Scarborough (Maine)

Scarborough is a town in Cumberland County on the southern coast of the U.S. state of Maine. The town is a coastal resort area. Located about 7mi south of Portland, Scarborough is part of the Portland - South Portland - Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The population was 18,919 at the 2010 census.HistoryIn about 1630, John Stratton opened a trading post on Stratton Island in Saco Bay off Scarborough's shore. In 1631, the Plymouth Council for New England granted the "Black Point Patent" to Captain Thomas Cammock, nephew of the Earl of Warwick. Cammock built a house and began residence in 1635 on the 1500acre tract of land, which extended from the Spurwink River to Black Point - today this area is known as Prouts Neck. However, he then sold his holdings and moved to the West Indies. Nevertheless, settlements developed at Black Point, Blue Point (i.e., Pine Point), Dunstan (i.e., West Scarborough) and Stratton Island. By 1650, there were fifty homes. The town offered excellent fishing and farming. On July 14, 1658, the Massachusetts General Court incorporated them all as Scarborough, named for Scarborough in Yorkshire, England.