Westmanland

About Westmanland, Maine

Westmanland, Maine is an organized municipality situated in northern Aroostook County, bordering New Sweden and Perham. The town covers a total area of 36.45 square miles, which includes 35.60 square miles of land and 0.85 square miles of water. The municipal clerk office is located at 868 Westmanland Road, and the town is served by ZIP code 04783. Fire protection and rescue services are provided to the community by North Lakes Fire & Rescue.

Community and Population

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Westmanland was 79, up from 62 residents recorded in 2010. The 2020 decennial count also recorded 101 total housing units across the town. Census Reporter's American Community Survey profile data estimates 46 households with an average household size of 2.4 persons per household. The median age in Westmanland is estimated at 60.5 years.

Local Landmarks and Swedish Heritage

Westmanland is part of Maine's historic Swedish Colony. Celebrations such as Midsommar and St. Lucia, along with traditional Swedish folk dancing and music, maintain cultural traditions in the area. Early Swedish settlement sites remain in the township. Across from the town hall on Westmanland Road sits the Westmanland Cemetery, which serves as the community's primary burial ground and contains the graves of early Swedish settlers. The Westmanland Town Hall itself is housed in the town's second schoolhouse, which no longer functions as a school. Additionally, Blackstone Siding is a former railroad siding that continues to serve as an access point for local logging and trucking operations. The Lindsten Stuga, a restored immigrant log cabin dating to circa 1894, originally stood in Westmanland before being moved next to the Capitolium in neighboring New Sweden.

Outdoor Recreation and Waterways

Waterfront recreation centers on Madawaska Lake and its southern basin, Little Madawaska Lake, which extend into Westmanland and provide opportunities for boating and fishing. The lake supports a sport fishery for landlocked salmon and brook trout. The Little Madawaska River flows out of Madawaska Lake through Westmanland toward the Aroostook River, offering spots for river recreation and wildlife watching. On land, the 61-mile Bangor and Aroostook Trail runs through Westmanland as part of northern Maine's Interconnected Trail System, accommodating snowmobiles in winter as well as walkers and bicyclists in summer. Local snowmobile trails are maintained in cooperation with the Nordic Lakers Snowmobile Club.

Transportation

Westmanland Road serves as the primary local road, connecting the town eastward to Maine State Route 161 in New Sweden. Westmanland lies northwest of Caribou and Presque Isle, the commercial and service centers of central Aroostook County. Public demand-response transit is provided by the Aroostook Regional Transportation System (ARTS) through its Caribou Area schedule. For air travel, Presque Isle International Airport (Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle) offers scheduled commercial flights approximately 22 miles south of the town.

Education and Regional Economy

Westmanland operates a local school administrative department but does not maintain any school buildings inside its borders. It belongs to School Union 122 alongside New Sweden and Woodland. Elementary education is provided at Woodland Consolidated School in adjacent Woodland, while high school students have access to technical coursework at the Caribou Technology Center. Higher education options in the county include Northern Maine Community College and the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Across Aroostook County, the annual average salary was $51,753, and the cost of living was estimated at 2.3% lower than the national average. The largest county employment sector is Health Care and Social Assistance with 5,402 workers, followed by Retail Trade with 3,824 workers and Educational Services with 2,830 workers. Relative to national averages, the county shows its highest employment concentrations in Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, followed by Utilities and Public Administration.