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24-577: The Perkins Homestead , also known as the Brick House , is a historic homestead at 478 River Road in Newcastle, Maine . The 57-acre (23 ha) property, including its 1837 brick farmhouse, was designated a National Historic Landmark for its association with the life of Frances Perkins (1880–1965), the first woman to hold a position in the United States Cabinet . Perkins spent many years, both as

48-601: A child and later as an adult, at this property, which she considered to be her true home. The property was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009 as the Brick House Historic District in part for its archaeological significance. The Perkins Homestead occupies 57 acres (23 ha) of land on the east side of River Road, about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the center of Newcastle, Maine . The roughly rectangular property slopes from

72-449: A household in the town was $ 43,000, and the median income for a family was $ 51,250. Males had a median income of $ 33,750 versus $ 28,466 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 24,289. About 4.2% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, there were 1,752 people, 787 households, and 505 families living in

96-467: A variety of uses, including as a chicken house and art studio. The property has been owned by the Perkins family for more than 250 years. When Frances Perkins was a child, she often spent summers with her grandmother on the property, and it was her home in the later years of her life. She and members of her immediate family are buried in the family cemetery, which is on the property. Perkins, born in 1880,

120-503: Is important in local commerce for tourism, Oyster and Mussel Farming as well as other forms of aquaculture, clamming, marine worming and fishing. Damariscotta Mills is a place where locals gather every year (May–June) to celebrate the “Annual Alewife Festival” which sees millions of alewives returning to the Damariscotta River. This festival is attracting more people through the years. The centerpiece of this annual alewife festival

144-473: Is the newly rebuilt/renovated Damariscotta Stone Fish Ladder. This fish ladder was constructed in 1807 to bypass the Damariscotta Mills Dam but the fish ladder was falling into dis-repair by 2007. With local community support and financing this unique stone fish ladder was fully re-constructed between 2007 and 2013. This reconstitution has once again allowed alewives to increase into the millions along

168-628: The Duke of Newcastle . In 1978, the village of Sheepscot on the Sheepscot River in western Newcastle was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Sheepscot Historic District . It includes 51 buildings in the Italianate , Greek Revival , and Federal styles, on 12,000 acres (49 km ). (The USGS recognizes Sheepscott, Shepscooke, Shippscutt, and Shipscot as variants of

192-486: The Duke of York . Renamed New Dartmouth, the plantation was attacked and destroyed in 1676 during King Philip's War . When the war was over, some of the inhabitants returned. But it was destroyed again in 1689 during King William's War , and the village was not reoccupied for about 40 years. In 1730, Colonel David Dunbar, the superintendent and governor of the Province of Sagadahoc, resettled it as Newcastle, named in honor of

216-757: The Interior Deb Haaland visited the Homestead in August 2024 while advocates and the Perkins Center call for the site to be designated a national monument . Newcastle, Maine Newcastle is a town in Lincoln County , Maine , United States. The population was 1,848 at the 2020 census . The village of Newcastle is located in the eastern part of the town, on the Damariscotta River . Together with

240-427: The age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.8% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.70. The median age in

264-561: The country was suffering great unemployment in the Great Depression . Perkins was responsible for seeing through legislative enactment of significant labor reforms, including the 40-hour work week, bans on child labor, and unemployment and worker compensation programs. Perkins regularly spent summers at the Maine homestead, and inherited it with her sister in 1927. She was its primary resident and caretaker until her death in 1965. The property

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288-477: The name Sheepscot.) According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 32.57 square miles (84.36 km ), of which 29.05 square miles (75.24 km ) is land and 3.52 square miles (9.12 km ) is water. Newcastle is situated beside the Damariscotta River . The town is crossed by U. S. Route 1 and state routes 194 and 215 . It borders the towns of Jefferson to

312-504: The north, Edgecomb to the south, and Alna to the northwest. Separated by water, it is near the towns of Wiscasset to the southwest, and Nobleboro , Damariscotta , Bristol and South Bristol to the east. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,748 people, 724 households, and 493 families living in the town. The population density was 60.3 inhabitants per square mile (23.3/km ). There were 880 housing units at an average density of 30.4 per square mile (11.7/km ). The racial makeup of

336-495: The outlet of Damariscotta Lake , at Damariscotta Mills, a village straddling the boundary between the towns of Newcastle and Nobleboro . Damariscotta Lake extends 12 miles (19 km) north into the town of Jefferson and is fed from tributaries originating as far north as Washington and Somerville, Maine . From the lake's outlet, the Damariscotta River drops 50 feet (15 m) over just 0.1 miles (0.16 km) through Damariscotta Mills before reaching tidewater, at an arm of

360-436: The remains of several other Perkins family residences, and the remains of a brickmaking operation. This area also includes the archaeological remains of an 18th-century garrison house. The homestead complex consists of a brick two-story house, built in 1837, which is connected by a series of additions to a barn that was originally freestanding. A short way east of the barn is a small late-19th century outbuilding, which has seen

384-660: The river known as Salt Bay. The tidal Damariscotta flows southward between Newcastle, Edgecomb and Boothbay on the west and Damariscotta , Bristol and South Bristol on the east, reaching the Atlantic Ocean between Linekin Neck on the west and Inner Heron Island on the east. It is a navigable river for nearly its entire 19-mile (31 km) length, to the bridge between Newcastle and Nobleboro ( 44°03′36″N 69°31′30″W  /  44.060°N 69.525°W  / 44.060; -69.525  ( Damariscotta River head ) ). It

408-468: The road down to the Damariscotta River , which like the road runs generally north–south. The westernmost part of the property includes all of its buildings, a walled garden, and a tract of historic farmland just north of the building complex. The central portion of the property is forested, with paths lined by stone walls leading to agricultural fields in the plain adjacent to the river. The easternmost area, in addition to these agricultural fields, includes

432-445: The town was 49.6 years. 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 33.4% were from 45 to 64; and 23.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.7% male and 52.3% female. 44°02′06″N 69°32′12″W  /  44.03500°N 69.53667°W  / 44.03500; -69.53667 Damariscotta River The Damariscotta River begins at

456-536: The town was 98.74% White , 0.11% African American , 0.11% Native American , 0.29% Asian , 0.06% from other races , and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population. There were 724 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who

480-467: The town. The population density was 60.3 inhabitants per square mile (23.3/km ). There were 992 housing units at an average density of 34.1 per square mile (13.2/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 97.8% White , 0.1% African American , 0.5% Native American , 0.3% Asian , 0.1% from other races , and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population. There were 787 households, of which 23.8% had children under

504-510: The village of Damariscotta linked by the Main Street bridge, they form the Twin Villages (see Damariscotta-Newcastle CDP ). Originally called Sheepscot Plantation, Newcastle was first settled in the 1630s by fishermen and around 50 families. Around 1649–1650, John Mason purchased a tract of land from the sachems Chief Robinhood and Chief Jack Pudding. The territory was claimed in 1665 by

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528-452: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.86. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. The median income for

552-590: Was educated at Mount Holyoke College , and was working as a social worker in New York City when the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire occurred in 1911. Perkins's profile was raised by her leadership in advocating for changes to fire codes in the aftermath of the blaze, which killed 146 workers. Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933, a time when

576-543: Was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its pre-20th century historical and archaeological importance in 2009, and was designated a National Historic Landmark for its association with Perkins in 2014. The property is currently run by the Frances Perkins Center , a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring current and future generations to understand and uphold the government’s role in providing social justice and economic security for all. Secretary of

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