Madrid, Maine | |
---|---|
Disincorporated town | |
Small's Falls c. 1907
|
|
Coordinates: 44°53′4″N 70°26′18″W / 44.88444°N 70.43833°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Maine |
County | Franklin |
Incorporated | 1836 |
Disincorporated | 2000 |
Area | |
• Total | 41.8 sq mi (108.2 km2) |
• Land | 41.7 sq mi (108.1 km2) |
• Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
Elevation | 1,165 ft (355 m) |
Population (2000) | |
• Total | 173 |
• Density | 4.1/sq mi (1.6/km2) |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
Area code(s) | 207 |
FIPS code | 23-42765 |
GNIS feature ID | 0582577 |
Madrid is a former town, now a part of the unorganized territory of East Central Franklin, in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 173 at the 2000 census.
It was part of an extensive tract of land purchased from Massachusetts about 1790 by Jonathan Phillips of Boston, then acquired by his agent, Jacob Abbott from Wilton, New Hampshire. First settled about 1807 or 1808, it was incorporated as a town in 1836 and named after Madrid, Spain. In 1854, it was the site of Maine's first gold strike.
Although Madrid's northern topography is mountainous, other parts suited cultivation. In 1837, when the population was 351, farms harvested 3,387 bushels of wheat. The falls in the Sandy River, provided water power for mills, which included three sawmills, a gristmill, two clapboard machines and two shingle machines. The town was noted for producing lumber and carriages. By 1859, the population was 404. In 1880, it had reached 437. But in the 20th century, the population declined. In April 2000, the town of Madrid disincorporated. Citing "apathy", its government was dissolved, and Madrid became part of the unorganized territory of East Central Franklin.