Its Register listings are the Lincolnville Center Meeting House, the Tranquility Grange No. 344 and the George Ulmer House. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1941 on, and the census since 1810.
From Lincolnville’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers
Where Lincolnville’s name came from
How did Lincolnville get its name?
Lincolnville was named for General Benjamin Lincoln, a Revolutionary War General—second-in-command to George Washington at Yorktown—and friend of Henry Knox.
How historic is Lincolnville?
B
More historic than 62% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Lincolnville is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns. All 2 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Lincolnville’s overall grade.
Maine towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Maine town has 15.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Lincolnville’s 12.5 sits near the middle of its state (48% of Maine towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.6 points).
Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Lincolnville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Approximately 10,000 years ago, a glacier covered the area to a depth of several thousand feet, carving irregular landforms that survive today. The earliest artifact of European origin was fragments of a 1650–1660 clay pipe, probably a trade good with the native population. First settled in 1770 by Nathan Knight, the town was incorporated in 1802 from Canaan and Ducktrap plantations. It was named for General Benjamin Lincoln, a Revolutionary War General—second-in-command to George Washington at Yorktown—and friend of Henry Knox.
In an 1807 vote to separate from Massachusetts, it was one of three coastal communities to push for separation (with Bath and Brunswick).
Lincolnville is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Lincolnville?
Three places: the Lincolnville Center Meeting House (listed 1983), the Tranquility Grange No. 344 (2002) and the George Ulmer House (2006).
How old are the homes in Lincolnville?
14% of Lincolnville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.6 points), against a typical 19% for a Maine town; the median home was built in 1986.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (16), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
c. 1872
Date?
2025
2025
2019
2018
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2006
