Castine, Maine
Castine (/kæsˈtiːn/ kas-TEEN) is a town in Hancock County in eastern Maine, United States. The population was 1,320 at the 2020 census. Castine is the home of Maine Maritime Academy, a four-year institution that graduates officers and engineers for the United States Merchant Marine and marine related industries.
Castine, Maine | |
|---|---|
Town | |
Castine Harbor from Perkins Street | |
Castine Castine | |
| Coordinates: 44°24′21″N 68°48′25″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Hancock |
| Founded | 1613 |
| Incorporated | 1796 |
| Villages | Castine North Castine |
| Area | |
| • Total | 20.01 sq mi (51.83 km2) |
| • Land | 7.78 sq mi (20.15 km2) |
| • Water | 12.23 sq mi (31.68 km2) |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 1,320 |
| • Density | 170/sq mi (65.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 04420–04421 |
| Area code | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-11265 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582396 |
Called Majabigwaduce by Tarrantine Abenaki Indians, Castine is one of the oldest towns in New England, predating the Plymouth Colony by seven years. Situated on Penobscot Bay, it is near the site of historic Fort Pentagouet. Few places in New England have had a more tumultuous history than Castine, which proclaims itself the "battle line of four nations."
During the French colonial period of the 17th and early 18th century, Castine was the southern tip of Acadia, with New France defining the Kennebec River as the southern boundary of Acadia.
The town is named after Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin.