History · Milbridge

Milbridge dates to 1848, and 29% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns. What drives it

3 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 7 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1902 on, and the census since 1850.

1848founded

3on the National Register

29%homes built before 1940

3old photos & papers

3famous people

Add an old photo Share a memory

From Milbridge’s archive · credits on each photo

Quick answers

How Milbridge began

When was Milbridge founded?

1848

Milbridge dates its founding to 1848 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 1,170 in 18502020 census: 1,375178 years

How historic is Milbridge?

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓

Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1850.

History grade

What drives Milbridge’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Milbridge is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its age lowest.

HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Milbridge’s overall grade.

Founding era1848, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA⁻Homes built before 194029.2% of homes (±5.8) · typical ME town 19.1% · U.S. 8.4%A⁻National Register3 listings, 9 historic buildings, 73.6 per 10,000 residents · typical ME town 15.9 · U.S. 2.4A⁻

All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 92%

NewerOlder

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 Milbridge’s 73.6 sits above most of its state (82% of Maine towns have fewer) while its 9 historic buildings outnumber those of 75% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.8 points). Two sources give 1848.

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). 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 Milbridge’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19023 editions of the USGS map, 1902 to 1950. Watch Milbridge change.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,963 in 1890; 1,375 people lived here in 2020.Deep rootsEstablished in 1848: 178 years of Milbridge.

★ What stands out · Help out

Start Milbridge’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Milbridge’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos

00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s

0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.

Date a photo3 archive items have no date. Guess the decade.+2 Retake an old viewNarraguagus Lighthouse Maine: stand where they stood+15 Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

On the map

Milbridge on the map, 1902 to 1950

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Milbridge. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

1902Cherryfield sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Milbridge.

People over time

Milbridge, census by census

Peaked at 1,963 in 1890; 1,375 people lived here in 2020.

18 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Milbridge’s Wikipedia page.

The story so far

Milbridge, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Milbridge yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Milbridge is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States at the mouth of the Narraguagus River. The population was 1,375 at the 2020 census. The town was incorporated in 1848. It contains the villages of Milbridge and Wyman.

Milbridge was established in 1848. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 1,353 in 2010, 1,375 in 2020.

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Milbridge, 1817 to 1978

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

19th century
1817BuiltPetit Manan Light Station is built
1848
FoundingMilbridge is established
1850Post officeThe Milbridge post office opens
1853BuiltNarraguagus Light Station is built
1890CensusPopulation peaks at 1,963
20th century
1901Post officeThe Wyman post office opens
1902On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
1905Post officeThe Wyman post office closes
1907Born hereDavid J. Kennedy is born here
1935Born hereGene Carter is born here
1938BuiltEverett Wallace House is built
1978Born hereKatie Aselton is born here

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Retake this viewNarraguagus Lighthouse Maine

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Milbridge’s page.

Retake this view · +15

On the National Register

3 historic places in Milbridge

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed

National Historic Landmarks

none yet

historic buildings protected

each building in a district counts

first listed

1987

Petit Manan Light Station

BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Mid-19th Century1

Late Victorian1

Light Station1

Queen Anne1

Petit Manan Light StationMid-19th Century · Built 1817

Narraguagus Light StationLight Station · Built 1853

Everett Wallace HouseQueen Anne · Built 1938

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Milbridge

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →

Katie AseltonAmerican actress · b. 1978

Gene CarterUnited States federal judge · b. 1935

David J. KennedyAmerican politician · b. 1907

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Milbridge’s post office has been open since 1850. Another post office, Wyman, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Milbridge

1850–today

Wyman

1901–1905

18501940today

Hamlets and corners on the map

Wyman

Gone or out of use

Milbridge HeliportairportNarraguagus Light Stationlocale

1cemetery inside Milbridge

Evergreen

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Harrington1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town Steuben2 historic placesA⁻Cherryfield9 historic placesA⁺

Questions about Milbridge’s history

What year was Milbridge founded?

In 1848, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Milbridge’s post office opened in 1850, and the census of 1850 counted 1,170 people here.

How does Milbridge rank for history?

Milbridge is more historic than 92% 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 Milbridge?

Three places: the Petit Manan Light Station (listed 1987), the Narraguagus Light Station (1987) and the Everett Wallace House (1996).

How old are the homes in Milbridge?

29% of Milbridge’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.8 points), against a typical 19% for a Maine town; the median home was built in 1974.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →

Start a conversation

Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (18), the Library of Congress (2), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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.

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