Gorges to his Provinces was New Somersetshire. In 1638, Gorges nephew, Captain William Gorges became Governor. By the charter to Gorges of 1639 from Charles I, the whole Province received the name of MAINE. In 1658, Massachusetts enforced jurisdiction over the territory and gave it the name YORKSHIRE. York County is the oldest county in the state with extensive County records which can still be found at the courthouse in Alfred. The earliest recorded documents date from 1636. York County now encompasses 989 square miles. Contains two cities and 27 towns. Alfred remains as the County Seat. -Maine Register-

Submit sites that focus on York county.