Eagle Lake

About Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake is a small northern community in Aroostook County, Maine. According to the 2020 Decennial Census, the town had a resident population of 772, down 10.6% from 864 in 2010. By July 1, 2025, U.S. Census Bureau population estimates placed the population at 754. Earlier counts recorded 815 residents in 2000, 378 households in 2010, and a median age of 52.7 years in 2010. More recent American Community Survey estimates report approximately 242 households (±47) and a median age of 60.8 years (±4.7). The community is part of Maine's St. John Valley region, where bilingual Francophone residents maintain ties to French and Acadian heritage.

Local Government and Services

The town operates under a Town Meeting-Board of Selectmen-Town Manager form of government. The Board of Selectmen includes Arthur Carroll (Chair), Apryl Gagnon (Vice-Chair), Paul Nadeau, Raymond Saucier, and Troy Nadeau, with Cyr Martin serving as Town Manager and chief administrative officer. Eagle Lake conducts an annual municipal Town Meeting each June to conduct business and approve the town budget.

The Eagle Lake Town Office is located at 36 Devoe Brook Road (PO Box 287, Eagle Lake, Maine 04739) and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The office can be reached by phone at (207) 444-5511 or (207) 444-5125. The Eagle Lake Fire Department also operates from 36 Devoe Brook Road. For law enforcement, the town relies on the Maine State Police and the Aroostook County Sheriff's Office rather than an independent police department. Healthcare services, including primary care, dental, and behavioral health, are provided by Fish River Rural Health at the Eagle Lake Health Center at 10 Carter Street.

Local Economy

Agriculture and forestry represent a core share of the broader Aroostook County economy, with wood and paper manufacturing serving as the leading regional industry cluster by employment concentration. Within Eagle Lake, the median household income is approximately $56,700 based on American Community Survey data. Northern Maine General (NMG), a nonprofit social services organization, maintains its central office in town. Mercy Home, a long-term care and residential facility operated in Eagle Lake by Northern Maine General, was closed in 2025 due to revenue shortfalls and staffing shortages.

Education

Eagle Lake belongs to Maine School Administrative District #27 (MSAD 27), headquartered in neighboring Fort Kent. Eagle Lake Elementary School at 24 School Street closed in 2018. Today, district students attend Fort Kent Elementary School for grades Pre-K through 6, Valley Rivers Middle School for grades 7 and 8, and Community High School for grades 9 through 12. Vocational and technical training is offered at the St. John Valley Technology Center. The district school campuses sit within a quarter mile of the University of Maine at Fort Kent.

Outdoor Recreation and Landmarks

Outdoor activities in Eagle Lake center on local trails, waterways, and public lands:

• Trails: The town maintains a 2.5-mile municipal trail network featuring three loops (Trail A, Trail B, and Trail C), as well as town forest trails with exercise stations that are groomed for cross-country skiing in winter. Off ME-11, the Hedgehog Mountain Trail passes an old hunting cabin on its way to a summit picnic table overlooking the Fish River chain and the North Maine Woods.
• Water Access: A public boat landing off Old Main Street provides access to Eagle Lake and serves as the put-in for the Fish River paddling route heading north to Soldier Pond.
• Public Lands: Eagle Lake is situated near 23,000 acres of Maine Public Reserved Land, with the Eagle Lake Public Reserved Land unit encompassing roughly 24,000 acres across the eastern part of the lake and the thoroughfare to Square Lake.
• Winter Rink: The town operates an outdoor ice rink with scheduled hours on Friday evenings and weekends, weather and ice permitting.
• Community Landmarks: St. Mary Church, serving the local Catholic community under the Diocese of Portland's St. John Vianney Parish, is located at 3538 Aroostook Road, and St. Mary's Cemetery is at 3443 Aroostook Road. In the vicinity of Eagle Lake, the Big Black Site archaeological property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 9, 1975.

Community Events and Traditions

Local gatherings and traditions take place throughout the year. The town celebrates the Fourth of July with an annual celebration at the Eagle Lake Pavilion featuring live music, food vendors, fireworks, a pontoon decorating contest, and a shoreline boat parade. Fish River Rural Health organizes an annual Family Health Fair at the Eagle Lake Health Center with children's activities, safety presentations, and health screenings. In the winter months, an established tradition is the Eagle Lake 100-Mile Sled Dog Race, which brings teams and spectators from Canada and the United States alongside an accompanying winter festival.

Transportation

Maine State Route 11 is the primary north-south highway through Eagle Lake, connecting to Ashland to the south and leading 11 to 17 driving miles north to Fort Kent. The road follows the corridor of the St. John Valley Cultural/Fish River Scenic Byway. Sly Brook Road serves as another key route, extending north toward Wallagrass. Scheduled demand-response public transit is available through the Aroostook Regional Transportation System (ARTS), linking the town to Fort Kent and Presque Isle. The primary commercial passenger airport in the region is Northern Maine Regional Airport (PQI) in Presque Isle.

For anyone exploring northern Aroostook County, a visit to Eagle Lake Maine provides direct access to the region's inland waters, public forests, and community events.