Millinocket, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Millinocket, Maine
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1907 postcard
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 Millinocket, Maine
Location in Maine
Millinocket, Maine
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Maine | |
| County | Penobscot | |
| Settled | 1829 | |
| Incorporated | March 16, 1901 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 18.22 sq mi (47.19 km2) | |
| • Land | 15.95 sq mi (41.31 km2) | |
| • Water | 2.27 sq mi (5.88 km2) | |
| Elevation | 351 ft (107 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,114 | |
| • Density | 258/sq mi (99.6/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
04462
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| Area code(s) | 207 | |
| FIPS code | 23-45810 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582596 | |
Millinocket is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. In 2020, about 4,114 people lived there.
For a long time, Millinocket's economy was all about forest products, like paper. It was also known for outdoor fun. However, the big paper company closed in 2008. Now, the town is working to become a popular place for tourists.
Contents
History of Millinocket
Millinocket was first settled in 1829. Betsy and Thomas Fowler and their family started a farm near Shad Pond. Other families joined them in 1837.
In 1846, the famous writer Henry David Thoreau visited the area. He hired members of the Fowler family to guide him to Mount Katahdin. He wrote about his trip in a book called The Maine Woods.
Building the Paper Mill
In 1894, the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad built a train line through the area. This made it easier to develop the land.
A smart engineer named Charles W. Mullen had an idea. He saw that the Penobscot River had strong waterfalls. These falls would be perfect for powering a large pulp and paper mill. Mullen talked to Garret Schenck, an expert in the paper industry. Schenck agreed to help build the mill.
They chose a spot where the West Branch of the Penobscot River and Millinocket Stream meet. On May 15, 1899, construction began on the new Great Northern Paper Company mill.
Founding the Town
Since the mill was far from other towns, a new town was needed. The name Millinocket means "the land of many islands." This name comes from all the islands in the Penobscot River. The town of Millinocket officially became a town on March 16, 1901.
Many people came to work on the mill. Schenck hired skilled stonemasons from Italy. They were responsible for building much of the mill. Immigrants from Poland, Finland, Lithuania, and Hungary also came. Many French Canadians moved there too.
Millinocket's Growth and Changes
Throughout the 1900s, the town grew and did well. It became known as a successful small town because of the paper industry. Its location also helped. It is close to Katahdin, Maine's tallest mountain, and Moosehead Lake, Maine's largest lake.
In 2003, the Great Northern Paper Company faced money problems. It had to file for bankruptcy protection for its mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket. The mills closed in 2008.
Since then, Millinocket has been working to change its economy. It gets help from the state government and local groups. A Canadian company bought the paper mills. Besides the traditional forest products industry, Millinocket is now focusing on tourism. It has become a popular place for visitors all year round. The town has its own airport, the Millinocket Municipal Airport.
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Great Northern Hotel in Millinocket (1906)
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Great Northern Paper Company Mill in Millinocket (1907)
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Log pile in Millinocket (1908)
Geography of Millinocket
The town covers about 18.22 square miles (47.19 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with some water.
Two main roads, State Route 11 and State Route 157, pass through the town. The town of East Millinocket is about 8 miles (13 km) to the east.
Nearby Natural Landmarks
Millinocket is the closest town to Mount Katahdin. This mountain is in Baxter State Park, about 20 miles (32 km) northwest. Katahdin is the highest point in Maine, standing at 5,270 feet (1,606 meters). It is also the northern end of the famous Appalachian Trail.
Millinocket Stream flows through the town. It starts at Millinocket Lake and flows into the West Branch Penobscot River.
Millinocket's Climate
Millinocket has a humid continental climate. This means it has big changes in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot, and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold.
| Climate data for Millinocket, Maine, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1903–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 56 (13) |
62 (17) |
80 (27) |
87 (31) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
100 (38) |
100 (38) |
96 (36) |
87 (31) |
74 (23) |
62 (17) |
101 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 46.2 (7.9) |
45.7 (7.6) |
55.3 (12.9) |
72.1 (22.3) |
83.8 (28.8) |
89.3 (31.8) |
90.2 (32.3) |
89.4 (31.9) |
84.8 (29.3) |
72.8 (22.7) |
61.7 (16.5) |
49.8 (9.9) |
93.0 (33.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 23.6 (−4.7) |
26.5 (−3.1) |
36.3 (2.4) |
49.9 (9.9) |
63.9 (17.7) |
73.5 (23.1) |
78.5 (25.8) |
77.5 (25.3) |
69.6 (20.9) |
55.2 (12.9) |
42.8 (6.0) |
30.9 (−0.6) |
52.4 (11.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 14.1 (−9.9) |
16.3 (−8.7) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
39.7 (4.3) |
52.5 (11.4) |
62.5 (16.9) |
67.9 (19.9) |
66.5 (19.2) |
58.5 (14.7) |
46.0 (7.8) |
34.9 (1.6) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
42.4 (5.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 4.6 (−15.2) |
6.0 (−14.4) |
16.3 (−8.7) |
29.6 (−1.3) |
41.2 (5.1) |
51.4 (10.8) |
57.2 (14.0) |
55.5 (13.1) |
47.5 (8.6) |
36.8 (2.7) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
15.1 (−9.4) |
32.3 (0.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −15.3 (−26.3) |
−12.5 (−24.7) |
−4.8 (−20.4) |
17.2 (−8.2) |
30.0 (−1.1) |
39.7 (4.3) |
47.9 (8.8) |
44.7 (7.1) |
32.8 (0.4) |
23.6 (−4.7) |
10.7 (−11.8) |
−5.8 (−21.0) |
−17.6 (−27.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −41 (−41) |
−40 (−40) |
−32 (−36) |
−5 (−21) |
19 (−7) |
26 (−3) |
37 (3) |
32 (0) |
22 (−6) |
11 (−12) |
−10 (−23) |
−35 (−37) |
−41 (−41) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.12 (79) |
2.70 (69) |
3.10 (79) |
3.74 (95) |
3.69 (94) |
4.21 (107) |
4.43 (113) |
4.12 (105) |
3.89 (99) |
4.72 (120) |
3.92 (100) |
3.72 (94) |
45.36 (1,152) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 23.3 (59) |
19.1 (49) |
18.6 (47) |
4.5 (11) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
3.6 (9.1) |
16.6 (42) |
86.1 (219) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.5 | 8.9 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 12.4 | 12.8 | 13.8 | 10.6 | 10.7 | 12.1 | 11.1 | 10.5 | 133.6 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 7.4 | 6.5 | 5.4 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 5.9 | 29.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 88 | 89 | 89 | 80 | 75 | 77 | 77 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 79 | 84 | 81 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 4.0 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 7.7 | 8.4 | 9.5 | 9.8 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 6.4 |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 9.2 | 10.4 | 12.0 | 13.6 | 15.0 | 15.7 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 12.3 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Source 1: NWS | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV and humidity) | |||||||||||||
People of Millinocket
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 3,368 | — | |
| 1920 | 4,528 | 34.4% | |
| 1930 | 5,830 | 28.8% | |
| 1940 | 6,223 | 6.7% | |
| 1950 | 5,890 | −5.4% | |
| 1960 | 7,453 | 26.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,742 | 3.9% | |
| 1980 | 7,567 | −2.3% | |
| 1990 | 6,956 | −8.1% | |
| 2000 | 5,203 | −25.2% | |
| 2010 | 4,506 | −13.4% | |
| 2020 | 4,114 | −8.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 4,506 people living in Millinocket. Most residents (97.7%) were White. About 15.5% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in the town was 51.5 years.
Arts and Culture in Millinocket
There are several interesting places to visit in Millinocket:
- The Antique Snowmobile Museum
- The Millinocket Historical Society and Museum
- The Boreal Theater
- The West Branch of the Penobscot River
Education in Millinocket
Schools in Millinocket are managed by the Millinocket School Department.
- The primary school is Granite Street School.
- Millinocket Middle School is for middle school students.
- Stearns High School is the high school.
Media in Millinocket
Newspapers
Millinocket has one traditional newspaper and one online newspaper:
- Katahdin/Lincoln area News: This is a weekly newspaper that comes out every Thursday. It has a special section about Millinocket.
- Magic City Morning Star: This newspaper has been publishing online since 2002.
Radio Stations
Several radio stations serve the area:
- WSYY-FM The Mountain 94.9: This station plays a mix of oldies, classic hits, and rock music. It broadcasts most of the day, seven days a week.
- WSYY 1240: This station offers CBS Sports Radio on weekends.
You can also hear stronger radio stations from Bangor and Presque Isle.
Television
Millinocket was featured on the Discovery Channel TV show American Loggers. This show followed the logging work of Gerald Pelletier Incorporated. Cable television in Millinocket is provided by Bee Line Cable. It offers most of the main TV networks from Bangor.
Notable People from Millinocket
Many interesting people have come from Millinocket, including:
- George F. Carrier: A mathematician who taught at Brown and Harvard University.
- Herbert E. Clark: A state legislator.
- Harry A. Corey: An entrepreneur and Canadian politician.
- Joseph John Gerry OSB: A Bishop of Portland until 2004.
- Mary Kathryn Gonya: Miss Maine in 1966.
- Jane Harragan: Miss Maine in 1950.
- Marc Macauly: An actor.
- Mike Michaud: A former member of the United States House of Representatives.
- Charles P. Pray: A politician.
- Andrew St. John: An actor.
- Joe Whalen: A tennis player.
See also
In Spanish: Millinocket (Maine) para niños
