Blue Hill

History

It was one of six townships granted by the Massachusetts General Court to David Marsh and 351 others for their service in the French and Indian War. Called Plantation Number 5, it was first settled in 1762 by Captain Joseph Wood and John Roundy from Andover, Massachusetts, who built homes on Mill Island at the tidal falls. It would then be called Newport Plantation. On January 30, 1789, the town was incorporated as Blue Hill, named after its commanding summit overlooking the region. The First Congregational Church was formed in 1772, the first Congregational church organized east of Penobscot Bay. The outlets of various ponds provided water power for several sawmills and gristmills. By 1859, 5,000 cords of firewood were sent from the port annually. Other products included lumber, masts and roof shingles, but the predominant industry was shipbuilding. Beginning in 1792, 133 vessels were constructed at Blue Hill, some of them brigs and ships, but most schooners. The town was also noted for the quality of its granite, some of which was used to build the Brooklyn Bridge, New York Stock Exchange Building, and the U.S. Custom House at Norfolk, Virginia. In 1876, local quarries employed 300 workers. A Viking penny was found in 1957 at the nearby prehistoric Goddard archeological site by local amateur archeologist Guy Mellgren. The coin is believed to be from the 11th century reign of Olaf Kyrre.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Located on Blue Hill Bay, the town is drained by Mill Brook. Blue Hill, elevation , is the town's highest point. Long Island, situated in Blue Hill Bay, is part of the town. Blue Hill is crossed by state routes 15, 172, 176 and 177. It borders the towns of Surry to the northeast, Brooklin to the southeast, Sedgwick to the southwest, and Penobscot to the northwest. The town is the site of Blue Hill Airport.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  17,248
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  13,952
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,809
• American herring gull, Smithsonian Gull

  Larus smithsonianus Coues, 1862 · Aves
  10,502
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,355
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  8,826
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,134
• Red-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta canadensis Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  7,988

Largest nearby schools

• Blue Hill Consolidated School
  Elementary · Blue Hill · 243 students · 9.3:1 ratio
• Surry Elementary School
  Elementary · Surry · 144 students · 9:1 ratio
• Sedgwick Elementary School
  Elementary · Sedgwick · 75 students · 7.5:1 ratio
• Penobscot Elementary School
  Elementary · Penobscot · 69 students · 8.6:1 ratio
• Brooklin School
  Elementary · Brooklin · 56 students · 8:1 ratio
• Brooksville Elementary School
  Elementary · Brooksville · 47 students · 5.2:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2025-08-26
  4 km SW of Vinalhaven, Maine
• M 3.3 — 2023-01-14
  7 km ESE of Dedham, Maine
• M 2.6 — 2022-09-01
  4 km SE of Centerville, Maine
• M 3 — 2022-08-17
  3 km SE of Centerville, Maine
• M 2.6 — 2022-08-16
  4.7 km WNW of Jonesboro, Maine
• M 2.8 — 2022-08-11
  4 km E of Centerville, Maine