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Augusta, Maine

Augusta is the capital city of the U.S.
Population 18,899

Top Events in Augusta History

1
1607History
English settlers from the Popham Colony at the mouth of the Kennebec River explored the area in 1607.
2
1625Architecture
In 1625, representatives of Plymouth Colony chose the east shore of the Kennebec for a trading post, which was likely built in 1628 and became known as "Cushnoc".
3
1628Government
Twenty-one years later, English settlers from the Plymouth Colony settled in the area in 1628 as part of a trading post on the Kennebec River.
4
1661History
Fur trading was at first profitable, but because of Native uprisings and declining revenues, Plymouth Colony sold the Kennebec Patent in 1661.
5
1722Military
In 1722, the tribe and its allies attacked Fort Richmond (now Richmond) and destroyed Brunswick.
6
1724Military
In response, English forces sacked Norridgewock in 1724 during Dummer's War, when the English gained tentative control of the Kennebec.
7
1754Military
The Kennebec Proprietors, successors to the Plymouth Company, built Fort Western near the site of the abandoned trading post in 1754 and began settlement efforts.
8
1771Government
The new village was incorporated as Hallowell in 1771, and the upriver part of town separated in 1797 to form the town of Harrington.
9
1797Government
On June 9, 1797, Harrington changed its name to Augusta and, in 1827, it was designated capital of Maine.
10
1799History
In 1799, it was designated as the county seat for the newly created Kennebec County.

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Historical Timeline

1607History
English settlers from the Popham Colony at the mouth of the Kennebec River explored the area in 1607.
1625Architecture
In 1625, representatives of Plymouth Colony chose the east shore of the Kennebec for a trading post, which was likely built in 1628 and became known as "Cushnoc".
1628Government
Twenty-one years later, English settlers from the Plymouth Colony settled in the area in 1628 as part of a trading post on the Kennebec River.
1661History
Fur trading was at first profitable, but because of Native uprisings and declining revenues, Plymouth Colony sold the Kennebec Patent in 1661.
1722Military
In 1722, the tribe and its allies attacked Fort Richmond (now Richmond) and destroyed Brunswick.
1724Military
In response, English forces sacked Norridgewock in 1724 during Dummer's War, when the English gained tentative control of the Kennebec.
1754Military
The Kennebec Proprietors, successors to the Plymouth Company, built Fort Western near the site of the abandoned trading post in 1754 and began settlement efforts.
1771Government
The new village was incorporated as Hallowell in 1771, and the upriver part of town separated in 1797 to form the town of Harrington.
1797Government
On June 9, 1797, Harrington changed its name to Augusta and, in 1827, it was designated capital of Maine.
1799History
In 1799, it was designated as the county seat for the newly created Kennebec County.
1820History
Maine became a state in 1820 as a result of the Missouri Compromise.
1827Government
Augusta was designated as its capital in 1827, over Portland, and rival communities Brunswick and Hallowell.
1828Military
Fort Western has not had troops garrisoned there since the 1790s, but in 1828, the U.S.
1832Government
The Maine State Legislature continued meeting in Portland, however, until the completion of the Maine State House in 1832, designed by Charles Bulfinch.
1837Architecture
In 1837, a dam was built across the Kennebec where the falls drop 15 feet at the head of a tide.
1838Economy
By 1838, 10 sawmills were contracted.
1840History
In 1840 and 1850, the city ranked among the 100 largest urban populations in the country.
1849Government
Augusta was incorporated as a city in 1849.
1851Infrastructure
With the arrival of the Kennebec & Portland Railroad in 1851, Augusta became an even more productive mill town.
1859History
The city installed gas lights in 1859.
1865Disaster
Many fires damaged this concentrated area, including one in 1865 that destroyed nearly 100 buildings.
1880History
A telephone service was available in 1880 and a local hospital in 1898.
1883History
In 1883, the property of A.
1884Architecture
Secretary of State and 1884 Republican presidential nominee Horatio Bridge, U.S.
1890History
In 1890, the first trolley line began operation down Water Street, connecting Augusta with Gardiner and Hallowell to the south.
1929Government
In 1929, the state legislature approved the placement of the Augusta State Airport next to the camp.
1932History
In 1932, buses replaced the trolley line.
1955Infrastructure
With the completion of the Maine Turnpike and Interstate 95 in 1955, local commercial developments began to move away from Water Street and closer to the highway.
1987Disaster
The Maine flood of 1987, known as the "Great Flood", affected the city.
1988History
Bush in the Republican landslide of 1988.
2000History
=== 2000 census === As of the census of 2000, there were 18,560 people, 8,565 households, and 4,607 families residing in the city.
2010History
== Demographics == === 2010 census === As of the census of 2010, there were 19,136 people, 8,802 households, and 4,490 families residing in the city.
2012Government
In the 2012 presidential election, Barack Obama received 5,192 of the votes to Mitt Romney's 3,339.
2020Government
In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden won 5,248 votes to Donald Trump's 4,155.

Did You Know?

1
Augusta is located in the state of Maine.
2
Augusta has a population of 18,899 residents.
3
The city's population was 18,899 at the 2020 United States census, making it the 12th-most populous city in Maine, and third-least populous state capital in the United States.

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Famous People from Augusta, Maine

J(
John Appleton (judge)
Judge · Born Jul 12, 1804 · Died Feb 7, 1891 (age 86)
RD
Richard Dysart
Actor · Born Mar 30, 1929 · Died Apr 5, 2015 (age 86)
PE
Peter Edes
Printer · Born Dec 17, 1756 · Died Mar 30, 1840 (age 83)
LF
Laura Fortman
Government Employee, Non-Profit Executive, Women'S Rights Activist · Born 1954 · Age 72
MB
Martha Ballard
Midwife, Healer, Diarist · Born Feb 20, 1735 · Died May 7, 1812 (age 77)
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