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Aroostook County History

The story of The County

The history of Aroostook County, Maine, from its first peoples to today, built from sourced facts.

Before the settlers

First Peoples of The County Wabanaki homelands and the river highways Place Names of The County Where Aroostook, Madawaska and our towns got their names

Settlement and borders

Acadian and French Settlement The St. John Valley and its Acadian roots The Aroostook War The 1838-39 border dispute that never became a battle The Webster-Ashburton Treaty How the border with New Brunswick was drawn Early Towns and First Families How the towns of The County began How the County Was Formed From wilderness to Aroostook County in 1839

Making a living

Logging and the River Drives Lumber camps and the spring drives Potato Farming The crop that made The County The Railroads The Bangor and Aroostook and the towns it built Roads, Bridges and Border Crossings Route 1, the bridges and the border Mills, Factories and the Working Economy How The County has earned its living

Military and national history

Loring Air Force Base The base that changed Limestone and The County The County in Wartime Service and the home front Forts, Blockhouses and Historic Sites Where the history can still be seen

People and community

Famous People from The County Natives and notable residents Churches, Schools and Colleges From one-room schools to today Newspapers and Communication How The County kept in touch Immigrant Communities The peoples who came to The County

Land and nature

New Sweden The 1870 Swedish colony The Allagash and the North Woods River history, wilderness and sporting camps Weather and the Big Storms Record winters, floods and the Ice Storm of 1998 Fires, Floods and Disasters Documented events, town by town

Traditions

Festivals and Traditions Potato Blossom, sled dog races and more Foods of The County Ployes, potatoes and the roots of local cooking Historical Societies and Museums Who keeps the records