Long Island
Long Island is a town located in Cumberland County, Maine that seceded from the City of Portland in 1993. The decision to separate was caused primarily by a desire for independent control of island taxation and spending. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 202.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.9 km©Ö (10.4 mi©Ö). 3.7 km©Ö (1.4 mi©Ö) of it is land and 23.2 km©Ö (9.0 mi©Ö) of it is water. The total area is 86.24% water.
The median income for a household in the town is $35,833, and the median income for a family is $43,214. Males have a median income of $28,125 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the town is $15,278. 10.0% of the population and 10.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
There are 175 registered voters on Long Island.
Long Island maintains it own elementary school from grades K-5, but sends students to the City of Portland for schooling from grades 6 through 12.
History
Long Island, like other Casco Bay islands, was originally inhabited by Native Americans until settlers first arrived in the 1600Ís. Ignatius Cushing became the first permanent resident to live on the island in 1730, and soon after, other settlers arrived to make a livelihood out of farming, fishing, and catching lobsters.
During WWII, supply stations and army buildings were constructed on the island to add to Casco BayÍs defenses in the event of an Axis powers attack. This included a fuel annex, which is often cited as a source of contamination for both the island's marsh and Casco Bay.
After the war, tourism became the most popular industry, and several small stores, a fire station, and a K-5 school 1953 were built. In the summer, several hundreds or even thousands of tourists traveled from places such as Massachusetts and New York in order to vacation in their summer cottages.
The island was originally part of the City of Portland, which re-evaluated property taxes in 1990. Due in part to high real estate prices paid by out-of-state residents, property taxes increased substantially. Many residents, although dependant upon Portland for jobs, medical care, transportation and education, felt this move created an unfair discrepancy between the money paid to the City of Portland and the services they received in return. The island voted to secede from Portland, and on July 1, 1993, the island was declared the Town of Long Island.
Long Island is still a popular destination in the summer, and is an approximately 45-minute ferry ride from Portland. Popular attractions include Sandy Beach and its alleged "singing sands," the Town of Long Island Conservation Area, or and the backshore rocks on the east end of the island.
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