Caribou, Maine
Encyclopedia
Caribou is the second largest city in Aroostook County
, Maine
, United States
. Its population was 8,189 at the 2010 census.
flared between the United States and Canada
, and the Battle of Caribou
occurred in December 1838. The dispute over the international boundary delayed settlement
of the area until after the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty
in 1842. With peace restored, European
settlers arrived in large numbers in 1843. From Eaton Plantation and part of half-township H, Caribou was incorporated on April 5, 1859, as the town of Lyndon. In 1869, it annexed Eaton, Sheridan and Forestville plantations. On February 26 of that year its name was changed to Caribou, only to revert back to Lyndon on March 9. On February 8, 1877, Caribou was finally confirmed as the town's permanent name. Two enduring mysteries are the reason for the original name of Lyndon, and the reasons for the town's name being subsequently changed back and forth between Lyndon and Caribou. The small town grew throghout the late 19th century, and with the coming of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad in the 1890s, agricultural exports exploded. This began a boom period which lasted well into the 1960s. Caribou became the largest potato shipping hub in the world, and had many related industries. Loring Air Force Base opened in the neighboring town of Limestone in the early 1950s, and this also provided a major boost to Caribou's growth. Caribou was incorporated as a city February 23, 1967. Its population began to slowly decline thereafter, a result of difficulties in its traditional potato
industry. The 1994 closure of nearby Loring Air Force Base also contributed to the decline in Caribou's population, as the city had served as the main service center for the base's 8,000 residents. In more recent years, Caribou's population has stabilized and grown slightly as the city successfully adapted to the base's closure and its economic impact.
In September 1984, Caribou was the lift-off location of the first successful solo balloon crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
by Colonel Joseph Kittinger
. This flight is memorialized at the Rosie O'Grady Balloon of Peace Park one mile (1.6 km) south of the city on Main Street. This site includes a large replica of Kittinger's balloon.
The Caribou Public Library is a Carnegie library
. Designed in the Romanesque Revival Style by local architect Schuyler C. Page, it was built in 1911-1912 with a $10,000 grant from industrialist Andrew Carnegie
.
, the city has a total area of 80.2 square miles (207.7 km²), of which, 79.3 square miles (205.4 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (1.11%) is water. Caribou is located on the northern bend of the Aroostook River
before it heads southeast to join the St. John River just east of Fort Fairfield
in New Brunswick.
Caribou is located in the geographical center of Aroostook County. The county is readily accessible by two major highways; Interstate 95
from the south and the Trans-Canada Highway
(New Brunswick Route 2
) from the north and east. In sparsely populated Aroostook County, Caribou is at the hub of spokes serving the area via U.S. 1
and Maine State routes 89
, 161
, 164
, 205 and 228
.
Northern Maine Regional Airport
in Presque Isle
serves as the primary hub for air service. Daily flights are scheduled to and from northern Maine with daily connections to Boston
’s Logan International Airport
. US Airways
and New England Air Transport
serve the airport.
Seaports are also close by in coastal Maine, New Brunswick and Quebec
. The closest deep-water port is Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec
, 120 miles (193.1 km) north of Caribou, on the St. Lawrence River.
The Eastern Maine Railroad serves Caribou and Aroostook County, also connecting Maine, Vermont
and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and providing a direct rail link between northern Maine, Saint John, New Brunswick
and Montreal, Quebec. Given the city's economic and cultural ties with the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, cross-border partnerships and relationships are often a common facet in many businesses.
(Köppen Dfb), with long, cold, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers. Nights are cool even in summer, and can turn bitter in winter. The average seasonal snowfall for Caribou is approximately 116 inches (2.9 m). The record snowfall for Caribou is 197.8 inches (5 m) set in the winter of 2007-2008. Monthly mean temperatures range from 9.5 °F (-12.5 °C) in January to 65.6 °F (18.7 °C) in July. There are 44 nights per winter that drop to 0 °F (-18 °C) or below.
Freak measurable snowfalls have occurred as early as late October and as late as early May, but in typical years the first significant snowfall occurs in late November or early December, and the last significant snowfall occurs in late March or early April.
. Area farmers annually plant approximately 60000 acres (242.8 km²) of potatoes. The chief varieties are Russet Burbank
, Superior, Shepody and Atlantic. Aroostook County is renowned for its round white potatoes. The potato crop is used for seed, table stock, and processed potato products. Aroostook County is the largest grower of broccoli on the East Coast
.
Other important agricultural crops grown in the area include peas
, hay
, oats
, and alternative crops on a smaller scale. Cattle and dairy farming are a growing segment of the agricultural landscape. The high volume of activity results in the growth of related agri-business. Farm implement sales and services and the development of several area processing plants are examples of the influence agriculture has on the local economy.
Other industry includes military vehicle refurbishment at the Maine Military Authority's Caribou division, software development, and stainless steel fabrication.
of 2000, there were 8,312 people, 3,517 households, and 2,324 families residing in the city. The population density
was 104.8 people per square mile (40.5/km²). There were 3,858 housing units at an average density of 48.7 per square mile (18.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.22% White, 0.29% African American, 1.48% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races
, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 3,517 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples
living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,485, and the median income for a family was $38,378. Males had a median income of $29,202 versus $20,737 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,061. About 8.4% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
trails with varied scenery and terrain within a one hour drive of the city. It has two municipal cross-country ski venues; one within the urban limits which has lights for night skiing as well as a visitors center, and a lengthier venue two miles (3 km) outiside the urban limits. Both are consistently well-groomed for skate and classical skiing, and accept donations for usage. The Maine Winter Sports Center is headquartered in Caribou. It is the premier outdoor sports organization in the state. MWSC is active in Caribou's recreational life during all four seasons and sponsors numerous events, including a Ski Dash, Youth Ski Festival, and the Caribou Mile road race.
Aroostook County is widely known by sports enthusiasts for its well-groomed extensive snowmobile
trail system; Caribou maintains 170 miles (273.6 km) of Aroostook County’s 1600 miles (2,574.9 km) snowmobile trail system. A major tourist destination for snowmobile enthusiasts throughout the country, who take advantage of the more than 1600 miles (2,574.9 km) of groomed snowmobile trails, which have been rated the third best in the nation. Snowmobilers can venture out every day, choose a variety of routes and with the number of loop trails never cross the same trail twice. Many county communities are located on the Canadian border, making international travel by snowmobile convenient. Running through the heart of Aroostook County is the Northeast Snowmobile Trail (NEST), and International Snowmobile Trail System linking Maine, New Hampshire
, Vermont, and the Province of Quebec.
In 2008, the city finished construction on a large, multi-use recreation, wellness, and community center, which was attached to the existing recreation center. This project is designed to also include a large indoor swimming pool and a fitness center. The construction is being completed in phases.
Other recreational options include an excellent 9-hole golf course, multi-use hiking/biking/ATV trails, a four screen movie theater, a frisbee golf course, a roller skating rink, Spud Speedway (the area's only race track), a bowling alley, The Maine Dance Academy, and several excellent parks. The community completed construction of a new outdoor tennis complex in 2009, to complement the existing courts at Teague Park.
Caribou Fire and Ambulance Dept. is a combination full time, paid call and volunteer fire dept. Caribou Fire and Ambulance Dept. apparatuses include Engine 1, 2 pumper tankers, Tankers 2 and 4, Ladder 3, Rescue 6, Unility Pick up 7, Incident Command 5, 1 snowmobile, 1 ATV, (used by both police and fire). 5 Ambulances, 1 Air Ambulance.
Caribou Fire and Ambulance Dept. include 12 fulltime Firefighter/Paramedics, one Chief and approx. 30 Paid Call / Volunteer Fire fighters. Some are which cross trained EMTs and Paramedics.
Fulltime firefighters work a 24 on and 48 off schedule. Each shift is covered by one Captain and 3 firefighter/paramedics.
Services provided are Fire emergencies, EMS emergencies, Local and Long Distant transfers from one health care facility to another, high angle and low angle rescues, HAZ-MAT, vehicle extrication, fire prevention, and health education.
, a CBS
affiliate located in Presque Isle
, which is the only full-power commercial television station north of Bangor
. Residents of Caribou receive the Maine Public Broadcasting Network
, a PBS
affiliate, over WMEM-TV, as well as the CBC
from Canada. Most residents subscribe to Dish Network
, DIRECTV
or Time Warner Cable
. The city is also home to two radio stations: WCXU
97.7 FM, and WFST
600 AM, a Christian station. In addition, listeners can receive other radio stations in northern Maine, Western New Brunswick and Eastern Quebec. They include CJEM 92.7 FM, CIKX 93.5 FM, CBAL-FM-5 94.3 FM, WQHR
96.1 FM, WBPW
96.9 FM, CBAM 99.5 FM, CBAF 100.3 FM, CFAI-1 101.1 FM, WOZI
101.9 FM, CBZC 103.3 FM, CFAI-1 105.1 FM, WMEM
106.1 FM, CIBM 107.1 FM and WEGP
1390 AM. Lately there has been an increase in Satellite Radio Subscriptions in northern Maine. Sirius Satellite Radio
and XM Satellite Radio
are leading the way due to the lack of radio programming aimed at the 12-40 age bracket in Northern Maine. A weekly newspaper, the Aroostook Republican, is published in Caribou. Home delivery of the daily newspaper out of Bangor, the Bangor Daily News
, is also available.
Caribou is also home to Echoes magazine, a quarterly publication about rural culture and heritage focused primarily on northern Maine. It recently marked its 20th anniversary, and is read throughout the United States.
Aroostook County, Maine
Aroostook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 71,870. In land area, it is the largest county in the state and the largest U.S. county east of the Mississippi River. Its seat is Houlton...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its population was 8,189 at the 2010 census.
History
Between 1838 and 1839, the undeclared Aroostook WarAroostook War
The Aroostook War was an undeclared nonviolent confrontation in 1838/1839 between the United States and Great Britain over the international boundary between British North America and Maine. The compromise resolution win a mutually accepted border between the state of Maine and the provinces of...
flared between the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and the Battle of Caribou
Battle of Caribou
The Battle of Caribou was a minor and ultimately bloodless skirmish between U.S. and British armed lumberjacks during the Aroostook War...
occurred in December 1838. The dispute over the international boundary delayed settlement
of the area until after the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
The Webster–Ashburton Treaty, signed August 9, 1842, was a treaty resolving several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies...
in 1842. With peace restored, European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
settlers arrived in large numbers in 1843. From Eaton Plantation and part of half-township H, Caribou was incorporated on April 5, 1859, as the town of Lyndon. In 1869, it annexed Eaton, Sheridan and Forestville plantations. On February 26 of that year its name was changed to Caribou, only to revert back to Lyndon on March 9. On February 8, 1877, Caribou was finally confirmed as the town's permanent name. Two enduring mysteries are the reason for the original name of Lyndon, and the reasons for the town's name being subsequently changed back and forth between Lyndon and Caribou. The small town grew throghout the late 19th century, and with the coming of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad in the 1890s, agricultural exports exploded. This began a boom period which lasted well into the 1960s. Caribou became the largest potato shipping hub in the world, and had many related industries. Loring Air Force Base opened in the neighboring town of Limestone in the early 1950s, and this also provided a major boost to Caribou's growth. Caribou was incorporated as a city February 23, 1967. Its population began to slowly decline thereafter, a result of difficulties in its traditional potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
industry. The 1994 closure of nearby Loring Air Force Base also contributed to the decline in Caribou's population, as the city had served as the main service center for the base's 8,000 residents. In more recent years, Caribou's population has stabilized and grown slightly as the city successfully adapted to the base's closure and its economic impact.
In September 1984, Caribou was the lift-off location of the first successful solo balloon crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
by Colonel Joseph Kittinger
Joseph Kittinger
Joseph William Kittinger II is a former Command Pilot and career military officer in the United States Air Force. He is most famous for his participation in Project Manhigh and Project Excelsior, holding the records for having the highest, fastest and longest skydive, from a height greater than...
. This flight is memorialized at the Rosie O'Grady Balloon of Peace Park one mile (1.6 km) south of the city on Main Street. This site includes a large replica of Kittinger's balloon.
The Caribou Public Library is a Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
. Designed in the Romanesque Revival Style by local architect Schuyler C. Page, it was built in 1911-1912 with a $10,000 grant from industrialist Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
.
Notable people
- Susan CollinsSusan CollinsSusan Margaret Collins is the junior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1996, she is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs...
, U.S. senator. - Roland GammonRoland GammonRoland Gammon was a noted American writer. A native of Caribou, Maine, he graduated from Colby College and then studied at Oxford University. He served with the Air Corps in World War II and then became a reporter for Time-Life....
, writer. - Olaf Nylander, naturalist and archaelogist, early 1900s.
- Robert Sanborn, children's activist.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 80.2 square miles (207.7 km²), of which, 79.3 square miles (205.4 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (1.11%) is water. Caribou is located on the northern bend of the Aroostook River
Aroostook River
The Aroostook River is a tributary of the Saint John River in the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Its basin is the largest sub-drainage of the St. John River....
before it heads southeast to join the St. John River just east of Fort Fairfield
Fort Fairfield, Maine
Fort Fairfield is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,496 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 78.4 square miles , of which, 76.6 square miles of it is land and 1.7 square miles ...
in New Brunswick.
Caribou is located in the geographical center of Aroostook County. The county is readily accessible by two major highways; Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maine
In the U.S. state of Maine, Interstate 95 is a long highway running from the New Hampshire border near Kittery, to the Canadian border near Houlton. It is the only two-digit Interstate Highway in Maine...
from the south and the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
(New Brunswick Route 2
New Brunswick Route 2
Route 2 is a major provincial highway in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, carrying the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway in the province...
) from the north and east. In sparsely populated Aroostook County, Caribou is at the hub of spokes serving the area via U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maine
In the U.S. state of Maine, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway serving the eastern part of the state. It parallels the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire north through Portland, Brunswick, and Belfast to Calais, and then the St. Croix River and the rest of the Canadian border...
and Maine State routes 89
Maine State Route 89
State Route 89 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways. It runs from an intersection with State Route 161 in Caribou to an intersection with U.S. 1A in Limestone. The route is also known as Access Highway and Foster Avenue .The road was designated as a service route for the now...
, 161
Maine State Route 161
State Route 161 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways. It runs from Fort Fairfield to Allagash. It begins at an intersection with U.S. 1A in Fort Fairfield, and deadends at the St. John River west of Allagash.....
, 164
Maine State Route 164
State Route 164 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways. It runs from Presque Isle to Caribou. It begins at an intersection with U.S. 1 just north of Presque Isle, and ends at a junction of State Route 161 and U.S. Route 1 in Caribou...
, 205 and 228
Maine State Route 228
State Route 228 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways. It runs from Washburn to Caribou. It begins at an intersection with State Route 164 in downtown Washburn, and ends at an intersection of State Route 161 in Caribou...
.
Northern Maine Regional Airport
Northern Maine Regional Airport
Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle is a city-owned public-use airport located one nautical mile northwest of the central business district of Presque Isle, a city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. It serves the residents of Presque Isle, Maine, and a vast area of northern...
in Presque Isle
Presque Isle, Maine
Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census...
serves as the primary hub for air service. Daily flights are scheduled to and from northern Maine with daily connections to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
’s Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
. US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
and New England Air Transport
New England Air Transport
New England Air Transport was an airline based in Maine, launched in August, 2008. The airline, geared towards business travelers, tourists, and those seeking medical treatment, was focused on air service between Aroostook and Cumberland counties, the northernmost and southernmost parts of the...
serve the airport.
Seaports are also close by in coastal Maine, New Brunswick and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The closest deep-water port is Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec
Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec
Rivière-du-Loup is a small city on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec. The city is the seat for the Rivière-du-Loup Regional County Municipality and the judicial district of Kamouraska.-History:...
, 120 miles (193.1 km) north of Caribou, on the St. Lawrence River.
The Eastern Maine Railroad serves Caribou and Aroostook County, also connecting Maine, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and providing a direct rail link between northern Maine, Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
and Montreal, Quebec. Given the city's economic and cultural ties with the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, cross-border partnerships and relationships are often a common facet in many businesses.
Climate
Caribou features a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen Dfb), with long, cold, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers. Nights are cool even in summer, and can turn bitter in winter. The average seasonal snowfall for Caribou is approximately 116 inches (2.9 m). The record snowfall for Caribou is 197.8 inches (5 m) set in the winter of 2007-2008. Monthly mean temperatures range from 9.5 °F (-12.5 °C) in January to 65.6 °F (18.7 °C) in July. There are 44 nights per winter that drop to 0 °F (-18 °C) or below.
Freak measurable snowfalls have occurred as early as late October and as late as early May, but in typical years the first significant snowfall occurs in late November or early December, and the last significant snowfall occurs in late March or early April.
Industry
In Caribou and throughout Aroostook County, the two major agricultural crops are the potato and broccoliBroccoli
Broccoli is a plant in the cabbage family, whose large flower head is used as a vegetable.-General:The word broccoli, from the Italian plural of , refers to "the flowering top of a cabbage"....
. Area farmers annually plant approximately 60000 acres (242.8 km²) of potatoes. The chief varieties are Russet Burbank
Russet Burbank potato
The Russet Burbank potato is a large brown-skinned, white-fleshed cultivar of potato. Luther Burbank developed the Burbank potato in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, U.S., in the early 1870s. In 1875, Burbank sold his farm and the rights to his potato, and moved to Santa Rosa, California...
, Superior, Shepody and Atlantic. Aroostook County is renowned for its round white potatoes. The potato crop is used for seed, table stock, and processed potato products. Aroostook County is the largest grower of broccoli on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
.
Other important agricultural crops grown in the area include peas
PEAS
P.E.A.S. is an acronym in artificial intelligence that stands for Performance, Environment, Actuators, Sensors.-Performance:Performance is a function that measures the quality of the actions the agent did....
, hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
, oats
OATS
OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...
, and alternative crops on a smaller scale. Cattle and dairy farming are a growing segment of the agricultural landscape. The high volume of activity results in the growth of related agri-business. Farm implement sales and services and the development of several area processing plants are examples of the influence agriculture has on the local economy.
Other industry includes military vehicle refurbishment at the Maine Military Authority's Caribou division, software development, and stainless steel fabrication.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,312 people, 3,517 households, and 2,324 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 104.8 people per square mile (40.5/km²). There were 3,858 housing units at an average density of 48.7 per square mile (18.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.22% White, 0.29% African American, 1.48% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 3,517 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,485, and the median income for a family was $38,378. Males had a median income of $29,202 versus $20,737 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,061. About 8.4% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- Hilltop Elementary School, serving kindergartenKindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through the second gradeSecond gradeIn the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
. - Teague Park School, serving the thirdThird gradeIn the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
and the fourth gradeFourth gradeFourth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fourth grade is the fourth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 9 or 10 years old, depending on their birthday. It is a part of elementary school. In some parts of the United States, fourth grade...
s as well as two pre-school classrooms. - Caribou Middle SchoolCaribou Middle SchoolCaribou Middle School is a junior high school located in Caribou, Maine. The school currently has 420 students serving grades 5–8. Caribou Middle School is a member of the New England League of Middle Schools and has been selected by the Maine Department of Education to represent the state at...
, serving the fifthFifth gradeFifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens...
through eighth gradeEighth gradeEighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
s. - Caribou High SchoolCaribou High SchoolCaribou High School is an American high school educating students in grades 9 through 12. It is located in Caribou, Maine, at 308 Sweden Street. The current principal is Mark Jones. Current Guidance Counselors include Martin Gallant, Director of Guidance, and Mark Pinette, Guidance...
Recreation
Caribou has over a dozen cross-country skiCross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
trails with varied scenery and terrain within a one hour drive of the city. It has two municipal cross-country ski venues; one within the urban limits which has lights for night skiing as well as a visitors center, and a lengthier venue two miles (3 km) outiside the urban limits. Both are consistently well-groomed for skate and classical skiing, and accept donations for usage. The Maine Winter Sports Center is headquartered in Caribou. It is the premier outdoor sports organization in the state. MWSC is active in Caribou's recreational life during all four seasons and sponsors numerous events, including a Ski Dash, Youth Ski Festival, and the Caribou Mile road race.
Aroostook County is widely known by sports enthusiasts for its well-groomed extensive snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
trail system; Caribou maintains 170 miles (273.6 km) of Aroostook County’s 1600 miles (2,574.9 km) snowmobile trail system. A major tourist destination for snowmobile enthusiasts throughout the country, who take advantage of the more than 1600 miles (2,574.9 km) of groomed snowmobile trails, which have been rated the third best in the nation. Snowmobilers can venture out every day, choose a variety of routes and with the number of loop trails never cross the same trail twice. Many county communities are located on the Canadian border, making international travel by snowmobile convenient. Running through the heart of Aroostook County is the Northeast Snowmobile Trail (NEST), and International Snowmobile Trail System linking Maine, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Vermont, and the Province of Quebec.
In 2008, the city finished construction on a large, multi-use recreation, wellness, and community center, which was attached to the existing recreation center. This project is designed to also include a large indoor swimming pool and a fitness center. The construction is being completed in phases.
Other recreational options include an excellent 9-hole golf course, multi-use hiking/biking/ATV trails, a four screen movie theater, a frisbee golf course, a roller skating rink, Spud Speedway (the area's only race track), a bowling alley, The Maine Dance Academy, and several excellent parks. The community completed construction of a new outdoor tennis complex in 2009, to complement the existing courts at Teague Park.
Public Safety
Caribou's Public Safety is served 24/7/365 by the professionals of the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Dept. and the Caribou Police Dept.Caribou Fire and Ambulance Dept. is a combination full time, paid call and volunteer fire dept. Caribou Fire and Ambulance Dept. apparatuses include Engine 1, 2 pumper tankers, Tankers 2 and 4, Ladder 3, Rescue 6, Unility Pick up 7, Incident Command 5, 1 snowmobile, 1 ATV, (used by both police and fire). 5 Ambulances, 1 Air Ambulance.
Caribou Fire and Ambulance Dept. include 12 fulltime Firefighter/Paramedics, one Chief and approx. 30 Paid Call / Volunteer Fire fighters. Some are which cross trained EMTs and Paramedics.
Fulltime firefighters work a 24 on and 48 off schedule. Each shift is covered by one Captain and 3 firefighter/paramedics.
Services provided are Fire emergencies, EMS emergencies, Local and Long Distant transfers from one health care facility to another, high angle and low angle rescues, HAZ-MAT, vehicle extrication, fire prevention, and health education.
Media
Caribou is served by WAGM-TVWAGM-TV
WAGM-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Northern Maine, United States and Western New Brunswick, Canada. Licensed to Presque Isle, Maine, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on the northern section of Mars Hill Mountain among the wind...
, a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate located in Presque Isle
Presque Isle
Presque Isle may refer to:Administrative subdivisions* Presque Isle County, Michigan* Presque Isle Township, Michigan* Presque Isle, Maine, a city** Presque Isle Air Force Base, former base* Presque Isle, Wisconsin, a town...
, which is the only full-power commercial television station north of Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
. Residents of Caribou receive the Maine Public Broadcasting Network
Maine Public Broadcasting Network
The Maine Public Broadcasting Network is a state network of public television and radio stations located in the state of Maine in the United States. It is operated by the Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation, which holds the licenses for all the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public...
, a PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliate, over WMEM-TV, as well as the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
from Canada. Most residents subscribe to Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
, DIRECTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
or Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
. The city is also home to two radio stations: WCXU
WCXU
Channel X Radio is a network of American radio stations in Aroostook County, Maine. With studios in Caribou the stations are heard through various transmitters throughout Aroostook County.-History:...
97.7 FM, and WFST
WFST
WFST is a radio station licensed to Caribou, Maine, USA. The station is currently owned by Northern Broadcast Ministries.- History :WFST previously was a daytimer, with an FM on 97.7 now part of the Channel X Radio network of stations....
600 AM, a Christian station. In addition, listeners can receive other radio stations in northern Maine, Western New Brunswick and Eastern Quebec. They include CJEM 92.7 FM, CIKX 93.5 FM, CBAL-FM-5 94.3 FM, WQHR
WQHR
WQHR is an American radio station in Presque Isle, Maine. It is a hot adult contemporary formatted station owned by Cumulus Media. It currently carries The Bob & Sheri Show. The transmitter is in Mars Hill, Maine....
96.1 FM, WBPW
WBPW
WBPW is an American radio station in Presque Isle, Maine. It is a country music formatted station on FM frequency 96.9 MHz and is owned by Cumulus Media. The station carries NASCAR races from MRN Radio.-External links:...
96.9 FM, CBAM 99.5 FM, CBAF 100.3 FM, CFAI-1 101.1 FM, WOZI
WOZI
WOZI is an American radio station in Presque Isle, Maine. It is a Classic rock formatted station owned by Cumulus Media.- History :Originally on 101.7 MHz as a sister station to WOZW AM 710 and in 2007 part of the Channel X Radio network. Radio pioneer Allan Weiner bought the station and the...
101.9 FM, CBZC 103.3 FM, CFAI-1 105.1 FM, WMEM
WMEM (FM)
WMEM-FM is a radio station licensed to Presque Isle, Maine. The station is owned Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation, and is an affiliate of the MPBN Radio network.-External links:*...
106.1 FM, CIBM 107.1 FM and WEGP
WEGP
WEGP is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Presque Isle, Maine, USA, the station serves the Northern Maine, Western New Brunswick, and Downeast area. The station is currently owned by Northern Maine Broadcasting Inc...
1390 AM. Lately there has been an increase in Satellite Radio Subscriptions in northern Maine. Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
and XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
are leading the way due to the lack of radio programming aimed at the 12-40 age bracket in Northern Maine. A weekly newspaper, the Aroostook Republican, is published in Caribou. Home delivery of the daily newspaper out of Bangor, the Bangor Daily News
Bangor Daily News
The Bangor Daily News is an American newspaper that was founded on June 18, 1889; in 1900 the paper merged with the Bangor Whig and Courier. The Bangor Publishing Co. publishes the paper in Bangor, Maine, in addition to two weekly papers distributed by the BDN and several others distributed by the...
, is also available.
Arts and culture
The Caribou Performing Arts Center draws acts and shows from all over the United States and Canada. Caribou also has a thriving music program centered around the Caribou Music Department. Music education has been a vital part of the education system in Caribou for years. The Caribou High School Music Building Fund, a student-initiated non-profit organization, is currently raising $2.7 million for a new music facility to be located at the high school. The new facility will allow Caribou High School students to utilize increased practice space and music technology to significantly further music education. Additionally, the facility will be open to community groups and musicians from all over Caribou and Aroostook County to use as the only center for music in northern Maine. A major new initiative has recently begun to design and construct the Caribou Children's Discovery Museum, to serve all of northern Maine and western New Brunswick. A major capital campaign is well underway, and the project is envisioned to have construction begin within the next several years.Caribou is also home to Echoes magazine, a quarterly publication about rural culture and heritage focused primarily on northern Maine. It recently marked its 20th anniversary, and is read throughout the United States.
Sites of interest
- Caribou Historical Society & Museum
- Caribou Performing Arts Center
- Nylander Museum -- Northern Maine's Natural History Museum
- Caribou Ambulance and Fire Department
- Gray Memorial United Methodist Church and ParsonageGray Memorial United Methodist Church and ParsonageGray Memorial United Methodist Church and Parsonage is a historic church at 8 Prospect Street in Caribou, Maine.It was built in 1912 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995....
- McElwain HouseMcElwain HouseMcElwain House is an historic house in Caribou, Maine. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in April 1982....
External links
- City of Caribou, Maine
- Caribou 2009 Sesquicentennial Celebration
- Caribou Children's Discovery Museum
- Caribou Public Library
- Caribou Public Library -- a Carnegie Library
- Caribou Snowmobile Club
- Caribou Chamber of Commerce & Industry
- Caribou High School Music Building Fund
- Channel X Radio
- Map of Caribou, Maine, ca. 1870, from the Maine Memory Network
- Aroostook Republican