East Branch of the Sebasticook River in Detroit Village

Location Map for Detroit

Location Map for Detroit

Year Population
1970 633
1980 744
1990 751
2000 816
2010 852
Detroit Population Chart 1830-2010

Population Trend 1830-2010

Geographic Data
N. Latitude 44:46:14
W. Longitude 69:18:09
Maine House District 106
Maine Senate District 4
Congress District 2
Area sq. mi. (total) 20.4
Area sq. mi. (land)20.3
Population/sq.mi. (land) 42.0
County: Somerset

Total=land+water; Land=land only
Veterans Memorial in Detroit (2002)

Veterans Memorial in Detroit (2002)

East Branch of Martin Stream (2002)

East Branch of Martin Stream (2002)

[DEE-troyt] is a town in Somerset County, incorporated on February 19, 1828 as Chandlerville, which was previously known as Plantation Number Five, R2, N.W.P. Its name was changed to Detroit on March 18, 1841.

According to Brian McCauley, “Detroit is the French word for ‘straights’ in a river. The town was first called Chanderville and named after the straights in the Sebasticook River in 1848.”*

"The Maine Store" in the Village (2002)

“The Maine Store” (2002)

Early pioneers were Joseph and Amos Chandler. General John Chandler was a large landowner and namesake of the town at incorporation.

More white settlers began arriving early in the 19th century, including members of the Frye family who were substantial landowners and builders of a large tannery in 1842.

The East Branch of the Sebasticook River flows through the village on its way to Sebasticook Lake in Newport. In 1886, George Varney observed,

At the “Rips” near the village in the north-eastern part of the town, there is a fall of 30 to 40 feet in one-fourth of a mile. The power is estimated to be equal to sawing 10,000,000 feet of lumber annually. The manufactures here are a lumber and shingle mill, a grist mill, carriage factory, jurning and jig-sawing.

Granite and limestone, suitable for building, are found in the town. Farming is the principal occupation, and is found profitable.

He also noted that Detroit had two public schoolhouses and that the population in 1880 was 661.

Just south of Newport at the Interstate 95 interchange, the village is served by Maine Routes 11/100, 69, and 220.

The general store and a small park with the veterans memorial are in the village.

 

Veterans Memorial in Detroit (2002)

Veterans Memorial (2002)

Detroit Fire Department (2014)

Fire Department (2014) @


Gazebo at Detroit Town Park (2014)

Gazebo at Detroit Town Park (2014) @

Gazebo at Detroit Town Park (2014)

Gazebo at Detroit Town Park (2014) @

Bell on Meetinghouse Grounds (2014)

Bell on Meetinghouse Grounds (2014) @

Detroit Meeting House (2014)

Detroit Meeting House (2014) @

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several agricultural products facilities were on the outskirts of Detroit Village on the North Road near a railroad line in 2014.

Northeast Agricultural Sales (2014)

NE Agricultural Sales @

Northeast Agricultural Sales (2014)

NE Agricultural Sales @

Feed Commodities (2014)

Feed Commodities (2014)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Form of Government: Town Meeting-Select Board.

Detroit Town Office and Library (2014)

Detroit Town Office and Library (2014) @

Detroit Post Office (2014)

Detroit Post Office (2014) @

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional resources

*The date of 1848 conflicts with the citation of “March 18, 1841” in Counties, Cities, Towns, and Plantations of Maine.

Fernald, Douglas Ira. Detroit, Maine, 1828-1978: Saga of a Sebasticook Town. c1977. (Thorndike, Me. Hutchins Brothers)

McCauley, Brian. The Names of Maine. p. 65.

Varney, George J. A Gazetteer of the State of Maine. 1886. p. 199.

[DEE-troyt] is a town in Somerset County, incorporated on February 19, 1828 as Chandlerville, which was previously known as Plantation Number Five, R2, N.W.P. Its name was changed to Detroit on March 18, 1841. The East Branch of Martin Stream flows through the village on its way to Sebasticook Lake in Newport.

East Branch of Martin Stream

Early pioneers were Joseph and Amos Chandler.  General John Chandler was a large landowner and namesake of the town at incorporation.

More white settlers began arriving early in the 19th century, including members of the Frye family who were substantial landowners and builders of a large tannery in 1842.

"The Maine Store" in Detroit village
“The Maine Store” in the village

Just south of Newport at the Interstate 95 interchange, the village is served by Maine Routes 11/100, 69, and 220.

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