Location Map for Alton
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 340 |
| 1980 | 468 |
| 1990 | 771 |
| 2000 | 816 |
| 2010 | 890 |
| Geographic Data | |
|---|---|
| N. Latitude | 45:02:470 |
| W. Longitude | 68:46:15 |
| Maine House | District 121 |
| Maine Senate | District 4 |
| Congress | District 2 |
| Area sq. mi. | (total) 42.8 |
| Area sq. mi. | (land) 42.4 |
| Population/sq.mi. | (land) 21.0 |
County: Penobscot
Total=land+water; Land=land only |
|
Population Trend 1850-2010
The Dead Stream Looking Downstream (2005)
Bridge over the Dead Stream on the Tannery Road (2005)
[AL-tun (not awl-ton)] is a town in Penobscot County, incorporated on March 9, 1844 from a portion of Argyle Plantation. In 1863, and again in 1871, it ceded land to Old Town.
Originally known as Township No. 3, it was bought from the Indians, then part was set aside for Waterville (now Colby) College in 1815.
Alton Municipal Building and Town Office (2005)
Alton Elementary (2005)
Alton’s first U.S. Census showed 252 people in 1850 and more than double (531) in 1860. But the post-Civil War period burst the boom balloon and the population fell steadily to an all-time low of 209 in 1920. Since 1970 the town, nor far from Bangor and the University of Maine in Orono, has steadily gained population.
Alton Bog in Alton is West of I-95 (2003) [Click images to enlarge]
Site of many bogs, the town is bounded on the east by Birch Stream, which runs through the Alton Bog.
Hirundo Wildlife Refuge is the site of an archaeological project along the Pushaw Stream, where evidence suggests occupation by prehistoric Indian cultures dating back approximately 7,000 years. The refuge, located 4 miles west of Interstate 95 on Route 43 in Alton, includes 1,004 acres, and is open to the public year-round for observation of plant and animal life.
[The] Refuge is a self-supporting trust administered by the Trustees of Hirundo Wildlife Refuge. The University of Maine is the beneficiary of the refuge. The refuge was founded as a privately operated refuge by Oliver Larouche in 1976. In 1983, the entire refuge was donated to the University to be used for educational purposes. Although the University administers the Trust, funding is derived solely from private donations and not from the University or the State of Maine. The name, “Hirundo,” is derived from the Latin word, “Hirundinidae”, which is the ornithological term for the tree swallow family, a bird prevalent in this area of Maine.
From http://hirundo.home.mindspring.com/ (accessed May 8, 2005)
2020
Form of Government: Town Meeting-Select Board.
Alton Municipal Building (2020)
Apparent Old Schoolhouse;, now Snowmobile Club (2020)
The Municipal building includes the Town Office, Fire Department, and Auditorium. Adjoining the Municipal Building is the former schoolhouse now the clubhouse for the LaGrange-Alton L.A. Sledders, a snowmobile club. All photos 2020 (click to enlarge).
Houses on Route 16
Houses on Route 16
Mobile Home Park on Route 16
Grocery Store on Route 16
House on Route 16
Barn on Route 16
Additional resources
Borstel, Christopher L. Archaeological Investigations at the Young site, Alton, Maine. Augusta, Me. Maine Historic Preservation Commission. 1982.
Knight, James A. Differential Preservation of Calcined Bone at the Hirundo Site, Alton, Maine. 1985. Thesis (M.S.) in Quaternary Studies–University of Maine.
Sawtell, William R. Alton, Then and Now. Alton, Me. United Methodist Women of the Alton United Methodist Church. 1988; Milo, Me. The Paper Pusher.