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History of Gouldsboro
Gouldsboro’s first village grew in the area now known as West Gouldsboro. In 1764, the General Court of Massachusetts granted land in the region to Colonel Nathan Jones, Francis Shaw, and Robert Gould. The plantation that developed there took its name from Robert Gould.
Settlement expanded slowly across this remote coastal landscape. After the Revolutionary War, Massachusetts encouraged development in eastern Maine through land grants and lotteries. Gouldsboro was incorporated on February 16, 1789, in what was then Lincoln County; Hancock County was formed later that same year.
The town’s history is closely tied to the sea and to the resources of the land. In 1790, Thomas Frazer operated a salt works near the place now called Frazer Point. Later, William Bingham’s large landholding and the work of General David Cobb and Colonel John Black shaped settlement and economic development throughout the region. Black recognized the importance of lumber and the coastal trade, which became central to the area’s growth.
Today, Gouldsboro includes a network of villages and working waterfronts along Frenchman Bay, Gouldsboro Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula. Parts of the original town were later incorporated as Winter Harbor in 1895, while Gouldsboro continues to preserve its rural, maritime character.
(Back to top)About Gouldsboro
Gouldsboro is a coastal community on the Schoodic Peninsula in Hancock County, Maine along Frenchman Bay and Gouldsboro Bay. Its villages include Prospect Harbor, Corea, South Gouldsboro, West Gouldsboro, Birch Harbor, and Bunkers Harbor. For more demographic information about Gouldsboro, please click here.
Gouldsboro operates under the Town Meeting-Select Board-Manager form of government. For more information about this form of government, please click here. As of the 2020 Census, the town’s population was approximately 1,700, with the community growing busier during the Summer and Fall. The town’s economy and identity are rooted in fishing, shellfish harvesting, forestry, small businesses, and a strong connection to the working waterfront.
Gouldsboro’s municipal services includes Police, Fire, Emergency Services, road maintenance, Code Enforcement, and transfer station operations. Students in Pre-K through 5th Grade attend the Peninsula Consolidated School, while students in Grades 6th through 12th attend the Charles M. Sumner Learning Campus. The Town is also served by Dorcas Library, a private non-profit.
Click here to view our Town Charter dated February 16, 1789.
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Gouldsboro Historical Society
The Gouldsboro Historical Society collects, preserves, and shares the stories of Gouldsboro and the surrounding Schoodic Peninsula. Its collections help document the people, places, industries, and traditions that have shaped the town’s coastal communities.
The society maintains historical exhibits, publications, archival materials, and educational resources. Its work complements the town’s historic villages, libraries, cemeteries, working waterfronts, and landmarks, giving residents and visitors ways to explore Gouldsboro’s past.
Contact Information
- Address: 88 Old Route One, Gouldsboro, ME 04607
- Website: Gouldsboro Historical Society
- Email: gouldsborohistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Blast From The Past!
