Caribou, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Caribou, Maine
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City
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Trucks outside a starch factory in October 1940
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| Nickname(s):
The Most Northeastern City in the United States
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Location of Caribou, Maine
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Maine | |
| County | Aroostook | |
| Settled | 1824 | |
| Incorporated (town) | April 5, 1859 | |
| Incorporated (city) | February 23, 1967 | |
| Named places | Barretts Grimes Mill Hurd Madawaska Maine North Lyndon |
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| Area | ||
| • Total | 80.09 sq mi (207.44 km2) | |
| • Land | 79.29 sq mi (205.36 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.80 sq mi (2.08 km2) | |
| Elevation | 449 ft (137 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,396 | |
| • Density | 93.28/sq mi (36.01/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
04736
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| Area code(s) | 207 | |
| FIPS code | 23-10565 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0563512 | |
Caribou is a city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. It's the second largest city in the county. In 2020, about 7,396 people lived there. Caribou is a busy place for farming and tourism. It's also home to a National Weather Service Forecast Office, which helps forecast weather for the area.
Contents
History of Caribou
Early Settlement and Growth
People who cut down trees (lumbermen) and animal trappers first set up camps in the Caribou area around the 1810s. The first families started settling here in the 1820s. From 1838 to 1840, there was a small conflict called the Aroostook War between the United States and Canada. This fight was about where the border between the two countries should be. The Battle of Caribou happened in December 1838 during this time.
Because of this border argument, more people didn't move to the area until after a peace treaty was signed in 1842. After peace, more European settlers arrived starting in 1843. Caribou officially became a town on April 5, 1859, and was first called Lyndon. Its name changed back and forth between Lyndon and Caribou a few times before finally becoming Caribou in 1877.
Potato Boom and Air Force Base
In the 1870s, many settlers came directly from Sweden to the nearby "Swedish colony." Caribou grew steadily in the late 1800s. When the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad arrived in the 1890s, farming exports grew a lot. This started a busy time for Caribou that lasted until the 1960s. Caribou became the biggest place in the world for shipping potatoes, and many businesses related to potatoes started there.
In the early 1950s, Loring Air Force Base opened nearby. This base had large bomber and tanker planes. It brought a lot of jobs and money to the area. Caribou became a city in 1967. However, the potato industry faced problems in the 1970s, and the Air Force base closed in 1994. These changes caused the city's population to decrease in the 1980s and 1990s.
Famous Balloon Flight and Local Landmarks
In September 1984, Caribou was the starting point for Colonel Joseph Kittinger's amazing flight. He was the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone in a balloon. You can see a large model of his balloon at the Rosie O'Grady Balloon of Peace Park, just south of the city.
The Caribou Public Library is a special building called a Carnegie library. It was built in 1911–1912 with money from a grant.
Geography and Transportation
Caribou is located in the middle of Aroostook County. It sits on a bend of the Aroostook River, which flows into the Saint John River. The city is about 449 feet (137 meters) above sea level.
You can easily reach Aroostook County by major highways like Interstate 95 from the south and the Trans-Canada Highway from Canada. Caribou is a central point for many roads in the area, including U.S. 1 and several Maine State routes. A new bypass road was finished in 2013, helping traffic flow around the city.
Caribou has its own small airport for private planes and hobbies. For bigger flights, people use Presque Isle International Airport in Presque Isle, which has daily flights to Boston. There are also seaports not too far away in Maine, New Brunswick, and Quebec. The closest deep-water port is in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, about 120 miles (193 km) north of Caribou.
The Eastern Maine Railroad serves Caribou and connects Maine with Vermont and parts of Canada. This helps businesses move goods between northern Maine, Saint John, New Brunswick, and Montreal, Quebec.
Climate in Caribou
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Caribou has a climate with very cold, snowy winters and mild to warm summers. This type of climate is called a humid continental climate. In January, the average temperature is about 11.7°F (-11.3°C), and in July, it's about 66.7°F (19.3°C).
On average, the temperature drops to 0°F (-18°C) or below about 38 nights a year. There are also about 91 days when the temperature stays below freezing. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -41°F (-40.6°C) in February 1955. The hottest was 96°F (35.6°C) in June 2024.
Caribou gets a lot of rain and snow throughout the year. The driest month is usually February, and the wettest is July. The average yearly snowfall is about 118.2 inches (3 meters). Snow usually starts falling in late October and stops in late April.
| Climate data for Caribou Municipal Airport, Maine (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1939–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 53 (12) |
59 (15) |
75 (24) |
86 (30) |
96 (36) |
96 (36) |
95 (35) |
95 (35) |
92 (33) |
82 (28) |
75 (24) |
60 (16) |
96 (36) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 43.0 (6.1) |
41.7 (5.4) |
51.4 (10.8) |
68.4 (20.2) |
81.9 (27.7) |
86.7 (30.4) |
88.4 (31.3) |
87.3 (30.7) |
82.3 (27.9) |
71.8 (22.1) |
60.1 (15.6) |
47.1 (8.4) |
90.4 (32.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 20.8 (−6.2) |
24.1 (−4.4) |
34.3 (1.3) |
47.7 (8.7) |
63.0 (17.2) |
72.1 (22.3) |
77.1 (25.1) |
75.7 (24.3) |
67.3 (19.6) |
53.2 (11.8) |
39.5 (4.2) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
50.2 (10.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 11.7 (−11.3) |
14.2 (−9.9) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
38.5 (3.6) |
52.2 (11.2) |
61.4 (16.3) |
66.7 (19.3) |
64.9 (18.3) |
56.6 (13.7) |
44.5 (6.9) |
32.6 (0.3) |
19.9 (−6.7) |
40.7 (4.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 2.6 (−16.3) |
4.4 (−15.3) |
15.6 (−9.1) |
29.4 (−1.4) |
41.4 (5.2) |
50.6 (10.3) |
56.3 (13.5) |
54.1 (12.3) |
45.9 (7.7) |
35.9 (2.2) |
25.6 (−3.6) |
12.3 (−10.9) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −20.8 (−29.3) |
−17.7 (−27.6) |
−9.1 (−22.8) |
14.6 (−9.7) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
37.6 (3.1) |
45.1 (7.3) |
41.7 (5.4) |
31.0 (−0.6) |
22.4 (−5.3) |
7.1 (−13.8) |
−10.5 (−23.6) |
−23.0 (−30.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −37 (−38) |
−41 (−41) |
−28 (−33) |
−4 (−20) |
18 (−8) |
30 (−1) |
36 (2) |
34 (1) |
23 (−5) |
14 (−10) |
−8 (−22) |
−31 (−35) |
−41 (−41) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.95 (75) |
2.42 (61) |
2.77 (70) |
2.99 (76) |
3.46 (88) |
3.89 (99) |
4.23 (107) |
3.61 (92) |
3.44 (87) |
3.99 (101) |
3.35 (85) |
3.60 (91) |
40.70 (1,034) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 25.0 (64) |
25.3 (64) |
21.4 (54) |
8.3 (21) |
0.8 (2.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.7 (4.3) |
10.4 (26) |
25.2 (64) |
118.2 (300) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 19.7 (50) |
25.2 (64) |
24.7 (63) |
13.5 (34) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.3 (3.3) |
5.6 (14) |
13.5 (34) |
28.5 (72) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 14.0 | 12.1 | 12.5 | 13.1 | 14.7 | 13.8 | 14.4 | 13.0 | 11.5 | 13.5 | 13.4 | 14.9 | 160.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 14.0 | 11.8 | 10.6 | 4.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 6.9 | 13.0 | 63.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 69.8 | 70.8 | 70.5 | 74.0 | 68.5 | 67.9 | 77.1 | 79.1 | 82.4 | 81.8 | 84.5 | 79.1 | 75.5 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | −0.2 (−17.9) |
4.5 (−15.3) |
15.6 (−9.1) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
37.9 (3.3) |
49.3 (9.6) |
55.6 (13.1) |
54.1 (12.3) |
47.5 (8.6) |
35.2 (1.8) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
12.7 (−10.7) |
30.5 (−0.9) |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 9.0 | 10.4 | 12.0 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 15.8 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 12.2 |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 2.5 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 5.2 | 7.3 | 8.2 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 7.3 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 5.6 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity and dew point 1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV and humidity) | |||||||||||||
Population of Caribou
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 297 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,410 | 374.7% | |
| 1880 | 2,756 | 95.5% | |
| 1890 | 4,087 | 48.3% | |
| 1900 | 4,758 | 16.4% | |
| 1910 | 5,377 | 13.0% | |
| 1920 | 6,018 | 11.9% | |
| 1930 | 7,248 | 20.4% | |
| 1940 | 8,218 | 13.4% | |
| 1950 | 9,923 | 20.7% | |
| 1960 | 12,464 | 25.6% | |
| 1970 | 10,419 | −16.4% | |
| 1980 | 9,916 | −4.8% | |
| 1990 | 9,415 | −5.1% | |
| 2000 | 8,312 | −11.7% | |
| 2010 | 8,189 | −1.5% | |
| 2020 | 7,396 | −9.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Caribou's Population in 2010
In 2010, the city of Caribou had 8,189 people living in 3,559 homes. About 2,206 of these were families. The city had about 103 people per square mile. Most of the people living in Caribou (98.2%) were White.
About 27.5% of homes had children under 18. Many homes (46.5%) were married couples living together. The average age in the city was 44 years old. About 21.2% of residents were under 18, and 19.3% were 65 or older. There were slightly more females (52%) than males (48%).
Education in Caribou
Caribou has several schools for students of different ages:
- Caribou Community School – This school teaches students from Prekindergarten up to 8th grade.
- Caribou High School – This is where older students attend high school.
- Loring Job Corps – This is a federal school that teaches job skills and technical trades. It's located a few miles from Caribou.
Industries and Jobs
Farming in Caribou
In Caribou and all of Aroostook County, the main crops grown are potatoes, peas, and broccoli. Farmers in the area plant about 60,000 acres (243 square kilometers) of potatoes each year. Some common types of potatoes grown are Russet Burbank and Superior. Aroostook County is famous for its round white potatoes. These potatoes are used for planting new crops, for eating, and for making processed potato products like fries. Aroostook County is also the biggest grower of broccoli on the East Coast.
Other important crops in Caribou include blueberries, hay, and oats. Some farmers also grow other special crops. Raising cattle and dairy farming are also growing in the area. Because there's so much farming, many businesses that support agriculture have grown too. This includes places that sell and fix farm equipment and several food processing plants.
Other Jobs in Caribou
Besides farming, other important employers in Caribou include small manufacturing companies, technology companies, and businesses that work with wood products. The Loring Commerce Center, located a few miles from Caribou, has several big employers:
- Maine Military Authority: This company restores heavy military and city equipment and employs about 100 people.
- Defense Finance Accounting Service: This office handles accounting and payroll for the armed forces, employing about 600 people.
- Job Corps: This program helps young people learn job skills and has about 200 employees.
Caribou is also a central place for services in Aroostook County, along with nearby Presque Isle.
Media and News
Caribou gets its local TV news from WAGM-TV, a CBS channel located in Presque Isle. This is the only full-power commercial TV station north of Bangor. Residents can also watch the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, which is a PBS channel, and the CBC from Canada. Most people in Caribou get their TV through satellite services like Dish Network or DIRECTV, or cable like Spectrum.
The city also has two radio stations: WCXU 97.7 FM and WFST 600 AM, which is a Christian station. People can also listen to other radio stations from northern Maine, western New Brunswick, and eastern Quebec. For news, people can get the daily newspaper from Bangor, the Bangor Daily News, delivered to their homes.
Arts and Culture
The Caribou Performing Arts Center hosts many shows and acts from all over the United States and Canada. Caribou also has a strong music program through the Caribou Music Department. Music education has been a very important part of the school system in Caribou for many years.
Caribou is also home to Echoes magazine. This magazine comes out four times a year and focuses on rural culture and history, especially in northern Maine. It has been around for over 20 years and is read across the United States. Also, the Caribou Choral Society has been performing concerts in Aroostook County for 35 years. Its members come from all over northern Maine and western New Brunswick.
Recreation and Fun
Caribou is a great place for outdoor activities!
Winter Sports
The city has more than a dozen cross-country ski trails with different views and challenges, all within an hour's drive. Caribou has two main cross-country ski areas:
- One is inside the city and has lights for night skiing, plus a visitors' center.
- The other is a longer trail system a few miles outside the city.
Both are well-maintained for different skiing styles.
The Maine Winter Sports Center, a top outdoor sports group in the state, is based in Caribou. They organize many events throughout the year, like ski races and a Youth Ski Festival.
Aroostook County is famous for its amazing snowmobile trails. Caribou maintains 170 miles (274 km) of the county's 1,600-mile (2,575 km) snowmobile trail system. Many snowmobile fans from all over the country visit because the trails are considered some of the best. You can ride for days and explore different routes without going on the same trail twice. Many towns in the county are near the Canada–US border, making it easy to snowmobile into Canada. The Northeast Snowmobile Trail (NEST) connects Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Quebec.
Other Activities
In 2008, Caribou finished building a large, new recreation, wellness, and community center. It's connected to the older recreation center. This project will also include a big indoor swimming pool and a fitness center.
Other fun things to do in Caribou include:
- A nine-hole golf course.
- Trails for hiking, biking, and ATVs.
- A movie theater with four screens.
- A frisbee golf course.
- A roller skating rink.
- Spud Speedway, the only race track in the area.
- A bowling alley.
- The Maine Dance Academy.
- Several nice parks.
- Goughan's Berry Farm, which has miniature golf, a petting zoo, a carousel, ice cream, and a corn maze in the fall.
In 2009, the community also built a new outdoor tennis complex to go with the courts at Teague Park.
Sites of Interest
- Caribou Historical Society & Museum
- Caribou Performing Arts Center
- Nylander Museum – Northern Maine's Natural History Museum
- Gray Memorial United Methodist Church and Parsonage
- McElwain House
Notable people
- Donald Collins, a state senator for four terms.
- Patricia M. Collins, served as mayor of Caribou twice and was a community leader.
- Samuel Collins, a State Senator and a Supreme Judicial Court Justice.
- Susan Collins, a U.S. senator.
- Peter Edgecomb, a Maine state senator.
- Roland Gammon, a writer.
- Timothy Guerrette, a state legislator.
- Wallace Hardison, who helped start the Union Oil company.
- Leo Kieffer, a mayor of Caribou and a Maine state senator.
- Paryse Martin, an artist.
- Jessica Meir, a NASA astronaut.
- Florence Collins Porter, a supporter of women's right to vote, a clubwoman, and a Republican campaigner.
- Max Whittier, a rich oil businessman from California.
See also
In Spanish: Caribou (Maine) para niños
