Mr. President. This year marks the 175th anniversary of the incorporation of Aroostook County, Maine. As one who was born and raised in that wonderful place, I rise today to celebrate its fascinating past, energetic present, and bright future.
If the story of Aroostook County could be summed up in one thought, it would be this: we are the largest county east of the Mississippi River, yet we are all neighbors. From the frontier to the front lines of innovation, the people of The County, as it is known throughout Maine, have always worked hard and worked together.
The story of Aroostook County begins long before its incorporation in 1839. For thousands of years, it has been the home of the Micmac and Maliseet; the name Aroostook comes from the Native American word for “beautiful river.”
French explorers, led by Samuel de Champlain, first visited the area in 1604. The settlements that followed laid the foundation for the vibrant Acadian culture that is so important in Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and as far away as Louisiana. Under French, and later, English rule, Aroostook’s rich natural resources drew hardy lumberjacks and trappers to the area.
For decades after the American Revolution, Maine’s northernmost region was the site of a protracted and tense border dispute between our new nation and British Canada. As negotiations, led by the great American statesman Daniel Webster, to end what is now called the Bloodless Aroostook War neared completion, families and entrepreneurs settled in the area, and Aroostook County was incorporated. Among those early settlers was my ancestor, Samuel W. Collins, who built a lumber mill in Caribou in 1844 that was the beginning of our fifth-generation family business still in operation today.
People were drawn to Aroostook County in search of liberty and opportunity, and they have always worked and sacrificed to extend those blessings to others. In the years before emancipation, Aroostook County was the last stop on the Underground Railroad that took slaves to freedom. The Friends Quaker Church in Fort Fairfield stands today as a powerful memorial to that time of courage and compassion. Civil War monuments in villages throughout Aroostook County stand in honor of the many heroes who gave their lives so that all could be free.
Throughout the 19th century, the people of Aroostook County connected their remote region to the world with their own hands. Town by town, they built roads and railroads with pick, shovel, and wheelbarrow. These transportation networks, combined with the region’s rich soil, made Aroostook County an agricultural powerhouse. The potato industry remains an essential part of the Maine economy.
During World War II, Presque Isle and Houlton both had U.S. Army bases. Houlton had a Prisoner of War Camp for German soldiers. Presque Isle’s base was used to launch P-38s, C-47s, and B-17s to the European Theater. During the Cold War, Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, due to its proximity to Northern Europe, became a crucial forward post in America’s defense.
The closure of Loring Air Force base in 1994 was a difficult challenge. But the people of Aroostook County responded with the qualities that wrote their history: strength, a strong work ethic, and determination. They are building a new economy with new jobs and opportunities. Back then, biathlon was little-known, yet today Aroostook County is a world-class center for winter sports and Olympic training and the home to an Olympian in the biathlon.
Aroostook’s hospitals have become national models for expert and compassionate care in rural regions, particularly for our veterans. Educational institutions and industry have joined together to lead the way in the development of renewable energy sources. The closed bases in Houlton and Presque Isle, and Loring Air Force Base have evolved into hubs of commerce and industry.
Mr. President, through the years, Aroostook County has gone by many names — Crown of Maine, the Garden County, the Last Frontier of the East, and, of course, The County. A more recent addition is the motto of the University of Maine at Presque Isle. “North of Ordinary” is the perfect way to describe a place that is truly extraordinary.
Editor’s note: The preceding text was read into the Congressional Record on March 6 by U.S. Senator Susan Collins in recognition of Aroostook County’s 175th anniversary. A copy was also placed into the time capsule during a local recognition ceremony held at UMPI on March 16.
