Plantation (Maine)

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In the US state of Maine, a plantation is a territory that lies between a township (or unorganized territory , i.e. a community-free area) and town . The term is only used in Maine in this sense.

A plantation is essentially a previously unincorporated township to which the government has granted limited self-government that is similar to that of a town , but simplified in comparison. Plantations are primarily found in the sparsely populated areas of the state.

No other New England state today has a form of governance that is equal to the Maine Plantations. During colonial times, the name was also used in Massachusetts for a settlement that was not yet a city. Since Maine was once a part of Massachusetts, the name seems to come from this type of settlement. The name has largely disappeared in Massachusetts since the 18th century . The term Plantation was also used in Rhode Island during colonial times , as can still be seen today in the official state name of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations .

literature

  • James J. Haag: A Study of Plantation Government in Maine (= Municipal Series. 3). Bureau of Public Administration - University of Maine, Orono ME 1973.