Location Map for Hope
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 500 |
| 1980 | 730 |
| 1990 | 1,017 |
| 2000 | 1,310 |
| 2010 | 1,536 |
Population Trend 1810-2010
| Geographic Data | |
|---|---|
| N. Latitude | 44:15:20 |
| W. Latitude | 69:11:19 |
| Maine House | District 95 |
| Maine Senate | District 12 |
| Congress | District 1 |
| Area sq. mi. | (total) 23.8 |
| Area sq. mi. | (land) 21.8 |
| Population/sq.mi. | (land) 70.5 |
| County: Knox
Total=land+water; Land=land only |
|
Hope Community Bible Church (2007)
Veterans Memorial (2003)
[HOPE] is a town in Knox County, settled in 1782 and incorporated on June 23, 1804 from Barretstown Plantation, which was named for the original owner of the land in the area, Charles Barrett. On February 7, 1843, Hope ceded land to form a part of Appleton.
The Gazetteer of Maine observed the town’s economy in 1886:
Hope Village and South Hope are the principal centres of business. The manufactures at the former place are boots and shoes, sleigh-tops, cider vinegar, staves, etc. At the latter place the manufactures are sash, doors and furniture, lumber, staves and heads, carriages, mowing-machines, meal and flour.
Hope Historical Society (2003)
The Hope Historical Society acquired a classic farmhouse for its home.
The town hosts at least one extensive orchard featuring apples and pears, among other products. Orchards such as this may have provided the ingredients for the cider vinegar of the 1880’s.
Apple Orchard (2007)
Pear Orchard (2007)
Located just northwest of Camden on Maine Routes 105 and 235, Hope has a cluster of lakes and ponds attractive to summer vacationers. They include Alford Lake in the south central portion of the town, and the chained pair of Hobbs Pond and Fish Pond, the south end of which terminates at South Hope.
The town’s population has more than tripled since 1970, and in the 2000-2010 decade continued growing by over 17 percent.
Form of Government: Town Meeting-Select Board-Administrator.
Additional resources
Dunton, Abner F. In Redskin Days: a chapter from the early history of Barrett’s Pond now Hope. 19?? (Cataloger Note: Includes mounted newspaper clipping from the Rockland Courier Gazette, November 20, 1930 entitled How Hope was named.) [Maine State Library]
Hardy, Anna Simpson. History of Hope, Maine. Camden, Me. Penobscot Press. Hope, Me. Available from A.S. Hardy. 1990.
Stories of Hope: from the past, for the future: oral histories collected for the bicentennial celebration of the town of Hope, Maine. By students of Hope School. South Hope, Me. 2004.