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Historical United States Census totals for Aroostook County, Maine facts for kids

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This article shows U.S. Census totals for Aroostook County, Maine, broken down by municipality, from 1900 to 2000.

There are two types of incorporated municipalities in Maine, towns and cities. The tables below differentiate between towns and cities.

Most areas of New England are entirely divided into incorporated municipalities, with no unincorporated territory. In the three northern New England states, however, some unincorporated territory does exist, generally in areas that are very sparsely populated. Maine contains significantly more unincorporated territory than the other states, with the bulk of it in interior and northern counties, including Aroostook County.

Some unincorporated territory in Maine is organized into a third type of town-level municipality unique to Maine, called a plantation (considered to be “organized”, but not incorporated), while some is entirely unorganized. Aroostook County also contains a very small amount of territory that is under the jurisdiction of an Indian reservation, which is considered to be a distinct entity independent from any municipality. Due to the large extent of unincorporated territory in Aroostook County, separate sections with detailed historical census totals for such areas follow the main tables below. For any census, adding up the totals for each town-level municipality, including any plantations and unorganized entities, should yield the county total.

For more information on the New England municipal system, see New England town.

Corporate changes since 1900

  • 1901 – Crystal Plantation incorporated as a town
  • 1903 – Castle Hill Plantation incorporated as a town
  • 1905 – Westfield Plantation incorporated as a town
  • 1909 – Portage Lake Plantation incorporated as a town
  • 1911 – Eagle Lake, Merrill and Stockholm Plantations incorporated as towns
  • 1913 – Connor and Wade Plantations incorporated as towns
  • 1915 – Chapman Plantation incorporated as a town
  • 1940 – Presque Isle became a city
  • 1945 – Connor disincorporated and reverted to unorganized territory
  • 1966 – Allagash Plantation incorporated as a town
  • 1967 – St. Francis Plantation incorporated as a town
  • 1968 – Caribou became a city
  • 1976 – Hamlin and New Canada Plantations incorporated as towns. Westmanland Plantation also appears to have incorporated as a town between 1970 and 1980, although the exact date is not known.
  • 1986 – Caswell and Wallagrass Plantations incorporated as towns. Hammond Plantation also appears to have incorporated as a town between 1980 and 1990, although the exact date is not known.
  • 1987 – Benedicta disincorporated and reverted to unorganized territory

1900

County Total: 60,744

  • Caribou 4,758
  • Houlton 4,686
  • Fort Fairfield 4,181
  • Presque Isle 3,804
  • Fort Kent 2,528
  • Van Buren 1,878
  • Madawaska 1,698
  • St. Agatha 1,396
  • Monticello 1,332
  • Frenchville 1,316
  • Washburn 1,225
  • Easton 1,215
  • Mars Hill 1,183
  • Bridgewater 1,179
  • Limestone 1,131
  • Hodgdon 1,130
  • Grand Isle 1,104
  • Woodland 1,096
  • Ashland 1,080
  • Island Falls 1,063
  • Sherman 980
  • Littleton 956
  • Blaine 954
  • New Sweden 867
  • Oakfield 860
  • Mapleton 853
  • Linneus 834
  • New Limerick 600
  • Perham 580
  • Masardis 438
  • Smyrna 411
  • Amity 404
  • Ludlow 394
  • Weston 367
  • Benedicta 350
  • Bancroft 318
  • Haynesville 316
  • Dyer Brook 280
  • Orient 208
  • Hersey 199

Unincorporated territory reported 10,592 residents. This consisted of 9,745 residents in organized plantations, and 847 residents in unorganized territory.

1910

County Total: 74,664

  • Houlton 5,845
  • Caribou 5,377
  • Presque Isle 5,179
  • Fort Fairfield 4,381
  • Fort Kent 3,710
  • Van Buren 3,065
  • Ashland 2,173
  • Madawaska 1,831
  • Island Falls 1,686
  • Washburn 1,582
  • St. Agatha 1,533
  • Mars Hill 1,511
  • Frenchville 1,414
  • Grand Isle 1,317
  • Easton 1,300
  • Monticello 1,297
  • Limestone 1,293
  • Bridgewater 1,238
  • Woodland 1,161
  • Hodgdon 1,153
  • Mapleton 1,120
  • Sherman 1,053
  • Littleton 1,026
  • Blaine 1,013
  • Oakfield 928
  • New Sweden 905
  • Linneus 809
  • Perham 785
  • Westfield 689
  • Masardis 650
  • Castle Hill 532
  • Crystal 502
  • Portage Lake 500
  • New Limerick 481
  • Ludlow 412
  • Smyrna 411
  • Weston 390
  • Amity 375
  • Bancroft 344
  • Benedicta 292
  • Dyer Brook 281
  • Haynesville 272
  • Orient 187
  • Hersey 186

Unincorporated territory reported 12,475 residents. This consisted of 11,390 residents in organized plantations, and 1,085 residents in unorganized territory.

1920

County Total: 81,728

  • Houlton 6,191
  • Caribou 6,018
  • Presque Isle 5,581
  • Van Buren 4,594
  • Fort Fairfield 4,551
  • Fort Kent 4,237
  • Ashland 2,391
  • Madawaska 1,933
  • Washburn 1,870
  • Mars Hill 1,783
  • Eagle Lake 1,772
  • St. Agatha 1,669
  • Island Falls 1,683
  • Frenchville 1,586
  • Limestone 1,506
  • Easton 1,451
  • Grand Isle 1,352
  • Monticello 1,268
  • Bridgewater 1,212
  • Sherman 1,134
  • Mapleton 1,128
  • Woodland 1,120
  • Blaine 1,117
  • Hodgdon 1,070
  • Littleton 1,049
  • Stockholm 1,038
  • Oakfield 1,016
  • New Sweden 964
  • Westfield 798
  • Portage Lake 721
  • Linneus 706
  • Masardis 690
  • Perham 659
  • Connor 585
  • Castle Hill 571
  • Crystal 508
  • Chapman 490
  • Smyrna 460
  • Weston 433
  • New Limerick 412
  • Amity 393
  • Dyer Brook 385
  • Wade 383
  • Ludlow 375
  • Merrill 361
  • Haynesville 349
  • Bancroft 315
  • Benedicta 268
  • Hersey 245
  • Orient 170

Unincorporated territory reported 9,167 residents. This consisted of 8,096 residents in organized plantations, and 1,071 residents in unorganized territory.

1930

County Total: 87,843

  • Caribou 7,248
  • Presque Isle 6,965
  • Houlton 6,865
  • Fort Fairfield 5,393
  • Fort Kent 4,726
  • Van Buren 4,721
  • Madawaska 3,533
  • Ashland 2,198
  • Washburn 1,974
  • Limestone 1,953
  • Mars Hill 1,837
  • Eagle Lake 1,780
  • St. Agatha 1,596
  • Frenchville 1,525
  • Easton 1,505
  • Monticello 1,467
  • Island Falls 1,455
  • Grand Isle 1,408
  • Woodland 1,308
  • Mapleton 1,283
  • Bridgewater 1,235
  • Stockholm 1,101
  • Blaine 1,061
  • Hodgdon 1,054
  • Littleton 1,035
  • Sherman 1,027
  • Oakfield 982
  • New Sweden 898
  • Portage Lake 886
  • Westfield 776
  • Linneus 753
  • Perham 691
  • Connor 626
  • Castle Hill 617
  • Masardis 584
  • Merrill 458
  • Smyrna 442
  • Chapman 409
  • New Limerick 404
  • Crystal 403
  • Wade 384
  • Ludlow 361
  • Amity 324
  • Weston 323
  • Benedicta 288
  • Dyer Brook 262
  • Haynesville 251
  • Bancroft 245
  • Hersey 195
  • Orient 161

Unincorporated territory reported 8,867 residents. This consisted of 8,023 residents in organized plantations, and 844 residents in unorganized territory.

1940

County Total: 94,436

  • Caribou 8,218
  • Presque Isle (city) 7,939
  • Houlton 7,771
  • Fort Fairfield 5,607
  • Van Buren 5,380
  • Fort Kent 5,363
  • Madawaska 4,477
  • Ashland 2,457
  • Eagle Lake 1,891
  • Mars Hill 1,886
  • St. Agatha 1,874
  • Limestone 1,855
  • Washburn 1,805
  • Easton 1,605
  • Grand Isle 1,574
  • Frenchville 1,566
  • Monticello 1,504
  • Island Falls 1,370
  • Mapleton 1,354
  • Woodland 1,298
  • Bridgewater 1,267
  • Hodgdon 1,076
  • Oakfield 1,059
  • Sherman 1,058
  • Blaine 1,049
  • Littleton 1,049
  • Stockholm 891
  • New Sweden 844
  • Linneus 775
  • Portage Lake 773
  • Connor 739
  • Westfield 735
  • Castle Hill 697
  • Perham 689
  • Masardis 601
  • Merrill 424
  • New Limerick 413
  • Smyrna 409
  • Chapman 397
  • Crystal 346
  • Amity 345
  • Ludlow 343
  • Wade 335
  • Weston 328
  • Dyer Brook 265
  • Benedicta 264
  • Haynesville 235
  • Bancroft 216
  • Hersey 150
  • Orient 147

Unincorporated territory reported 9,723 residents. This consisted of 8,630 residents in organized plantations, and 1,093 residents in unorganized territory.

1950

County Total: 96,039

  • Presque Isle (city) 9,954
  • Caribou 9,923
  • Houlton 8,377
  • Fort Fairfield 5,791
  • Fort Kent 5,343
  • Van Buren 5,094
  • Madawaska 4,900
  • Limestone 2,427
  • Ashland 2,370
  • Mars Hill 2,060
  • Washburn 1,913
  • Easton 1,664
  • Frenchville 1,528
  • Eagle Lake 1,516
  • St. Agatha 1,512
  • Mapleton 1,367
  • Woodland 1,292
  • Monticello 1,284
  • Bridgewater 1,279
  • Island Falls 1,237
  • Grand Isle 1,230
  • Hodgdon 1,162
  • Blaine 1,118
  • Sherman 1,029
  • Oakfield 1,009
  • Littleton 1,001
  • New Sweden 827
  • Linneus 777
  • Stockholm 641
  • Castle Hill 581
  • Perham 572
  • Westfield 557
  • New Limerick 543
  • Portage Lake 542
  • Masardis 523
  • Merrill 383
  • Chapman 381
  • Crystal 373
  • Ludlow 361
  • Smyrna 349
  • Wade 343
  • Amity 300
  • Weston 248
  • Benedicta 225
  • Dyer Brook 219
  • Haynesville 185
  • Orient 176
  • Bancroft 165
  • Hersey 116

Unincorporated territory reported 9,272 residents. This consisted of 7,315 residents in organized plantations, and 1,957 residents in unorganized territory.

1960

County Total: 106,064

  • Limestone 13,102
  • Presque Isle (city) 12,886
  • Caribou 12,464
  • Houlton 8,289
  • Fort Fairfield 5,876
  • Madawaska 5,507
  • Fort Kent 4,761
  • Van Buren 4,679
  • Washburn 2,083
  • Mars Hill 2,062
  • Ashland 1,980
  • Mapleton 1,514
  • Frenchville 1,421
  • Easton 1,389
  • Woodland 1,372
  • Eagle Lake 1,138
  • St. Agatha 1,137
  • Monticello 1,109
  • Sherman 1,034
  • Island Falls 1,018
  • Bridgewater 999
  • Littleton 982
  • Grand Isle 978
  • Blaine 945
  • Hodgdon 926
  • Oakfield 848
  • New Sweden 713
  • Linneus 607
  • Westfield 569
  • Castle Hill 554
  • Perham 512
  • Stockholm 492
  • Portage Lake 458
  • Masardis 408
  • New Limerick 394
  • Chapman 376
  • Merrill 337
  • Smyrna 331
  • Crystal 285
  • Ludlow 274
  • Wade 220
  • Amity 206
  • Weston 202
  • Benedicta 200
  • Haynesville 187
  • Dyer Brook 180
  • Orient 124
  • Hersey 106
  • Bancroft 94

Unincorporated territory reported 7,579 residents. This consisted of 5,985 residents in organized plantations, and 1,594 residents in unorganized territory.

1970

County Total: 94,078

  • Presque Isle (city) 11,452
  • Caribou (city) 10,419
  • Limestone 10,360
  • Houlton 8,111
  • Madawaska 5,585
  • Fort Fairfield 4,859
  • Fort Kent 4,575
  • Van Buren 3,971
  • Washburn 1,914
  • Mars Hill 1,875
  • Ashland 1,761
  • Mapleton 1,598
  • Frenchville 1,375
  • Easton 1,305
  • Woodland 1,218
  • Monticello 1,072
  • Littleton 958
  • Sherman 949
  • Hodgdon 933
  • Island Falls 913
  • Eagle Lake 908
  • Blaine 903
  • Bridgewater 895
  • St. Agatha 868
  • Oakfield 836
  • St. Francis 811
  • Grand Isle 797
  • New Sweden 639
  • Linneus 608
  • Castle Hill 519
  • Westfield 517
  • Portage Lake 477
  • Allagash 456
  • Perham 436
  • New Limerick 427
  • Stockholm 388
  • Chapman 328
  • Smyrna 318
  • Masardis 317
  • Crystal 281
  • Merrill 271
  • Ludlow 259
  • Wade 255
  • Benedicta 177
  • Dyer Brook 165
  • Weston 162
  • Haynesville 157
  • Amity 156
  • Orient 83
  • Hersey 81
  • Bancroft 53

Unincorporated territory reported 5,327 residents. This consisted of 3,668 residents in organized plantations, and 1,659 residents in unorganized territory. An additional 600 residents lived on Indian reservations.

1980

County Total: 91,344

  • Presque Isle (city) 11,172
  • Caribou (city) 9,916
  • Limestone 8,719
  • Houlton 6,766
  • Madawaska 5,282
  • Fort Kent 4,826
  • Fort Fairfield 4,376
  • Van Buren 3,557
  • Washburn 2,028
  • Mapleton 1,895
  • Mars Hill 1,892
  • Ashland 1,878
  • Frenchville 1,450
  • Woodland 1,369
  • Easton 1,305
  • Hodgdon 1,084
  • St. Agatha 1,035
  • Sherman 1,021
  • Eagle Lake 1,019
  • Littleton 1,009
  • Island Falls 981
  • Monticello 950
  • Blaine 922
  • Oakfield 847
  • St. Francis 839
  • Linneus 752
  • Bridgewater 742
  • New Sweden 737
  • Grand Isle 719
  • Westfield 647
  • Portage Lake 562
  • New Limerick 513
  • Castle Hill 509
  • Allagash 448
  • Perham 437
  • Chapman 406
  • Ludlow 403
  • Smyrna 354
  • Crystal 349
  • Hamlin 340
  • Masardis 328
  • Stockholm 319
  • Merrill 285
  • Wade 285
  • Dyer Brook 275
  • New Canada 269
  • Benedicta 225
  • Haynesville 169
  • Amity 168
  • Weston 155
  • Orient 97
  • Hersey 67
  • Bancroft 61
  • Westmanland 53

Unincorporated territory reported 4,532 residents. This consisted of 2,976 residents in organized plantations, and 1,556 residents in unorganized territory.

1990

County Total: 86,936

  • Presque Isle (city) 10,550
  • Limestone 9,922
  • Caribou (city) 9,415
  • Houlton 6,613
  • Madawaska 4,803
  • Fort Kent 4,268
  • Fort Fairfield 3,998
  • Van Buren 3,045
  • Washburn 1,880
  • Mapleton 1,853
  • Mars Hill 1,760
  • Ashland 1,542
  • Woodland 1,402
  • Frenchville 1,338
  • Easton 1,291
  • Hodgdon 1,257
  • Sherman 1,027
  • Littleton 956
  • Eagle Lake 942
  • St. Agatha 919
  • Island Falls 897
  • Monticello 872
  • Oakfield 846
  • Linneus 810
  • Blaine 784
  • New Sweden 715
  • St. Francis 683
  • Bridgewater 647
  • Westfield 589
  • Wallagrass 582
  • Grand Isle 558
  • New Limerick 524
  • Castle Hill 449
  • Portage Lake 445
  • Ludlow 430
  • Chapman 422
  • Caswell 408
  • Perham 395
  • Smyrna 378
  • Allagash 359
  • Masardis 305
  • Crystal 303
  • Merrill 296
  • Stockholm 286
  • New Canada 253
  • Dyer Brook 243
  • Haynesville 243
  • Wade 243
  • Weston 207
  • Hamlin 204
  • Amity 186
  • Orient 157
  • Hammond 93
  • Westmanland 72
  • Hersey 69
  • Bancroft 66

Unincorporated territory reported 3,136 residents. This consisted of 1,602 residents in organized plantations, and 1,534 residents in unorganized territory.

2000

County Total: 73,938

  • Presque Isle (city) 9,511
  • Caribou (city) 8,312
  • Houlton 6,476
  • Madawaska 4,534
  • Fort Kent 4,233
  • Fort Fairfield 3,579
  • Van Buren 2,631
  • Limestone 2,361
  • Mapleton 1,889
  • Washburn 1,627
  • Mars Hill 1,480
  • Ashland 1,474
  • Woodland 1,403
  • Easton 1,249
  • Hodgdon 1,240
  • Frenchville 1,225
  • Littleton 955
  • Sherman 937
  • Linneus 892
  • Eagle Lake 815
  • Blaine 806
  • St. Agatha 802
  • Island Falls 793
  • Monticello 790
  • Oakfield 732
  • New Sweden 621
  • Bridgewater 612
  • St. Francis 577
  • Wallagrass 561
  • Westfield 559
  • New Limerick 523
  • Grand Isle 518
  • Chapman 465
  • Castle Hill 454
  • Perham 434
  • Smyrna 415
  • Ludlow 402
  • Portage Lake 390
  • Caswell 326
  • New Canada 306
  • Crystal 285
  • Allagash 277
  • Stockholm 271
  • Hamlin 257
  • Masardis 255
  • Wade 250
  • Merrill 249
  • Weston 203
  • Amity 199
  • Dyer Brook 199
  • Orient 145
  • Haynesville 122
  • Hammond 98
  • Westmanland 71
  • Hersey 63
  • Bancroft 61

Unincorporated territory reported 3,024 residents. This consisted of 1,377 residents in organized plantations, and 1,647 residents in unorganized territory. A small portion of Aroostook County was also reported as being within an Indian reservation, but it had no population.

Plantations

As of 1900, Aroostook County contained 32 plantations. Eleven of these remain today. The disposition of the other 21 is as follows:

  • 18 of the plantations that existed in 1900 incorporated as towns over the course of the 20th century. Ten did so between 1900 and 1915, while a further eight did so between the 1960s and 1980s. The former group includes one municipality (Conner) which later disincorporated and reverted to unorganized territory.
  • Sheridan Plantation was annexed by the town of Ashland in 1901.
  • Sliver Ridge Plantation surrendered its organization in 1941 and reverted to unorganized territory.
  • E Plantation surrendered its organization in 1990 and reverted to unorganized territory.

Winterville Plantation changed its name to Hill in 1903, but changed it back to Winterville in 1907, without ever having been reported in a decennial census under the name Hill.

1900

  • Wallagrass 784
  • Hamlin 574
  • St. Francis 568
  • Castle Hill 567
  • Cyr 502
  • Connor 453
  • Sheridan 433
  • New Canada 419
  • Eagle Lake 406
  • Cary 400
  • Reed 399
  • St. John 371
  • Crystal 370
  • Caswell 368
  • Merrill 298
  • Chapman 285
  • Wade 271
  • Westfield 259
  • Portage Lake 241
  • Moro 217
  • Stockholm 191
  • Allagash 190
  • Glenwood 178
  • Silver Ridge 168
  • Macwahoc 153
  • Oxbow 153
  • Winterville 124
  • Hammond 116
  • Garfield 111
  • Westmanland 100
  • E 44
  • Nashville 32

1910

  • Eagle Lake 1,421
  • Wallagrass 1,004
  • St. Francis 918
  • Stockholm 715
  • Hamlin 657
  • Connor 609
  • New Canada 590
  • St. John 571
  • Reed 537
  • Cyr 531
  • Caswell 529
  • Chapman 426
  • Merrill 393
  • Cary 340
  • Wade 318
  • Winterville 267
  • Allagash 245
  • Moro 215
  • Oxbow 181
  • Silver Ridge 155
  • Macwahoc 147
  • Glenwood 128
  • E 126
  • Garfield 121
  • Hammond 115
  • Westmanland 104
  • Nashville 27

1920

  • St. Francis 1,241
  • Wallagrass 1,144
  • Reed 639
  • Hamlin 602
  • New Canada 573
  • Caswell 558
  • St. John 549
  • Cyr 479
  • Allagash 359
  • Winterville 353
  • Cary 327
  • Oxbow 198
  • Moro 181
  • Silver Ridge 164
  • Garfield 142
  • Hammond 132
  • Macwahoc 131
  • Westmanland 101
  • E 97
  • Glenwood 87
  • Nashville 39

1930

  • St. Francis 1,367
  • Wallagrass 1,145
  • Caswell 642
  • St. John 569
  • New Canada 538
  • Cyr 521
  • Reed 495
  • Hamlin 486
  • Allagash 438
  • Winterville 408
  • Cary 241
  • Silver Ridge 186
  • Oxbow 176
  • Moro 169
  • Macwahoc 163
  • E 97
  • Hammond 95
  • Garfield 91
  • Westmanland 87
  • Glenwood 77
  • Nashville 32

1940

  • St. Francis 1,489
  • Wallagrass 1,123
  • Caswell 650
  • Allagash 644
  • Hamlin 638
  • New Canada 633
  • St. John 628
  • Winterville 462
  • Cyr 433
  • Reed 433
  • Cary 287
  • Macwahoc 242
  • Oxbow 178
  • Silver Ridge 160
  • Moro 130
  • Hammond 108
  • Westmanland 105
  • Garfield 97
  • E 79
  • Glenwood 75
  • Nashville 36

1950

  • St. Francis 1,384
  • Wallagrass 1,035
  • Caswell 687
  • Allagash 680
  • St. John 569
  • New Canada 444
  • Hamlin 430
  • Winterville 373
  • Reed 351
  • Cary 278
  • Cyr 256
  • Oxbow 189
  • Macwahoc 131
  • Hammond 120
  • Garfield 116
  • Moro 84
  • Westmanland 77
  • Glenwood 53
  • E 30
  • Nashville 28

1960

  • St. Francis 1,058
  • Caswell 853
  • Wallagrass 818
  • Allagash 557
  • St. John 407
  • Hamlin 374
  • Reed 325
  • New Canada 288
  • Cyr 233
  • Winterville 215
  • Cary 208
  • Macwahoc 165
  • Oxbow 137
  • Hammond 94
  • Garfield 89
  • Moro 49
  • Westmanland 46
  • Glenwood 30
  • Nashville 30
  • E 9

1970

  • Caswell 693
  • Wallagrass 617
  • St. John 377
  • Hamlin 357
  • New Canada 300
  • Reed 273
  • Cary 184
  • Winterville 164
  • Cyr 155
  • Macwahoc 126
  • Garfield 104
  • Oxbow 92
  • Hammond 73
  • Westmanland 52
  • Nashville 50
  • Moro 24
  • E 18
  • Glenwood 9

1980

  • Wallagrass 653
  • Caswell 586
  • St. John 322
  • Reed 274
  • Winterville 235
  • Cary 229
  • Cyr 147
  • Macwahoc 126
  • Garfield 107
  • Oxbow 84
  • Hammond 73
  • E 55
  • Nashville 48
  • Moro 30
  • Glenwood 7

1990

  • Reed 296
  • St. John 274
  • Cary 235
  • Winterville 217
  • Cyr 142
  • Macwahoc 114
  • Garfield 102
  • Oxbow 69
  • E 64
  • Nashville 43
  • Moro 38
  • Glenwood 8

2000

  • St. John 282
  • Cary 217
  • Reed 207
  • Winterville 196
  • Cyr 117
  • Macwahoc 98
  • Garfield 86
  • Moro 63
  • Oxbow 56
  • Nashville 55
  • Glenwood 0

Unorganized Territory

Like all of Maine's interior and northern counties, Aroostook County contains a significant amount of unorganized territory. The extent of this territory is far greater in Aroostook County than in any other Maine County. Organized municipalities have existed only in the eastern and northeastern parts of the county, generally in lower-lying areas with access to lakes and rivers (e.g., the valleys of the St. Croix River and its tributaries). The remainder of the county to the west, much of which is quite mountainous and remote, has been left unorganized. Most of this area has historically been very sparsely populated. The bulk of the population that does live in unorganized areas lives close to the areas of the county that are organized.

Historically, only about 40% the county’s land area was incorporated or organized, leaving the remainder unorganized. There are more than a hundred townships in the county which have never been organized, and a number of others which have never advanced beyond the plantation stage. Between 1935 and 1945, a large number of municipalities in Maine dissolved and reverted to unorganized townships. In Aroostook County, this included one community which had been a town (Connor) and one which had not advanced beyond the plantation stage (Silver Ridge). In more recent decades, Aroostook County has lost two additional municipalities. In 1987, the town of Benedicta disincorporated, and in 1990, E Plantation dissolved. Both reverted to unorganized territory.

The areas of Aroostook County that are entirely unorganized cover about 4,000 square miles, with a population of about 1,650. This covers just under 60% of the county’s land area, but includes only about 2.2% of its population. Five unorganized townships have large enough populations to maintain a registrar and clerk to conduct elections for state and federal offices, although they do not have true organized municipal governments: Benedicta, Connor, Cross Lake, Madawaska Lake and Sinclair.

Over the years, the U.S. Census Bureau has used different methods to compile data for unorganized territory in Maine. From 1900 to 1950, data was tabulated for each individual unorganized entity. In 1960, a single catch-all “Unorganized Territory” listing was provided for each Maine county, generally with no further breakdown. Since 1970, the Census has grouped contiguous areas in each county into one or more “unorganized territories”. As of the 2000 Census, five such areas are recognized within Hancock County:

  • South Aroostook Unorganized Territory: a group of approximately 12 contiguous unorganized townships in the southeastern part of the county. It is entirely bordered by organized municipalities and the Penobscot County line. Includes the former town of Benedicta and the former Silver Ridge Plantation.
  • Central Aroostook Unorganized territory: a group of approximately 15 contiguous unorganized townships in the east central part of the county. It is entirely surrounded by organized municipalities and the Penobscot County line. (There are two rows of organized municipalities in between South Aroostook and Central Aroostook.) Includes the former E Plantation.
  • Square Lake Unorganized Territory: a group of approximately 10 contiguous unorganized townships in the northeastern part of the county. It is entirely surrounded by organized municipalities except for a short stretch on its southwest in between Portage Lake and Winterville Plantation, across T14R6. Square Lake Unorganized Territory and Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory are continuous across T14R6, but the Census Bureau divides them at a line that runs through the township. As a result of this, for census purposes T14R6 is partially in Square Lake Unorganized Territory and partially in Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory.
  • Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory: a group of approximately 70 contiguous unorganized townships, covering most of the western part of the county. This territory includes about two-thirds of the unorganized territory in the county, and covers nearly 40% of the county’s total land area. Most of this area is essentially uninhabited, however. Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory and Square Lake Unorganized Territory are continuous across T14R6, but the Census Bureau divides them Bureau divides them at a line that runs through the township. As a result of this, for census purposes T14R6 is partially in Square Lake Unorganized Territory and partially in Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory.
  • Connor Unorganized Territory: the former town of Connor, which is its own unorganized territory because it does not border any other land that is unorganized.

When the Unorganized Territories were first created for the 1970 Census, there were four in Aroostook County. Central Aroostook, South Aroostook and Connor were similar to their present-day state. The fourth, North Aroostook, consisted of what is now both Northwest Aroostook and Square Lake. North Aroostook was divided into the current configuration for the 1980 Census, apparently in recognition of the fact that the areas represented by the two resulting territories are barely contiguous, and that there is a significant difference in population density between them. The former town of Benedicta was added to South Aroostook for the 1990 Census, and the former E Plantation was added to Central Aroostook for the 2000 census, following their dissolution as municipalities.

The listings below provide population figures for 1) all unincorporated territory, including plantations; 2) organized plantations, for which breakouts are available in the main tables above; and 3) unorganized territory, with any available breakouts provided.

1900

All unincorporated territory 10,592

Organized plantations 9,745

Unorganized territory 847

  • Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 144
  • St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 111
  • Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 101
  • T18R10 78
  • Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 74
  • T16R12 39
  • T15R6 38
  • T7R3 34
  • T13R15 31
  • T15R11 28
  • T14R16 27
  • TCR2 26
  • T9R5 26
  • T9R4 23
  • T7R5 21
  • T14R6 21
  • TAR2 11
  • T3R2 8
  • T1R5 3
  • T12R13 3

1910

All unincorporated territory 12,475

Organized plantations 11,390

Unorganized territory 1,085

  • Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 236
  • Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 180
  • T9R4 102
  • T11R4 89
  • Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 88
  • T15R6 74
  • TDR2 47
  • T7R4 31
  • T16R12 25
  • St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 23
  • T7R3 19
  • T7R5 19
  • T14R6 18
  • TCR2 17
  • T1R5 17
  • T8R3 16
  • TAR2 15
  • T8R5 14
  • T13R14 14
  • T14R14 10
  • T18R10 9
  • T3R2 8
  • T15R11 6
  • T16R4 6
  • T3R3 2

1920

All unincorporated territory 9,167

Organized plantations 8,096

Unorganized territory 1,071

  • Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 172
  • T9R4 151
  • St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 122
  • Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 102
  • TCR2 71
  • T20R12 56
  • T15R5 51
  • T4R3 37
  • T18R10 35
  • T14R16 31
  • T16R12 24
  • T9R5 21
  • T13R15 19
  • T15R11 19
  • T11R4 17
  • T3R3 15
  • T14R6 13
  • T9R3 12
  • T12R13 12
  • TDR2 11
  • T15R15 11
  • TAR2 10
  • T16R4 10
  • T11R14 9
  • T7R5 8
  • North Yarmouth Academy Grant & Upper Molunkus Grant (T1R4) 7
  • T14R11 6
  • T13R14 5
  • T3R2 4
  • T14R14 4
  • T18R11 4
  • T12R15 2

1930

All unincorporated territory 8,867

Organized plantations 8,023

Unorganized territory 844

  • Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 261
  • Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 248
  • T15R6 70
  • Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 47
  • St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 39
  • Webbertown Twp. (T7R4) 27
  • T9R4 18
  • TCR2 17
  • TDR2 13
  • T11R4 13
  • T11R13 13
  • T14R6 13
  • TAR2 11
  • T9R5 11
  • T7R5 10
  • T11R14 7
  • T13R15 6
  • T15R11 5
  • T8R5 4
  • T12R13 3
  • T16R4 3
  • T9R3 2
  • T16R5 2
  • Forkstown Twp. (T3R2) 1

1940

All unincorporated territory 9,723

Organized plantations 8,630

Unorganized territory 1,093

  • Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 490
  • Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 401
  • T20R11&12 38
  • St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 30
  • T13R16 27
  • T14R6 19
  • T12R17 14
  • T16R4 14
  • T8R5 11
  • T16R12 8
  • T9R5 5
  • T13R14 5
  • T7R5 4
  • T11R14 4
  • T14R14 4
  • T9R4 3
  • T13R8 3
  • T15R9 3
  • North Yarmouth Academy Grant & Upper Molunkus Grant (T1R4) 2
  • TAR2 2
  • T11R13 2
  • T12R13 1
  • T14R11 1
  • T15R12 1
  • T16R5 1

1950

All unincorporated territory 9,272

Organized plantations 7,315

Unorganized territory 1,957

  • Connor Twp. 630
  • Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 507
  • Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 320
  • Silver Ridge Twp. 143
  • Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 58
  • T20R11&12 41
  • T15R6 35
  • T15R15 30
  • T14R6 29
  • T16R4 25
  • T17R3 20
  • Forkstown Twp. (T3R2) 19
  • St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 19
  • TDR2 15
  • T13R15 11
  • T11R4 10
  • North Yarmouth Academy Grant & Upper Molunkus Grant (T1R4) 7
  • T11R17 7
  • T12R17 6
  • T15R11 4
  • T11R14 3
  • T14R16 3
  • T16R12 3
  • T1R5 2
  • T12R7 2
  • T13R12 2
  • T14R14 2
  • T11R13 1
  • T12R16 1
  • T13R8 1
  • T14R7 1

1960

All unincorporated territory 7,570

Organized plantations 5,985

Unorganized territory 1,594

The 1960 Census reported all unorganized territory in Aroostook County under a single catch-all listing. No breakdown is available.

1970

All unincorporated territory 5,327

Organized plantations 3,668

Unorganized territory 1,659

  • North Aroostook Unorganized Territory 759
  • Connor Unorganized Territory 575
  • South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 243
  • Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 82

1980

All unincorporated territory 4,532

Organized plantations 2,976

Unorganized territory 1,556

  • Square Lake Unorganized Territory 604
  • Connor Unorganized Territory 574
  • South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 261
  • Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory 101
  • Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 16

1990

All unincorporated territory 3,136

Organized plantations 1,602

Unorganized territory 1,534

  • Square Lake Unorganized Territory 564
  • Connor Unorganized Territory 468
  • South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 404
  • Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 53
  • Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory 45

2000

All unincorporated territory 3,024

Organized plantations 1,377

Unorganized territory 1,647

  • Square Lake Unorganized Territory 615
  • South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 486
  • Connor Unorganized Territory 424
  • Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 95
  • Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory 27

Virtually all of the unorganized territory in Aroostook County is on the WELS (west of the Easterly Line of the State) grid. As its name suggests, the baseline for this grid is the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick, along Aroostook County’s eastern edge. In places, it has up to 20 numbered rows, arranged from north to south, and up to 17 numbered ranges, arranged from east to west. A row “A” and “B” also exist in some areas to the south of row 1. Some townships in the southeastern part of the grid do not line up precisely with the townships to their west, and were assigned range letters rather than numbers; some such townships in range two remain unorganized (e.g., TDR2; the former E Plantation was originally TER2). Many of the WELS townships in Aroostook County are identified only by their row and range numbers and have never developed informal township names.

All of the original townships in the first range are presently organized. The second through sixth ranges contain a mixture of organized and unorganized territory. The seventh through eleventh ranges only contain organized territory in the last few rows to the north, near the Saint John River, but are otherwise unorganized. No territory in Aroostook County in any range beyond the eleventh has ever been organized.

In 2005, the Maine state legislature officially changed the name of Guerette Township (T2R6) to Cross Lake Township, and officially named T11R14, which had not previously had a generally used name, as Clayton Lake Township.

Indian Reservations

Maine contains three federally recognized Indian reservations. One of these, the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, includes a very small amount of territory in Aroostook County. Maine currently treats Indian reservations as distinct entities, not part of any organized municipality or unorganized entity. This has not always been the case in the past; at one time, present-day reservation land was regarded as part of the municipalities or unorganized entities within which it is geographically located.

The main body of the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation is adjacent to the Penobscot River at Old Town, in Penobscot County. The reservation also has jurisdiction over the channel of the Penobscot River for some distance to the north. For a short distance near Aroostook County’s southwest corner, the Penobscot River forms the boundary between Penobscot and Aroostook counties. A very small portion of river channel at this location, under the jurisdiction of the reservation, lies within Aroostook County. The portion of the reservation that extends into Aroostook County measures less than a quarter of a square mile.

It is unclear how long the river channel has been considered part of the reservation. The Penobscot Indian Island Reservation has been considered a distinct entity since the 1950 Census, but the portion of the reservation within Aroostook County first appeared in the 2000 Census. The portion within Aroostook County is entirely water (not land) and did not report any population in the 2000 Census.

1960 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1960 census totals subsequent to their initial release. When it did so, however, it appears to have updated municipal totals only, not overall county totals or state totals, even though in most cases changing municipal totals should have caused county and state totals to change. The 1960 total for Aroostook County was originally reported as 106,064; and for the town of Stockholm, 649. The total for Stockholm was later revised to that shown in the list above (492). This should have caused the county total to change as well (to 105,907), but subsequent census publications have continued to list the county total as it was originally reported (106,064). As a result, in the list above, the municipal totals for 1960 do not add to the county total. The 1960 state total for Maine that appears in various Census materials (969,265) likewise reflects the original 1960 total for Aroostook County, and does not take into account the revision made to the population of Stockholm.

1970 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1970 census totals subsequent to their initial release. The 1970 total for Aroostook County was originally reported as 92,463, and for the town of Limestone, 8,745. The totals were later revised to those shown in the list above.

1980 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1980 census totals subsequent to their initial release. The 1980 total for Aroostook County was originally reported as 91,331, and for the town of Ashland, 1,865. The totals were later revised to those shown in the list above.

The 1970 Census reports show Westmanland as a plantation, changing to a town for the 1980 Census. No date or explanation is provided. The author of this article has been unable to locate any source with a date of incorporation for Westmanland. Until information to the contrary is discovered, this article assumes that Westmanland became a town between the 1970 and 1980 censuses.

1990 Census

The 1980 Census reports show Hammond as a plantation, changing to a town for the 1990 Census. No date or explanation is provided. The author of this article has been unable to locate any source with a date of incorporation for Hammond. Until information to the contrary is discovered, this article assumes that Hammond became a town between the 1980 and 1990 censuses.

The 1990 Census reports show Wallagrass as a plantation, changing to a town for the 2000 Census. The 2000 Census reports state that Wallagrass “changed legal description from plantation to a town”, but no date is provided. The author of this article was able to locate two sources containing a year of incorporation for Wallagrass, one of which indicated 1979, and one of which indicated 1986. It is possible that the 1979 date could refer to a legislative act which was not effective until 1980. It is also possible that the note in the 1990 Census reports is referring to a change which took place before 1990 but was missed in the 1990 reports. Until information to the contrary is discovered, this article assumes the most likely scenario is that Wallagrass became a town between the 1980 and 1990 censuses, and that it was shown as a plantation in 1990 in error.

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