Cape Elizabeth

Cape Elizabeth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The town is part of the Portland - South Portland - Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2010 census, Cape Elizabeth had a population of 9,015.Cape Elizabeth is the location of the Beach to Beacon 10K road race that starts at Crescent Beach State Park (the "beach") and ends at Portland Head Light (the "beacon"). The race draws runners from all parts of the U.S. and elite athletes from around the world. Cape Elizabeth only has one school department. Cape Elizabeth High School's team name is the "Capers".HistoryAt the southern tip of the promontory, Richmond Island was visited about 1605 by Samuel de Champlain and was the site of a trading post in 1628. John Smith explored and mapped New England in 1615, and gave names to places mainly based on the names used by Native Americans. When Smith presented his map to King Charles I, he suggested that the king should feel free to change any of the "barbarous names" for English ones. The king made many such changes, but only four survive today, one of which is Cape Elizabeth, which Charles named in honor of his sister, Elizabeth of Bohemia.