The name Aroostook comes from theWolastokwey (orMaliseet) wordWoolahstook, referring to theSaint John River or "Wolastoq", which means "beautiful river".[11]
The sparsely populatedNorth Maine Woods, roughly defined as the headwaters of theSaint John,Penobscot andKennebec Rivers, was populated during thecolonial era by refugees fleeing oppressive governments.Native Americans, particularlyDawnlanders, (retreating from hostile European colonists, and smugglers trading with them, and between English Massachusetts and FrenchAcadia) lived in small communities along the Atlantic coast on the disputed border between those colonies. As England dominated theGulf of Maine following theFrench and Indian Wars, these occupants of the border region retreated up the large rivers into the interior, joined by Acadians escaping theAcadian Expulsion. Most Acadians andWolastoqewiyik found refuge in Canada'sMadawaska county, but several communities stayed in what would become the United States, including theHoulton Band of Maliseet Indians, also known as theMetaksonekiyak Wolastoqewiyik. Although the survivors might have preferred to remain independent, surrounding governments dividing their refuge, considering Aroostook County as the west bank of the Saint John River drainage basin upstream of Canada. Under United States control, the area was initially dominated by lumber manufacturing interests, although agriculture became important as population increased. Transportation along the Saint John River, and early rail connections into New Brunswick, created strong business ties with Canada, until the county was connected to the United States rail network by theBangor and Aroostook Railroad in 1894. Aroostook County residents retain an independent cultural identity established during their history of isolation on the border frontier.[12]
Aroostook County was formed, in 1839, from parts ofPenobscot andWashington counties. Between 1843 and 1844, the county gained more land from Penobscot County, and further exchanged land withPiscataquis County. In 1889, Aroostook gained a small amount of Penobscot land, subsequently giving it back in 1903, when Aroostook County took on its current form.[13]Some of the territory in the county was part of the land dispute that led to the "Aroostook War", a dispute which would be settled by theWebster–Ashburton Treaty.
Children gathering potatoes on a large farm in Aroostook County, 1940. Schools did not open until the potatoes were harvested. Photo byJack Delano.
The county was also part of a route on theUnderground Railroad, and was one of the last stops before entering Canada. Slaves would meet and hide just outside Aroostook[14] or in deserted areas.Friends Quaker Church nearFort Fairfield was often a final stop.[15]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,828 square miles (17,680 km2), of which 6,671 square miles (17,280 km2) is land and 156 square miles (400 km2) (2.3%) is water.[19] Aroostook County is Maine's largest county by area, about the size ofConnecticut andRhode Island combined. The county high point is Peaked Mountain, elevation 2,230 feet (680 m), whose western slopes are in the north east corner of Piscataquis County.
Although the county is more socially conservative than Maine's southern and coastal counties, it was won by the Democratic presidential candidate in the six elections from1992 to2012[20] before going for RepublicanDonald Trump in2016,2020 and2024.[21][22] In theMaine Legislature, the county's delegation in 2013 included three Democrats and seven Republicans.[23] In 2009, it voted 73% in favor of a referendum rejecting same-sex marriage and 54% against the Maine Medical Marijuana Act.[24] In 2012, it voted 67% againsta measure to legalizesame-sex marriage in Maine.[25]
As of the2020 Census, there were 67,105 people, 29,784 households, and 38,303 housing units.[39] The racial makeup of this county is 92.6% White, 2.8% multiracial, 1.8% American Indian, 0.6% Black, 0.6% Asian, and 0.2% from other races, all of non-Hispanic origin. 1.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.[40] The most commonly reported ancestries wereEnglish (28.4%),French (15.3%),Irish (11.8%),German (4.4%),Scottish (3.3%), andFrench Canadian (2.6%).[41]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 71,870 people, 30,961 households, and 19,578 families residing in the county.[42] The population density was 10.8 inhabitants per square mile (4.2/km2). There were 39,529 housing units at an average density of 5.9 per square mile (2.3/km2).[43] The racial makeup of the county was 95.7% White, 1.7% Native American, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population.[42] In terms of ancestry, 27.2% were ofFrench origin, 18.1%English, 17.4%Irish, 8.2%French Canadian (counted separately from French), 8.1%American, and 5.2% ofGerman heritage.[44]
In 2010, 18.0% of the population reported speakingFrench at home; other than speakers of English, there were no other significant linguistic groups.[45]
Of the 30,961 households, 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.8% were non-families, and 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 45.3 years.[42]
The median income for a household in the county was $36,574 and the median income for a family was $47,114. Males had a median income of $37,222 versus $28,244 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,251. About 10.6% of families and 15.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.[46]
As of thecensus[47] of 2000, there were 73,938 people, 30,356 households, and 20,429 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 11 people per square mile (4.2 people/km2). There were 38,719 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.80%White, 0.38% Black or African American, 1.36% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 0.60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.6% were of French, 15.4%United States or American, 14.6%English, 14.3%French Canadian and 10.2%Irish ancestry.
There were 30,356 households, out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% weremarried couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the county, 22.60% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.90% was from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,837, and the median income for a family was $36,044. Males had a median income of $29,747 versus $20,300 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,033. About 9.80% of families and 14.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.20% of those under age 18 and 16.00% of those age 65 or over.
There is also theAroostook Unorganized Territory,[48] which is not in any municipality.[49] TheMaine Department of Education takes responsibility for coordinating school assignments in theunorganized territories.[50] The department operates one school, Connor Consolidated School, in Connor Township.[51] It previously operated another school in the unorganized territory, Patrick Therriault School in Sinclair Township.[52]
When Bancroft was a town, it was under theBancroft School District. When Oxbow was a plantation, it was directly under the School Administrative District 32.[53]
^Rayburn, Alan (1975).Geographical Names of New Brunswick, Ottawa, Énergie, Mines et Ressources Canada. Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. p. 39.
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