Sedgwick, Maine
| Sedgwick, Maine | |
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| Town | |
View of the village in 1909
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 Sedgwick, Maine
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| Coordinates: 44°19′29″N 68°38′39″W / 44.32472°N 68.64417°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Hancock |
| Incorporated | 1789 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 31.06 sq mi (80.45 km2) |
| • Land | 26.99 sq mi (69.90 km2) |
| • Water | 4.07 sq mi (10.54 km2) |
| Elevation | 164 ft (50 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,196 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 1,190 |
| • Density | 44.3/sq mi (17.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 04676 |
| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-67300 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582721 |
Sedgwick is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,196 at the 2010 census. The town includes the village of Sargentville.
The countryside around Sedgwick is a haven for birdwatchers, as well as an out-of-the-way tourist stop with several bed and breakfast locations.
It was one of six contiguous townships, each six miles square, granted by Massachusetts in 1761 to David Marsh and 359 others. Called by its Abenaki name Naskeag, meaning "the end or extremity," its first permanent European settler was Andrew Black in 1759. In 1789, the town was incorporated as Sedgwick, named after Major Robert Sedgwick, who in 1654 captured nearby Fort Pentagouet (now Castine) from the French.
In 1817, land was taken from the township to form Brooksville, with more taken in 1849 to form Brooklin. By 1859, the population was 1,235.
Farmers found the surface broken and ledgy, better suited for grazing than cultivation. Gristmills and sawmills were built along various streams, including the Benjamin River. Because of the geology, for decades Sedgwick had operating many granite quarries, where stone was taken for major public buildings. Most of the quarries have been abandoned. Two companies mined for argentiferous galena, a source of silver. But with two excellent harbors, the town was chiefly occupied by fishing, clam digging, shipbuilding and seafaring. Other businesses included tanning and barrel making.
In March 2011, Sedgwick received attention after passing an ordinance declaring food sovereignty for the town's citizens.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.06 square miles (80.45 km2), of which 26.99 square miles (69.90 km2) is land and 4.07 square miles (10.54 km2) is water. Drained by the Benjamin River, which separates it from Brooklin, Sedgwick overlooks Penobscot Bay. The Deer Isle Bridge spans the Eggemoggin Reach, connecting Sedgwick to the towns of Deer Isle and Stonington.
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