Maine Townships: Difference between revisions
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''[[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Maine]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]'' '''Maine townships''' | |||
''' | '''Unorganized territory. ''' In Maine a '''township''' is an unorganized territory roughly the size of a town, but usually with a relatively smaller population. Populated coastal islands outside municipal borders are also usually included in the list of townships. Most services for townships are handled by the state government.<ref name="Muni">Municipalities section of "Maine" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine (accessed 27 February 2013).</ref> | ||
''' | '''Fewer records. ''' No town meetings are held, and no town meeting minutes are kept in townships. It would be unusual for a township to have its own record-keeping official. The township's county registrar of deeds should have the township's land records. Nearby towns in the county also '''''may ''''' keep a few historical facts about people who live in neighboring townships. | ||
''' | '''Changes in status. ''' Townships can decide to organize into a town government, or a plantation. Also, from time to time, towns may choose to become townships. If a former town has a declining population, and its citizens decide to discontinue as a town, they stop holding town meetings and the former town's records are usually transferred to a nearby functioning town. | ||
''' | '''Names. ''' Some townships have names ''such as'' • [[Hancock County, Maine|Fletchers Landing]], • [[Somerset County, Maine|Big W]], or • [[Kennebec County, Maine|Unity Township]]. Other townships are known more by their numbers ''such as'' • [[Somerset County, Maine|Township 4 R17 West of the Easterly Line of the State]], • [[Washington County, Maine|Township 37 Middle Division]], or • [[Franklin County, Maine|Township 6 North of Weld]]. Many of Maine's unorganized territories are known by both a name and and number. | ||
''' | '''Township groups. ''' Some counties of Maine list their townships within larger geographic locations ''such as '' [[Washington County, Maine|East Central Washington]], [[Oxford County, Maine|North Oxford]], or [[Somerset County, Maine|Seboomook Lake]]. Moreover, in some counties, a few of the townships are split into two of the groupings (as shown on such counties' FamilySearch Wiki maps by a bright-green line). | ||
''' | '''Other unorganized territories. ''' In addition to being labelled a township, sometimes an unorganized territory of Maine may instead be called a gore, grant, island, patent, purchase, strip, surplus, territory, or tract. Such units are similar to a township in their lack of government, and lack of organized record-keeping. | ||
''' | '''Plantations. ''' Nevertheless, in Maine plantations are between towns and townships in their level of government organization. For examples of Maine plantations and their records, see [[Coplin, Maine|Coplin]], [[Matinicus Isle, Maine|Matinicus Isle]], or [[Monhegan, Maine|Monhegan]]. | ||
''' | '''Statistics. ''' Maine has about 425 townships (unincorporated territories), 34 plantations,<ref>"List of plantations in Maine" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_plantations_in_Maine (accessed 27 February 2013).</ref> 454 towns or cities, and three Indian reservations. The unorganized township territories include slightly over half the land area of Maine.<ref name="Muni" /> | ||
== References == | === References === | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
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{{Maine|Maine}} | {{Maine|Maine}} | ||
[[Category:Maine | [[Category:Maine]] | ||
Revision as of 12:58, 27 February 2013
United States 
Maine Maine townships
Unorganized territory. In Maine a township is an unorganized territory roughly the size of a town, but usually with a relatively smaller population. Populated coastal islands outside municipal borders are also usually included in the list of townships. Most services for townships are handled by the state government.[1]
Fewer records. No town meetings are held, and no town meeting minutes are kept in townships. It would be unusual for a township to have its own record-keeping official. The township's county registrar of deeds should have the township's land records. Nearby towns in the county also may keep a few historical facts about people who live in neighboring townships.
Changes in status. Townships can decide to organize into a town government, or a plantation. Also, from time to time, towns may choose to become townships. If a former town has a declining population, and its citizens decide to discontinue as a town, they stop holding town meetings and the former town's records are usually transferred to a nearby functioning town.
Names. Some townships have names such as • Fletchers Landing, • Big W, or • Unity Township. Other townships are known more by their numbers such as • Township 4 R17 West of the Easterly Line of the State, • Township 37 Middle Division, or • Township 6 North of Weld. Many of Maine's unorganized territories are known by both a name and and number.
Township groups. Some counties of Maine list their townships within larger geographic locations such as East Central Washington, North Oxford, or Seboomook Lake. Moreover, in some counties, a few of the townships are split into two of the groupings (as shown on such counties' FamilySearch Wiki maps by a bright-green line).
Other unorganized territories. In addition to being labelled a township, sometimes an unorganized territory of Maine may instead be called a gore, grant, island, patent, purchase, strip, surplus, territory, or tract. Such units are similar to a township in their lack of government, and lack of organized record-keeping.
Plantations. Nevertheless, in Maine plantations are between towns and townships in their level of government organization. For examples of Maine plantations and their records, see Coplin, Matinicus Isle, or Monhegan.
Statistics. Maine has about 425 townships (unincorporated territories), 34 plantations,[2] 454 towns or cities, and three Indian reservations. The unorganized township territories include slightly over half the land area of Maine.[1]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Municipalities section of "Maine" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine (accessed 27 February 2013).
- ↑ "List of plantations in Maine" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_plantations_in_Maine (accessed 27 February 2013).