A river rising in northern Maine and flowing about 225 km (140 mi) generally eastward to the St. John River in New Brunswick, Canada.
Aroostook
Dictionary:
A·roos·took (ə-rūs'tək, -rʊs'-)  |
A river rising in northern Maine and flowing about 225 km (140 mi) generally eastward to the St. John River in New Brunswick, Canada.
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| Columbia Encyclopedia: Aroostook |
Aroostook (ərūs'tʊk, -tĭk, ərʊs'-), river, c.140 mi (225 km) long, rising in N Maine and winding E to the St. John River in New Brunswick, Canada. The Aroostook War, caused by boundary disputes between Maine and New Brunswick, took place in the Aroostook valley. The river gives its name to a county in the United States famous for potatoes.
| Wikipedia: Aroostook County, Maine |
| Aroostook County, Maine | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Maine |
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 Maine's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1839 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Houlton |
| Largest city | Presque Isle |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
6,829 sq mi (17,687 km²) 6,672 sq mi (17,280 km²) 157 sq mi (407 km²), 2.30% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
73,938 11/sq mi (4.3/km²) |
| Website: www.aroostook.me.us | |
Aroostook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2000, its population was 73,938. It is the largest county in the state. Its seat is Houlton.[1] In land area, Aroostook County is the largest U.S. county east of the Mississippi River. Among residents of Maine, it is often referred to simply as "the County."
As Maine's northernmost county, its northernmost town, Estcourt Station, is therefore also the northernmost town of New England and of the continental U.S. east of the Great Lakes.
Aroostook County is known for its potato crops, as well as its French culture. In the northernmost region of the county, which borders Madawaska County, New Brunswick, a majority of residents are bilingual. In some communities, it is difficult to find employment for those who do not speak both English and French. Employers such as pharmacies, hospitals, banks, and post offices encounter this most frequently.[citation needed] The county is a hub for wind power, with so much being produced that the county will soon have excess to sell once it connects to the New England Power Grid.
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Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,829 square miles (17,686 km²), of which 6,672 square miles (17,279 km²) is land and 157 square miles (407 km²) (2.30%) is water. Aroostook County is about the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.
Adjacent U.S. counties
- Washington County, Maine - southeast
- Penobscot County, Maine - south
- Piscataquis County, Maine - south
- Somerset County, Maine - southwest
Adjacent regional county municipalities
- Montmagny Regional County Municipality, Quebec - west
- L'Islet Regional County Municipality, Quebec - west
- Kamouraska Regional County Municipality, Quebec - northwest
- Témiscouata Regional County Municipality, Quebec - north
Adjacent Canadian counties
- Madawaska County, New Brunswick - northeast
- Victoria County, New Brunswick - east
- Carleton County, New Brunswick - east
- York County, New Brunswick - southeast
Cities, towns, and plantations
Territories
Indian reservations
- Aroostook Band of Mi'kmaq Indians Reservation, located in Presque Isle, Maine
- Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians Reservation, located in Houlton, Maine
National protected area
Government and politics
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This section requires expansion. |
The county has went for the Democratic Presidential candidate in the last five elections, but often not with more than 50% of the vote.[2] In the Maine Senate its delegation includes six Democratic Senators and five Republican Senators.[3] In 2009 it voted 73% in favor of a referendum rejecting same-sex marriage and 54% against the Maine Medical Marijuana Act.[4]
Politicians of Aroostook County, Maine, have proposed spinning off the county as its own state, probably named Aroostook, since the 1990s. As recently as 2005 the question has been brought up before the state assembly.[5]
Demographics
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 73,938 people, 30,356 households, and 20,429 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 38,719 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/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. According to the 2000 United States Census, 22.37% of the population speak French at home.[9]
There were 30,356 households out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married 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 the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 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. The per capita income for the county was $15,033. About 9.80% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.20% of those under age 18 and 16.00% of those age 65 or over.
History
Some of the territory in this county was part of the land dispute that led to the "Aroostook War."
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ New York Times Election Map
- ^ Maine Senate site
- ^ Bangor Daily News
- ^ Bill calls for close look at secession
- ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&_county=Aroostook+County&_cityTown=Aroostook+County&_state=05000US23003
- ^ http://www.mapzones.org/Aroostook_County_Maine.html
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ MLA.org
External links
- Aroostook County Government
- Aroostook County on Maine.gov
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 | Caribou (town, United States) |
| Presque Isle (city, Maine) |
| Aroostook War (war, United States/Canada) |
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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Mentioned in
- Caribou (town, United States)
- Presque Isle (city, Maine)
- Aroostook War (war, United States/Canada)
- Webster-Ashburton Treaty (treaty, United States/England)
- Rhodochrosite (mineralogy and petrology)
- Micmac (tribe, North America)
- Katahdin Bankshares Corp
- Potatoes (American history)
- Caroline Affair (historical event, Canada – in politics)
- Northeast Boundary Dispute (historical event, United States/England/Canada)
- Saint John (river, United States and Canada)
- Maine & Maritimes Corp
- Aroostook
- Machias River (Aroostook River)
