Presque Isle, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Presque Isle, Maine
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Clockwise, from top: Crown of Maine Balloon Fest in Presque Isle, Downtown, University of Maine at Presque Isle, Aroostook Band of Micmac headquarters and museum, Nordic Heritage Center, Aroostook Centre Mall, UMPI wind turbine, Main Street
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| Nickname(s):
The Star City
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| Motto(s):
The Hub of Aroostook
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Location of Presque Isle, Maine
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 Presque Isle, Maine
Location in Maine
Presque Isle, Maine
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Maine |
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| County | Aroostook | |
| Incorporated (town) | April 4, 1859 | |
| Incorporated (city) | January 1, 1940 | |
| Named places | Parkhurst Spragueville |
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| Area | ||
| • Total | 77.60 sq mi (200.99 km2) | |
| • Land | 75.78 sq mi (196.27 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.82 sq mi (4.72 km2) | |
| Elevation | 456 ft (139 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,797 | |
| • Density | 116.09/sq mi (44.82/km2) | |
| Demonym(s) | Presqueillian | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
04769
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| Area code(s) | 207 | |
| FIPS code | 23-60825 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0573790 | |
| Website | presqueislemaine.gov | |
Presque Isle (/prɛsk/ presk) is a city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. It is the largest city and a major business hub in the county. In 2020, about 8,797 people lived there.
Presque Isle is home to the University of Maine at Presque Isle and Northern Maine Community College. You can also find the Northern Maine Fairgrounds, the Aroostook Centre Mall, and the Presque Isle International Airport here. The city is also the main office for the Aroostook Band of Micmac, a Native American tribe.
Contents
- History of Presque Isle
- Geography and Climate
- Population of Presque Isle
- Economy and Jobs
- Media in Presque Isle
- Places to Visit in Presque Isle
- Notable People from Presque Isle
- Images for kids
- See also
History of Presque Isle
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The first European settlers arrived in 1819. They were British Loyalists looking for land to cut timber. However, there were arguments between the United States and the United Kingdom about who owned the land. This made it hard for settlers to legally claim their land.
To help, the British colony of New Brunswick (now part of Canada) gave out special permits. These permits allowed people to live on the land but not own or sell it. By 1825, about twenty families lived along the Aroostook River. They farmed a little, but mostly worked in wood production.
The land dispute slowed down growth in the area. But the government of Massachusetts, which controlled the land then, wanted to encourage settlements. They offered land and mill rights in the 1820s. The first American to settle here was Dennis Fairbanks in 1828. He gained ownership under rules set by Massachusetts and later Maine. Maine became a state in 1820.
How Presque Isle Got Its Name
This area was first called Fairbanks, after its founder Dennis Fairbanks. In 1828, no one was sure if the land belonged to British North America (Canada) or the United States. The Aroostook War started in 1838 because of these border arguments. The problem was solved in 1842 by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.
The town officially became Presque Isle on April 4, 1859. The name comes from a French term for peninsula (presqu'île). This is because the Aroostook River and Presque Isle Stream flow in a way that forms a peninsula. In 1864, Fairmount Cemetery was created for soldiers returning from the Civil War. In 1883, the town of Maysville joined Presque Isle. On January 1, 1940, Presque Isle officially became a city.
Industries and Transportation in Presque Isle
Early Industries and Lumber
The very first industry in Presque Isle was lumber. By the 1880s, the town had two lumbermills. It also had a gristmill (for grinding grain) and a wool carding mill (for preparing wool). Other factories made furniture, carriages, and tinware.
Farming and Potatoes
In the late 1800s, farming became very important. The whole county became famous for growing potatoes. The first Northern Maine Fair opened on October 9, 1851. A starch factory opened in 1874, which gave local farmers a place to sell their potatoes. In 1914, the Aroostook Farm was bought as a special farm for agricultural experiments.
Railroad Connections
In 1881, the New Brunswick Railway brought the first train service to Presque Isle. The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad arrived in 1895. These trains helped transport goods and people.
Presque Isle International Airport
A small airport was built in 1931. It grew quickly and became very important for the military. The Presque Isle Air Force Base was open from 1941 to 1961. It was a key place for U.S. fighter planes to leave for Europe during World War II and the Korean War.
When the base closed, part of it became the Northern Maine Regional Airport. In June 2018, it was renamed Presque Isle International Airport. Starting in July 2018, United Airlines offered flights from Presque Isle to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. These flights were supported by a government program. In June 2024, JetBlue was chosen to take over these flights. They will offer more seats to Boston Logan Airport.
Colleges and Universities in Presque Isle
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In 1903, the Aroostook State Normal School started. It offered a two-year program to train teachers. In 1968, it became the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
Northern Maine Technical College was started in 1961. It is now called Northern Maine Community College. The first students began classes there in 1963. Today, about 2,000 students attend this college.
Hospitals in Presque Isle
The first Presque Isle Hospital opened on April 8, 1912. It had four doctors and aimed to help the community and train nurses. The hospital grew quickly. In 1921, a new, larger brick hospital was built.
This hospital served the community for almost 40 years. But it also became too small. In the late 1950s, a big fundraising effort began. After a large gift from Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wildes, the Arthur R. Gould Memorial Hospital was built. It opened in 1960. The hospital has grown and been updated over the years. In 1981, it became part of The Aroostook Medical Center.
The Double Eagle II Balloon Flight
On August 11, 1978, the Double Eagle II balloon took off from a field in Presque Isle. It carried three people. This balloon made history by being the first to successfully cross the Atlantic Ocean.
To celebrate this amazing flight, Presque Isle holds an annual event. It's called The Crown of Maine Balloon Festival. This popular festival includes balloon rides, plane tours, and fun fair rides for kids. It is held in late August. The field where the Double Eagle II launched now has a special model balloon to remember the event.
All American City Award
Presque Isle was recognized as an All American City in 1966. This award celebrates communities that work together to solve local problems.
Geography and Climate
Presque Isle is located at 46°40′46″N 68°0′8″W / 46.67944°N 68.00222°W. The city covers about 77.60 square miles (200.98 km2) of land and water. Most of this area, about 75.76 square miles (196.22 km2), is land. The Aroostook River and Presque Isle Stream flow through the city.
Presque Isle has a humid continental climate. This means it has long, cold winters and short, warm summers. It is also the driest city in Maine, getting about 38.5 in (980 mm) of rain and snow each year.
| Climate data for Presque Isle, Maine (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 55 (13) |
59 (15) |
76 (24) |
85 (29) |
94 (34) |
95 (35) |
99 (37) |
99 (37) |
91 (33) |
84 (29) |
70 (21) |
57 (14) |
99 (37) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 44.0 (6.7) |
41.8 (5.4) |
51.4 (10.8) |
69.0 (20.6) |
81.9 (27.7) |
87.1 (30.6) |
88.6 (31.4) |
87.5 (30.8) |
82.7 (28.2) |
72.0 (22.2) |
59.7 (15.4) |
47.2 (8.4) |
90.8 (32.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 22.3 (−5.4) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
35.7 (2.1) |
49.6 (9.8) |
65.2 (18.4) |
73.7 (23.2) |
78.5 (25.8) |
77.3 (25.2) |
69.1 (20.6) |
54.5 (12.5) |
40.0 (4.4) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
51.7 (10.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 12.8 (−10.7) |
15.6 (−9.1) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
39.5 (4.2) |
53.2 (11.8) |
62.0 (16.7) |
67.4 (19.7) |
65.9 (18.8) |
58.0 (14.4) |
45.4 (7.4) |
33.0 (0.6) |
20.4 (−6.4) |
41.6 (5.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 3.3 (−15.9) |
5.3 (−14.8) |
16.0 (−8.9) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
41.3 (5.2) |
50.4 (10.2) |
56.3 (13.5) |
54.5 (12.5) |
46.8 (8.2) |
36.3 (2.4) |
26.0 (−3.3) |
12.5 (−10.8) |
31.5 (−0.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −21.2 (−29.6) |
−17.0 (−27.2) |
−9.3 (−22.9) |
13.5 (−10.3) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
36.5 (2.5) |
44.3 (6.8) |
40.7 (4.8) |
29.8 (−1.2) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
6.7 (−14.1) |
−11.8 (−24.3) |
−23.7 (−30.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −41 (−41) |
−37 (−38) |
−30 (−34) |
−5 (−21) |
16 (−9) |
25 (−4) |
35 (2) |
29 (−2) |
15 (−9) |
8 (−13) |
−15 (−26) |
−35 (−37) |
−41 (−41) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.53 (64) |
1.92 (49) |
2.35 (60) |
2.79 (71) |
3.29 (84) |
3.81 (97) |
3.66 (93) |
3.81 (97) |
3.51 (89) |
4.16 (106) |
3.06 (78) |
3.16 (80) |
38.05 (966) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 21.1 (54) |
21.7 (55) |
19.0 (48) |
6.3 (16) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
1.2 (3.0) |
6.1 (15) |
21.7 (55) |
97.5 (248) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 19.6 (50) |
25.2 (64) |
24.7 (63) |
10.0 (25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
3.8 (9.7) |
10.6 (27) |
25.6 (65) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 11.0 | 8.1 | 9.7 | 11.5 | 12.7 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 11.5 | 10.3 | 12.9 | 11.1 | 11.2 | 137.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 9.0 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 7.3 | 34.8 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 92 | 92 | 93 | 86 | 75 | 78 | 78 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 89 | 84 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 2.6 | 2.1 | 3.2 | 5.4 | 7.4 | 8.2 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 7.3 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 5.6 |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 9.1 | 10.4 | 12.0 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 15.8 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 12.2 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV and humidity) | |||||||||||||
Population of Presque Isle
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 723 | — | |
| 1870 | 970 | 34.2% | |
| 1880 | 1,305 | 34.5% | |
| 1890 | 3,046 | 133.4% | |
| 1900 | 3,804 | 24.9% | |
| 1910 | 5,179 | 36.1% | |
| 1920 | 5,581 | 7.8% | |
| 1930 | 6,965 | 24.8% | |
| 1940 | 7,939 | 14.0% | |
| 1950 | 9,954 | 25.4% | |
| 1960 | 12,886 | 29.5% | |
| 1970 | 11,452 | −11.1% | |
| 1980 | 11,172 | −2.4% | |
| 1990 | 10,550 | −5.6% | |
| 2000 | 9,511 | −9.8% | |
| 2010 | 9,692 | 1.9% | |
| 2020 | 8,797 | −9.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 9,692 people living in Presque Isle. They lived in 4,201 households. The city had about 128 people per square mile. Most residents (94.5%) were White. There were also Native American, African American, and Asian residents. About 1.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the city was 40.2 years old. About 19.6% of residents were under 18. About 12.4% were between 18 and 24. And 16.2% were 65 or older. There were slightly more females (51.8%) than males (48.2%).
Economy and Jobs
Presque Isle is the main shopping area for many towns in Aroostook County. It also serves some towns in Canada. The Aroostook Centre Mall became a big shopping spot in the 1990s.
Agriculture is still a very important industry here. Potatoes are the top crop grown in the area. In winter, many local businesses depend on snowmobiling. Presque Isle has a great system of trails that connect it to other towns. There is also a large industrial park near the Presque Isle International Airport. The number of people without jobs in Presque Isle is usually a bit higher than the average for Maine.
Media in Presque Isle
Television
Presque Isle has a small TV market. It includes WAGM-TV (channel 8), which shows CBS, Fox, and CW+ programs. There's also WWPI-LD (channel 16), an NBC channel that started in 2020. WMEM-TV (channel 10) is part of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network and shows PBS programs. Other channels like WVII-TV (ABC) and WLBZ (NBC) from Bangor, Maine, can also be seen here.
Radio
Several radio stations have their studios in Presque Isle. These include WBPW, WOZI, and WQHR. They are all owned by Townsquare Media. The city also has WUPI, which is the student radio station for the University of Maine Presque Isle. It broadcasts on 92.1 FM. WMEM 106.1 FM is Maine Public's radio station for the area, which is part of National Public Radio.
Newspaper
There are no daily newspapers in Aroostook County. The Presque Isle Star-Herald is published every Wednesday. It is one of several weekly newspapers in the county. Other weekly papers include Caribou's Aroostook Republican, Madawaska's St. John Valley Times, The Fort Fairfield Journal, and Houlton's Pioneer Times. The Bangor Daily News also has a special edition for Aroostook County.
Places to Visit in Presque Isle
- Aroostook Farm
- Aroostook State Park
- Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library
- Northern Maine Museum of Science
- Presque Isle Air Museum
- Presque Isle Historical Society & Museum
- Nordic Heritage Center and Ski Trails
- The Maine Solar System Model
Notable People from Presque Isle
- Lucy Hayward Barker, a painter
- John Cariani, an actor
- John Crowley, an author
- Jim Donnelly, a state lawmaker
- James P. Dunleavy, a state lawmaker and judge
- Jeremy Fischer, a state lawmaker
- Lynn Flewelling, an author
- Caroline D. Gentile, a retired education professor
- Arthur R. Gould, a businessman and U.S. Senator
- James Chico Hernandez, a wrestling champion
- John Lisnik, a state lawmaker
- Jessica McClintock, a famous designer
- Gilda E. Nardone, who helps women find jobs
- Ellis Paul, a musician
- Robert J. Saucier, a veteran and state lawmaker
- Jack Sepkoski, a scientist who studies fossils
- Ron Tingley, a catcher for several MLB baseball teams
- Joseph F. Underwood, a state lawmaker
- Alexander Willette, a former state lawmaker
- Michael Willette, a state senator
- Gerald Evan Williams, a colonel and World War II pilot
Images for kids
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Potato harvesting in 1909
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Greenlaw Block c. 1912
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Old opera house c. 1912
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Presque Isle General Hospital, mid-1910s
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Aroostook State Normal School in 1908, now the University of Maine at Presque Isle
See also
In Spanish: Presque Isle (Maine) para niños
