Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in
Aroostook County
Aroostook County ( ; french: Comté d'Aroostook) is a county in the U.S. state of Maine along the Canada–U.S. border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,105. Its county seat is Houlton, with offices in Caribou and Fort Kent.
Kn ...
,
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
, United States. The population was 8,797 at the
2020 Census. The city is home to the
University of Maine at Presque Isle
The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMaine Presque Isle or UMPI) is a public college in Presque Isle, Maine. It is part of the University of Maine System and one of two University of Maine System schools in Aroostook County (the other bein ...
,
Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College is a public community college in Presque Isle, Maine. It is part of the Maine Community College System. The campus was founded in 1961 on the grounds of the former Presque Isle Air Force Base.
Academics
The col ...
,
Husson University
Husson University is a private university in Bangor, Maine. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and as of Fall 2020 had a total enrollment of 3,476 students, including 799 graduate students in master's and doctoral programs.
Husson U ...
Presque Isle, Northern Maine Fairgrounds, The
Aroostook Centre Mall
Aroostook Centre Mall is a shopping mall in Presque Isle, Maine, USA. It opened on November 1, 1993. Shortly after its opening, the U.S. government announced the closing of nearby Loring Air Force Base, the region's largest employer.
The mall ...
, and the
Presque Isle International Airport
Presque Isle International Airport , formally Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle, is a mile northwest of Presque Isle, in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. It serves the residents of Presque Isle and a vast area of northern Ma ...
.
Presque Isle is the headquarters of the
Aroostook Band of Micmac
The Aroostook Band of Micmacs is a federally recognized tribe of Mi'kmaq people, based in Aroostook County, Maine. Their autonym is Ulustuk. Of the 28 bands of Mi'kmaq people, the Aroostook Band is the only one in the United States. The Aroostook ...
, a
federally recognized tribe.
History
The first European settlers were British
Loyalists
Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...
who reached the area in 1819 hoping to obtain land for lumber. Border disputes between the United States and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
over the area, however, made it impossible for pioneers to gain title to the land. In response, the government of the neighboring British colony of
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
(now a Canadian province) gave out patents for pioneers to live on the land but not claim ownership or sell it. By 1825, surveyors traveling along the
Aroostook River
The Aroostook River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 22, 2011 tributary of the Saint John River in the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Bru ...
noted that twenty families lived along it and noted that while agriculture was present, all of the families employed most of their time towards wood production.
The boundary dispute slowed development in the area, but the government of
, which governed the territory at the time, saw the territory as theirs and encouraged the development of settlements in northern Maine by offering land grants and mill privileges in the 1820s. The first American to settle in the area was
Dennis Fairbanks
Dennis or Denis is a first or last name from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius, via one of the Christian saints named Dionysius.
The name came from Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstatic states, particularly those produced by wine, which is someti ...
in 1828 who gained ownership over the land under the provisions set up by Massachusetts and later Maine, which gained statehood in 1820.
Name and incorporation
Originally known as Fairbanks for its founder Dennis Fairbanks, Presque Isle was settled in 1828 on land that was unknown to be part of
British North America
British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English overseas possessions, English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland (island), Newfound ...
(Canada) or the United States. The
Aroostook War
The Aroostook War (sometimes called the Pork and Beans WarLe Duc, Thomas (1947). The Maine Frontier and the Northeastern Boundary Controversy. ''The American Historical Review'' Vol. 53, No. 1 (Oct., 1947), pp. 30–41), or the Madawaska War, wa ...
broke out in 1838 because of boundary disputes between the two countries, which were resolved in 1842 by the
Webster-Ashburton Treaty. The township was incorporated from Plantations F, G and H on April 4, 1859, as Presque Isle, derived from the
French term for
peninsula (''presqu'île''), as the courses of the
Aroostook River
The Aroostook River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 22, 2011 tributary of the Saint John River in the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Bru ...
and Presque Isle Stream form a peninsula. In 1864,
Fairmount Cemetery was established in the south of Presque Isle to accommodate Union soldiers returning from the Civil War. In 1883, the town of
Maysville was annexed.
On January 1, 1940, Presque Isle was incorporated as a city.
Industry, agriculture and transportation
Lumbering and early industries
The first industry to form in Presque Isle was the lumber industry. By the 1880s, industry included two
lumbermill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
s, a
gristmill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...
, a
wool
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool.
As ...
carding mill, a
furniture
Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Fu ...
factory, a
carriage factory and a
tinware
Tinware is any item made of prefabricated tinplate. Usually tinware refers to kitchenware made of tinplate, often crafted by tinsmiths. Many cans used for canned food are tinware as well. Something that is tinned after being shaped and fabricated i ...
factory.
Agriculture
During the last 30 years of the 19th century, agriculture became important, and the entire county became noted for its production of
potato
The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...
es. On October 9, 1851, the first Northern Maine Fair exhibition opened. A starch factory was opened in 1874, providing a ready market for local potatoes.
In 1914 the
Aroostook Farm was purchased as a Maine Agricultural Experiment Station.
Railroad
In 1881 the
New Brunswick Railway
The New Brunswick Railway Company Limited (NBR) is currently a Canadian non-operating railway and land holding company headquartered in Saint John, New Brunswick that is part of "Irving Transportation Services", a division within the J.D. Irving ...
created the first rail connection in Presque Isle. The
Bangor and Aroostook Railroad arrived in 1895.
Airport
A small airport was established in 1931. It was expanded within the decade and later assumed major military importance. The
Presque Isle Air Force Base
Presque Isle Air Force Base was a military installation of the United States Air Force located near Presque Isle, Maine. In the late 1950s and early 1960s it became a base for Strategic Air Command.
The original airport was constructed in 193 ...
, in operation between 1941 and 1961, was a major departure point for U.S. fighter planes during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
due to its relative proximity to Europe. When the base was sold, a piece of it became the Northern Maine Regional Airport. In June 2018, the Northern Maine Regional Airport was renamed
Presque Isle International Airport
Presque Isle International Airport , formally Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle, is a mile northwest of Presque Isle, in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. It serves the residents of Presque Isle and a vast area of northern Ma ...
.
Beginning on July 2, 2018,
United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. began service from the Presque Isle International Airport in Presque Isle, Maine to
Newark Liberty International Airport in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.[Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service (EAS) is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which had been served by certificated airlines prior to deregulation in 1978, maintained commercial service. Its aim is t ...]
(EAS) program, and are operated by United Express carrier,
GoJet Airlines
GoJet Airlines LLC is a regional airline headquartered in Bridgeton, Missouri, United States. Wholly owned by Trans States Holdings, it has 1,670 employees. It operates commuter feeder services under the United Express brand of United Airlines. ...
.
Colleges and universities
In 1903, the Aroostook State
Normal School
A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...
began offering a two-year teacher preparation program. In 1968, it was renamed the
University of Maine at Presque Isle
The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMaine Presque Isle or UMPI) is a public college in Presque Isle, Maine. It is part of the University of Maine System and one of two University of Maine System schools in Aroostook County (the other bein ...
. Northern Maine Technical College was established in 1961, now
Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College is a public community college in Presque Isle, Maine. It is part of the Maine Community College System. The campus was founded in 1961 on the grounds of the former Presque Isle Air Force Base.
Academics
The col ...
.
The first students entered the college in 1963. Today it serves about 2000 students.
Hospitals
The first Presque Isle Hospital was established on April 8, 1912.
Four physicians were affiliated with the hospital, whose dual aims were to serve the community and to provide a training school for nurses.
The building was a white-frame structure, enlarged from a home under construction. The need and demand for the hospital increased so rapidly that in 1921 a new three-story brick hospital was dedicated.
This hospital was in operation for nearly four decades, when it, too, proved inadequate. A major fundraising campaign was launched in the late 1950s. After a large donation was given by Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wildes, the daughter of the late
Senator Arthur Gould, the Arthur R. Gould Memorial Hospital was constructed and opened in 1960.
The hospital has expanded and been modernized in recent years and in 1981 became a part of
The Aroostook Medical Center
Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital (frequently shortened to ARG), formerly known as The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC), is a hospital located in Presque Isle, Maine that is governed by a local volunteer board of trustees. It is named for former ...
.
The Double Eagle II
On August 11, 1978, the ''
Double Eagle II
''Double Eagle II'', piloted by Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman, became the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it landed 17 August 1978 in Miserey near Paris, 137 hours 6 minutes after leaving Presque Isle, Maine.
It ...
'' was launched from a Presque Isle field carrying three passengers. It made the first successful
transatlantic
Transatlantic, Trans-Atlantic or TransAtlantic may refer to:
Film
* Transatlantic Pictures, a film production company from 1948 to 1950
* Transatlantic Enterprises, an American production company in the late 1970s
* ''Transatlantic'' (1931 film) ...
balloon
A balloon is a flexible bag that can be inflated with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and air. For special tasks, balloons can be filled with smoke, liquid water, granular media (e.g. sand, flour or rice), or light so ...
crossing. In honor of the ''Double Eagle II'', the city holds an annual celebration called The Crown of Maine Balloon Festival. The popular event includes balloon rides, plane tours, amateur photo contests and children's fair rides. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations, it is held in late August. The field from which the ''Double Eagle II'' lifted off now features a commemorative model balloon.
''Double Eagle II'' – Maine Office of Tourism
All American City
Presque Isle was named an All American City in 1966.
Historic images
File:Potatoeing, Presque Isle, ME.jpg, Potato harvesting in 1909
File:Greenlaw Block, Presque Isle, ME.jpg, Greenlaw Block
File:Perry Building, Presque Isle, ME.jpg, Old opera house
File:Presque Isle Hospital. Maine mid 1910s.jpg, Presque Isle General Hospital mid 1910s
File:House of Seven Gables Presque Isle Maine.jpg,
Geography and climate
Presque Isle is located at (46.679321, −68.002166).
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Presque Isle is drained by the Aroostook River
The Aroostook River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 22, 2011 tributary of the Saint John River in the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Bru ...
and Presque Isle Stream (also called Prestile Stream).
Presque Isle has a humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
: Dfb) typified by long cold winters and short warm summers.
Government
The City of Presque Isle operates under the council-manager form of government. The current city manager is Martin Puckett.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 9,692 people, 4,201 households, and 2,413 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 4,608 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.5% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.6% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 2.4% Native American, 0.9% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.2% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.3% of the population.
There were 4,201 households, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.6% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.78.
The median age in the city was 40.2 years. 19.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.
2000 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 9,511 people, 3,963 households, and 2,464 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 125.6 people per square mile (48.5/km2). There were 4,405 housing units at an average density of 58.2 per square mile (22.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.13% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.36% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 2.26% Native American, 0.84% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.17% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.65% of the population.
There were 3,963 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,325, and the median income for a family was $37,090. Males had a median income of $27,510 versus $19,785 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $15,712. About 9.2% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Due to being Aroostook County
Aroostook County ( ; french: Comté d'Aroostook) is a county in the U.S. state of Maine along the Canada–U.S. border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,105. Its county seat is Houlton, with offices in Caribou and Fort Kent.
Kn ...
's largest city, Presque Isle is the retail center for a large number of both American and Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
towns. The Aroostook Centre Mall
Aroostook Centre Mall is a shopping mall in Presque Isle, Maine, USA. It opened on November 1, 1993. Shortly after its opening, the U.S. government announced the closing of nearby Loring Air Force Base, the region's largest employer.
The mall ...
became a major shopping center
A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof.
The first known collec ...
for residents during the 1990s. A Super Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
center also attracts a large number of shoppers. Agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
remains a top industry of Presque Isle and the surrounding area, with potatoes being the top crop. During the winter months many local businesses rely on the snowmobiling industry as there is a highly regarded trail system connecting far away towns and cities with Presque Isle. Presque Isle is also home to a significant industrial park
An industrial park (also known as industrial estate, trading estate) is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more "heavyweight" version of a business park or office park ...
near the Presque Isle International Airport
Presque Isle International Airport , formally Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle, is a mile northwest of Presque Isle, in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. It serves the residents of Presque Isle and a vast area of northern Ma ...
.
The unemployment rate in Presque Isle is typically somewhat higher than the average across Maine.
Media
Television
Presque Isle is home to one of the smallest TV markets as defined by Nielsen market research. It consists of WAGM-TV
WAGM-TV (channel 8) is a television station in Presque Isle, Maine, United States, affiliated with CBS, Fox and The CW Plus. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Fort Kent–licensed low-power NBC affiliate WWPI-LD (channel 16). The ...
channel 8 (a CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
/Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
/ CW+ affiliate), sister station WWPI-LD
WWPI-LD (channel 16) is a low-power television station licensed to Fort Kent, Maine, United States, serving the Presque Isle, Maine area as an affiliate of NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside CBS/ Fox/ CW+ affiliate WAGM-TV (channel ...
channel 16 (a NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
affiliate which launched on January 7, 2020), and WMEM-TV channel 10 (affiliated with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network
The Maine Public Broadcasting Network (abbreviated MPBN and branded as Maine Public) is a state network of public television and radio stations located in the U.S. state of Maine. It is operated by the Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation, whic ...
("Maine Public") and PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
). While not part of the Presque Isle TV market, WVII-TV
WVII-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Bangor, Maine, United States, affiliated with ABC and Fox. The station is owned by Rockfleet Broadcasting, and has studios on Target Industrial Circle in West Bangor; its transmitter is located ...
, the ABC affiliate out of Bangor, Maine, airs in Presque Isle, as does NBC affiliate WLBZ
WLBZ (channel 2) is a television station in Bangor, Maine, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on Mount Hope Avenue in Bangor, and its transmitter is located on Rider Bluff in Holden.
Al ...
.
Radio
Several radio stations have studios located in Presque Isle, including WBPW, WOZI and WQHR, all owned by Townsquare Media
Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
. The city is also home to WUPI, the University of Maine Presque Isle's student radio station
Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively created or produced ...
which broadcasts on 92.1. WMEM 106.1 is Maine Public
The Maine Public Broadcasting Network (abbreviated MPBN and branded as Maine Public) is a state network of Public broadcasting, public television and public radio, radio stations located in the U.S. state of Maine. It is operated by the Maine Pu ...
's radio outlet for the area, affiliated with National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
.
Newspaper
There are no daily newspapers in Aroostook County. ''The Presque Isle Star-Herald
''Beautiful Minds'' (french: Presque) is a 2021 French-Swiss comedy-drama film directed by Bernard Campan and Alexandre Jollien.
Cast
* Bernard Campan - Louis Caretti
* Alexandre Jollien - Igor
* Marie Benati - la prostituée
* Marilyne Canto ...
'' is published Wednesdays, one of several weekly newspapers published in Aroostook County. Others include Caribou's ''Aroostook Republican'', Madawaska's '' St. John Valley Times'', ''The Fort Fairfield Journal'' and Houlton's ''Pioneer Times''. The ''Bangor Daily News
The ''Bangor Daily News'' is an American newspaper covering a large portion of central and eastern Maine, published six days per week in Bangor, Maine.
The ''Bangor Daily News'' was founded on June 18, 1889; it merged with the ''Bangor Whig and ...
'' has an Aroostook County edition.
Sites of interest
* 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
In popular culture
Presque Isle is the focal location for operations in the 1953 film '' Island in the Sky''.
The city is also where Handy McKay retires to open a diner in the Parker Parker may refer to:
Persons
* Parker (given name)
* Parker (surname)
Places Place names in the United States
*Parker, Arizona
*Parker, Colorado
* Parker, Florida
* Parker, Idaho
* Parker, Kansas
* Parker, Missouri
* Parker, North Carolina
*Park ...
novel series by Richard Stark
Donald Edwin Westlake (July 12, 1933 – December 31, 2008) was an American writer, with more than a hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into ...
.
Notable people
* Lucy Hayward Barker
Lucy Ellen Hayward Barker (November 29, 1872 – November 16, 1948) was an American painter.
Born in Portage Lake, Maine, Barker attended St. John's Academy in Presque Isle, before spending two years at St. Catherine's Hall, an Episcopal schoo ...
, painter
* John Cariani
John Edward Cariani (born July 23, 1969) is an American actor and playwright. Cariani is best known as the unwavering forensic expert Julian Beck in ''Law & Order''. On stage, he earned a Tony Award nomination for his role as Motel the Tailor in t ...
, actor
* John Crowley, author
* Jim Donnelly, state legislator
* James P. Dunleavy, state legislator and Aroostook County Probate Judge
* Jeremy Fischer, state legislator
* Lynn Flewelling
Lynn Flewelling (born Lynn Elizabeth Beaulieu on October 20, 1958) is an American fantasy fiction author.
Biography
Born at Presque Isle, Flewelling grew up in northern Maine, United States. She has worked as a teacher, a house painter, a necro ...
, author
* Caroline D. Gentile
Caroline Doris Gentile (January 24, 1924 – September 19, 2008) was an American academic and physical education instructor. The longest-serving faculty member of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, she joined the staff in 1946 and developed t ...
, associate professor emeritus of education, University of Maine at Presque Isle
The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMaine Presque Isle or UMPI) is a public college in Presque Isle, Maine. It is part of the University of Maine System and one of two University of Maine System schools in Aroostook County (the other bein ...
* Arthur R. Gould
Arthur Robinson Gould (March 16, 1857July 24, 1946) was a United States senator from Maine.
Biography
Born in Corinth, Maine, he attended the common schools and East Corinth Academy. He moved first to Bangor, Maine, where he opened a candy fac ...
, businessman and U.S. Senator
* James Chico Hernandez, wrestling champion
* John Lisnik, state legislator
* Jessica McClintock
Jessica Gagnon McClintock (June 19, 1930 – February 16, 2021) was founder, President and CEO of Jessica McClintock, Inc., an American retail company based in San Francisco, California. She was a designer of formalwear for women. In 2013, after ...
, designer
* Gilda E. Nardone, women's employment advocate and nonprofit director
* Ellis Paul
Ellis Paul (born Paul Plissey; January 14, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician. Born in Presque Isle, Aroostook County, Maine, Paul is a key figure in what has become known as the Boston school of songwriting, a literate, ...
, musician
* Robert J. Saucier
Robert Joseph Saucier (born March 10, 1955) is an American politician. He is a former member of the Maine House of Representatives for Presque Isle, ME, House District 147 of the 127th Maine Legislature. During his first two terms in office, Sa ...
, veteran and state legislator
* Jack Sepkoski
Joseph John Sepkoski Jr. (July 26, 1948 – May 1, 1999) was a University of Chicago paleontologist. Sepkoski studied the fossil record and the diversity of life on Earth. Sepkoski and David Raup contributed to the knowledge of extinction events. ...
, paleontologist
* Ron Tingley
Ronald Irvin Tingley (born May 27, 1959) is an American former professional baseball catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 10th round of the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.
Career 1979-1984
He sp ...
, catcher for several MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
teams
* Alexander Willette
Alexander Reginald Willette (born April 2, 1989) is an American politician from Maine. In 2010, the Republican Willette was elected to represent District 7 in the Maine House of Representatives, covering much of central Aroostook County includ ...
, former state legislator
* Michael Willette, state senator
* Gerald Evan Williams
Gerald Evan Williams (December 17, 1907 – February 17, 1949) was an American officer in the Ninth Air Force during World War II.
Background and family
Gerald Evan Williams was born in Bridgewater, Maine to Myron Luther Williams and Lottie Bel ...
, Colonel; World War II Air Force pilot
References
External links
City of Presque Isle, Maine
Turner Memorial Library
Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control
Cities in Maine
Populated places established in 1828
Cities in Aroostook County, Maine