Historical United States Census totals for Aroostook County, Maine facts for kids

This article shows U.S. Census totals for Aroostook County, Maine, broken down by municipality, from 1900 to 2000.

There are two types of incorporated municipalities in Maine, towns and cities. The tables below differentiate between towns and cities.

Most areas of New England are entirely divided into incorporated municipalities, with no unincorporated territory. In the three northern New England states, however, some unincorporated territory does exist, generally in areas that are very sparsely populated. Maine contains significantly more unincorporated territory than the other states, with the bulk of it in interior and northern counties, including Aroostook County.

Some unincorporated territory in Maine is organized into a third type of town-level municipality unique to Maine, called a plantation (considered to be “organized”, but not incorporated), while some is entirely unorganized. Aroostook County also contains a very small amount of territory that is under the jurisdiction of an Indian reservation, which is considered to be a distinct entity independent from any municipality. Due to the large extent of unincorporated territory in Aroostook County, separate sections with detailed historical census totals for such areas follow the main tables below. For any census, adding up the totals for each town-level municipality, including any plantations and unorganized entities, should yield the county total.

For more information on the New England municipal system, see New England town.

Corporate changes since 1900
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Plantations
Unorganized Territory
Indian Reservations

Corporate changes since 1900

1901 – Crystal Plantation incorporated as a town
1903 – Castle Hill Plantation incorporated as a town
1905 – Westfield Plantation incorporated as a town
1909 – Portage Lake Plantation incorporated as a town
1911 – Eagle Lake, Merrill and Stockholm Plantations incorporated as towns
1913 – Connor and Wade Plantations incorporated as towns
1915 – Chapman Plantation incorporated as a town
1940 – Presque Isle became a city
1945 – Connor disincorporated and reverted to unorganized territory
1966 – Allagash Plantation incorporated as a town
1967 – St. Francis Plantation incorporated as a town
1968 – Caribou became a city
1976 – Hamlin and New Canada Plantations incorporated as towns. Westmanland Plantation also appears to have incorporated as a town between 1970 and 1980, although the exact date is not known.
1986 – Caswell and Wallagrass Plantations incorporated as towns. Hammond Plantation also appears to have incorporated as a town between 1980 and 1990, although the exact date is not known.
1987 – Benedicta disincorporated and reverted to unorganized territory

1900

County Total: 60,744

Caribou 4,758
Houlton 4,686
Fort Fairfield 4,181
Presque Isle 3,804
Fort Kent 2,528
Van Buren 1,878
Madawaska 1,698
St. Agatha 1,396
Monticello 1,332
Frenchville 1,316
Washburn 1,225
Easton 1,215
Mars Hill 1,183
Bridgewater 1,179
Limestone 1,131
Hodgdon 1,130
Grand Isle 1,104
Woodland 1,096
Ashland 1,080
Island Falls 1,063
Sherman 980
Littleton 956
Blaine 954
New Sweden 867
Oakfield 860
Mapleton 853
Linneus 834
New Limerick 600
Perham 580
Masardis 438
Smyrna 411
Amity 404
Ludlow 394
Weston 367
Benedicta 350
Bancroft 318
Haynesville 316
Dyer Brook 280
Orient 208
Hersey 199

Unincorporated territory reported 10,592 residents. This consisted of 9,745 residents in organized plantations, and 847 residents in unorganized territory.

1910

County Total: 74,664

Houlton 5,845
Caribou 5,377
Presque Isle 5,179
Fort Fairfield 4,381
Fort Kent 3,710
Van Buren 3,065
Ashland 2,173
Madawaska 1,831
Island Falls 1,686
Washburn 1,582
St. Agatha 1,533
Mars Hill 1,511
Frenchville 1,414
Grand Isle 1,317
Easton 1,300
Monticello 1,297
Limestone 1,293
Bridgewater 1,238
Woodland 1,161
Hodgdon 1,153
Mapleton 1,120
Sherman 1,053
Littleton 1,026
Blaine 1,013
Oakfield 928
New Sweden 905
Linneus 809
Perham 785
Westfield 689
Masardis 650
Castle Hill 532
Crystal 502
Portage Lake 500
New Limerick 481
Ludlow 412
Smyrna 411
Weston 390
Amity 375
Bancroft 344
Benedicta 292
Dyer Brook 281
Haynesville 272
Orient 187
Hersey 186

Unincorporated territory reported 12,475 residents. This consisted of 11,390 residents in organized plantations, and 1,085 residents in unorganized territory.

1920

County Total: 81,728

Houlton 6,191
Caribou 6,018
Presque Isle 5,581
Van Buren 4,594
Fort Fairfield 4,551
Fort Kent 4,237
Ashland 2,391
Madawaska 1,933
Washburn 1,870
Mars Hill 1,783
Eagle Lake 1,772
St. Agatha 1,669
Island Falls 1,683
Frenchville 1,586
Limestone 1,506
Easton 1,451
Grand Isle 1,352
Monticello 1,268
Bridgewater 1,212
Sherman 1,134
Mapleton 1,128
Woodland 1,120
Blaine 1,117
Hodgdon 1,070
Littleton 1,049
Stockholm 1,038
Oakfield 1,016
New Sweden 964
Westfield 798
Portage Lake 721
Linneus 706
Masardis 690
Perham 659
Connor 585
Castle Hill 571
Crystal 508
Chapman 490
Smyrna 460
Weston 433
New Limerick 412
Amity 393
Dyer Brook 385
Wade 383
Ludlow 375
Merrill 361
Haynesville 349
Bancroft 315
Benedicta 268
Hersey 245
Orient 170

Unincorporated territory reported 9,167 residents. This consisted of 8,096 residents in organized plantations, and 1,071 residents in unorganized territory.

1930

County Total: 87,843

Caribou 7,248
Presque Isle 6,965
Houlton 6,865
Fort Fairfield 5,393
Fort Kent 4,726
Van Buren 4,721
Madawaska 3,533
Ashland 2,198
Washburn 1,974
Limestone 1,953
Mars Hill 1,837
Eagle Lake 1,780
St. Agatha 1,596
Frenchville 1,525
Easton 1,505
Monticello 1,467
Island Falls 1,455
Grand Isle 1,408
Woodland 1,308
Mapleton 1,283
Bridgewater 1,235
Stockholm 1,101
Blaine 1,061
Hodgdon 1,054
Littleton 1,035
Sherman 1,027
Oakfield 982
New Sweden 898
Portage Lake 886
Westfield 776
Linneus 753
Perham 691
Connor 626
Castle Hill 617
Masardis 584
Merrill 458
Smyrna 442
Chapman 409
New Limerick 404
Crystal 403
Wade 384
Ludlow 361
Amity 324
Weston 323
Benedicta 288
Dyer Brook 262
Haynesville 251
Bancroft 245
Hersey 195
Orient 161

Unincorporated territory reported 8,867 residents. This consisted of 8,023 residents in organized plantations, and 844 residents in unorganized territory.

1940

County Total: 94,436

Caribou 8,218
Presque Isle (city) 7,939
Houlton 7,771
Fort Fairfield 5,607
Van Buren 5,380
Fort Kent 5,363
Madawaska 4,477
Ashland 2,457
Eagle Lake 1,891
Mars Hill 1,886
St. Agatha 1,874
Limestone 1,855
Washburn 1,805
Easton 1,605
Grand Isle 1,574
Frenchville 1,566
Monticello 1,504
Island Falls 1,370
Mapleton 1,354
Woodland 1,298
Bridgewater 1,267
Hodgdon 1,076
Oakfield 1,059
Sherman 1,058
Blaine 1,049
Littleton 1,049
Stockholm 891
New Sweden 844
Linneus 775
Portage Lake 773
Connor 739
Westfield 735
Castle Hill 697
Perham 689
Masardis 601
Merrill 424
New Limerick 413
Smyrna 409
Chapman 397
Crystal 346
Amity 345
Ludlow 343
Wade 335
Weston 328
Dyer Brook 265
Benedicta 264
Haynesville 235
Bancroft 216
Hersey 150
Orient 147

Unincorporated territory reported 9,723 residents. This consisted of 8,630 residents in organized plantations, and 1,093 residents in unorganized territory.

1950

County Total: 96,039

Presque Isle (city) 9,954
Caribou 9,923
Houlton 8,377
Fort Fairfield 5,791
Fort Kent 5,343
Van Buren 5,094
Madawaska 4,900
Limestone 2,427
Ashland 2,370
Mars Hill 2,060
Washburn 1,913
Easton 1,664
Frenchville 1,528
Eagle Lake 1,516
St. Agatha 1,512
Mapleton 1,367
Woodland 1,292
Monticello 1,284
Bridgewater 1,279
Island Falls 1,237
Grand Isle 1,230
Hodgdon 1,162
Blaine 1,118
Sherman 1,029
Oakfield 1,009
Littleton 1,001
New Sweden 827
Linneus 777
Stockholm 641
Castle Hill 581
Perham 572
Westfield 557
New Limerick 543
Portage Lake 542
Masardis 523
Merrill 383
Chapman 381
Crystal 373
Ludlow 361
Smyrna 349
Wade 343
Amity 300
Weston 248
Benedicta 225
Dyer Brook 219
Haynesville 185
Orient 176
Bancroft 165
Hersey 116

Unincorporated territory reported 9,272 residents. This consisted of 7,315 residents in organized plantations, and 1,957 residents in unorganized territory.

1960

County Total: 106,064

Limestone 13,102
Presque Isle (city) 12,886
Caribou 12,464
Houlton 8,289
Fort Fairfield 5,876
Madawaska 5,507
Fort Kent 4,761
Van Buren 4,679
Washburn 2,083
Mars Hill 2,062
Ashland 1,980
Mapleton 1,514
Frenchville 1,421
Easton 1,389
Woodland 1,372
Eagle Lake 1,138
St. Agatha 1,137
Monticello 1,109
Sherman 1,034
Island Falls 1,018
Bridgewater 999
Littleton 982
Grand Isle 978
Blaine 945
Hodgdon 926
Oakfield 848
New Sweden 713
Linneus 607
Westfield 569
Castle Hill 554
Perham 512
Stockholm 492
Portage Lake 458
Masardis 408
New Limerick 394
Chapman 376
Merrill 337
Smyrna 331
Crystal 285
Ludlow 274
Wade 220
Amity 206
Weston 202
Benedicta 200
Haynesville 187
Dyer Brook 180
Orient 124
Hersey 106
Bancroft 94

Unincorporated territory reported 7,579 residents. This consisted of 5,985 residents in organized plantations, and 1,594 residents in unorganized territory.

1970

County Total: 94,078

Presque Isle (city) 11,452
Caribou (city) 10,419
Limestone 10,360
Houlton 8,111
Madawaska 5,585
Fort Fairfield 4,859
Fort Kent 4,575
Van Buren 3,971
Washburn 1,914
Mars Hill 1,875
Ashland 1,761
Mapleton 1,598
Frenchville 1,375
Easton 1,305
Woodland 1,218
Monticello 1,072
Littleton 958
Sherman 949
Hodgdon 933
Island Falls 913
Eagle Lake 908
Blaine 903
Bridgewater 895
St. Agatha 868
Oakfield 836
St. Francis 811
Grand Isle 797
New Sweden 639
Linneus 608
Castle Hill 519
Westfield 517
Portage Lake 477
Allagash 456
Perham 436
New Limerick 427
Stockholm 388
Chapman 328
Smyrna 318
Masardis 317
Crystal 281
Merrill 271
Ludlow 259
Wade 255
Benedicta 177
Dyer Brook 165
Weston 162
Haynesville 157
Amity 156
Orient 83
Hersey 81
Bancroft 53

Unincorporated territory reported 5,327 residents. This consisted of 3,668 residents in organized plantations, and 1,659 residents in unorganized territory. An additional 600 residents lived on Indian reservations.

1980

County Total: 91,344

Presque Isle (city) 11,172
Caribou (city) 9,916
Limestone 8,719
Houlton 6,766
Madawaska 5,282
Fort Kent 4,826
Fort Fairfield 4,376
Van Buren 3,557
Washburn 2,028
Mapleton 1,895
Mars Hill 1,892
Ashland 1,878
Frenchville 1,450
Woodland 1,369
Easton 1,305
Hodgdon 1,084
St. Agatha 1,035
Sherman 1,021
Eagle Lake 1,019
Littleton 1,009
Island Falls 981
Monticello 950
Blaine 922
Oakfield 847
St. Francis 839
Linneus 752
Bridgewater 742
New Sweden 737
Grand Isle 719
Westfield 647
Portage Lake 562
New Limerick 513
Castle Hill 509
Allagash 448
Perham 437
Chapman 406
Ludlow 403
Smyrna 354
Crystal 349
Hamlin 340
Masardis 328
Stockholm 319
Merrill 285
Wade 285
Dyer Brook 275
New Canada 269
Benedicta 225
Haynesville 169
Amity 168
Weston 155
Orient 97
Hersey 67
Bancroft 61
Westmanland 53

Unincorporated territory reported 4,532 residents. This consisted of 2,976 residents in organized plantations, and 1,556 residents in unorganized territory.

1990

County Total: 86,936

Presque Isle (city) 10,550
Limestone 9,922
Caribou (city) 9,415
Houlton 6,613
Madawaska 4,803
Fort Kent 4,268
Fort Fairfield 3,998
Van Buren 3,045
Washburn 1,880
Mapleton 1,853
Mars Hill 1,760
Ashland 1,542
Woodland 1,402
Frenchville 1,338
Easton 1,291
Hodgdon 1,257
Sherman 1,027
Littleton 956
Eagle Lake 942
St. Agatha 919
Island Falls 897
Monticello 872
Oakfield 846
Linneus 810
Blaine 784
New Sweden 715
St. Francis 683
Bridgewater 647
Westfield 589
Wallagrass 582
Grand Isle 558
New Limerick 524
Castle Hill 449
Portage Lake 445
Ludlow 430
Chapman 422
Caswell 408
Perham 395
Smyrna 378
Allagash 359
Masardis 305
Crystal 303
Merrill 296
Stockholm 286
New Canada 253
Dyer Brook 243
Haynesville 243
Wade 243
Weston 207
Hamlin 204
Amity 186
Orient 157
Hammond 93
Westmanland 72
Hersey 69
Bancroft 66

Unincorporated territory reported 3,136 residents. This consisted of 1,602 residents in organized plantations, and 1,534 residents in unorganized territory.

2000

County Total: 73,938

Presque Isle (city) 9,511
Caribou (city) 8,312
Houlton 6,476
Madawaska 4,534
Fort Kent 4,233
Fort Fairfield 3,579
Van Buren 2,631
Limestone 2,361
Mapleton 1,889
Washburn 1,627
Mars Hill 1,480
Ashland 1,474
Woodland 1,403
Easton 1,249
Hodgdon 1,240
Frenchville 1,225
Littleton 955
Sherman 937
Linneus 892
Eagle Lake 815
Blaine 806
St. Agatha 802
Island Falls 793
Monticello 790
Oakfield 732
New Sweden 621
Bridgewater 612
St. Francis 577
Wallagrass 561
Westfield 559
New Limerick 523
Grand Isle 518
Chapman 465
Castle Hill 454
Perham 434
Smyrna 415
Ludlow 402
Portage Lake 390
Caswell 326
New Canada 306
Crystal 285
Allagash 277
Stockholm 271
Hamlin 257
Masardis 255
Wade 250
Merrill 249
Weston 203
Amity 199
Dyer Brook 199
Orient 145
Haynesville 122
Hammond 98
Westmanland 71
Hersey 63
Bancroft 61

Unincorporated territory reported 3,024 residents. This consisted of 1,377 residents in organized plantations, and 1,647 residents in unorganized territory. A small portion of Aroostook County was also reported as being within an Indian reservation, but it had no population.

Plantations

As of 1900, Aroostook County contained 32 plantations. Eleven of these remain today. The disposition of the other 21 is as follows:

18 of the plantations that existed in 1900 incorporated as towns over the course of the 20th century. Ten did so between 1900 and 1915, while a further eight did so between the 1960s and 1980s. The former group includes one municipality (Conner) which later disincorporated and reverted to unorganized territory.
Sheridan Plantation was annexed by the town of Ashland in 1901.
Sliver Ridge Plantation surrendered its organization in 1941 and reverted to unorganized territory.
E Plantation surrendered its organization in 1990 and reverted to unorganized territory.

Winterville Plantation changed its name to Hill in 1903, but changed it back to Winterville in 1907, without ever having been reported in a decennial census under the name Hill.

1900

Wallagrass 784
Hamlin 574
St. Francis 568
Castle Hill 567
Cyr 502
Connor 453
Sheridan 433
New Canada 419
Eagle Lake 406
Cary 400
Reed 399
St. John 371
Crystal 370
Caswell 368
Merrill 298
Chapman 285
Wade 271
Westfield 259
Portage Lake 241
Moro 217
Stockholm 191
Allagash 190
Glenwood 178
Silver Ridge 168
Macwahoc 153
Oxbow 153
Winterville 124
Hammond 116
Garfield 111
Westmanland 100
E 44
Nashville 32

1910

Eagle Lake 1,421
Wallagrass 1,004
St. Francis 918
Stockholm 715
Hamlin 657
Connor 609
New Canada 590
St. John 571
Reed 537
Cyr 531
Caswell 529
Chapman 426
Merrill 393
Cary 340
Wade 318
Winterville 267
Allagash 245
Moro 215
Oxbow 181
Silver Ridge 155
Macwahoc 147
Glenwood 128
E 126
Garfield 121
Hammond 115
Westmanland 104
Nashville 27

1920

St. Francis 1,241
Wallagrass 1,144
Reed 639
Hamlin 602
New Canada 573
Caswell 558
St. John 549
Cyr 479
Allagash 359
Winterville 353
Cary 327
Oxbow 198
Moro 181
Silver Ridge 164
Garfield 142
Hammond 132
Macwahoc 131
Westmanland 101
E 97
Glenwood 87
Nashville 39

1930

St. Francis 1,367
Wallagrass 1,145
Caswell 642
St. John 569
New Canada 538
Cyr 521
Reed 495
Hamlin 486
Allagash 438
Winterville 408
Cary 241
Silver Ridge 186
Oxbow 176
Moro 169
Macwahoc 163
E 97
Hammond 95
Garfield 91
Westmanland 87
Glenwood 77
Nashville 32

1940

St. Francis 1,489
Wallagrass 1,123
Caswell 650
Allagash 644
Hamlin 638
New Canada 633
St. John 628
Winterville 462
Cyr 433
Reed 433
Cary 287
Macwahoc 242
Oxbow 178
Silver Ridge 160
Moro 130
Hammond 108
Westmanland 105
Garfield 97
E 79
Glenwood 75
Nashville 36

1950

St. Francis 1,384
Wallagrass 1,035
Caswell 687
Allagash 680
St. John 569
New Canada 444
Hamlin 430
Winterville 373
Reed 351
Cary 278
Cyr 256
Oxbow 189
Macwahoc 131
Hammond 120
Garfield 116
Moro 84
Westmanland 77
Glenwood 53
E 30
Nashville 28

1960

St. Francis 1,058
Caswell 853
Wallagrass 818
Allagash 557
St. John 407
Hamlin 374
Reed 325
New Canada 288
Cyr 233
Winterville 215
Cary 208
Macwahoc 165
Oxbow 137
Hammond 94
Garfield 89
Moro 49
Westmanland 46
Glenwood 30
Nashville 30
E 9

1970

Caswell 693
Wallagrass 617
St. John 377
Hamlin 357
New Canada 300
Reed 273
Cary 184
Winterville 164
Cyr 155
Macwahoc 126
Garfield 104
Oxbow 92
Hammond 73
Westmanland 52
Nashville 50
Moro 24
E 18
Glenwood 9

1980

Wallagrass 653
Caswell 586
St. John 322
Reed 274
Winterville 235
Cary 229
Cyr 147
Macwahoc 126
Garfield 107
Oxbow 84
Hammond 73
E 55
Nashville 48
Moro 30
Glenwood 7

1990

Reed 296
St. John 274
Cary 235
Winterville 217
Cyr 142
Macwahoc 114
Garfield 102
Oxbow 69
E 64
Nashville 43
Moro 38
Glenwood 8

2000

St. John 282
Cary 217
Reed 207
Winterville 196
Cyr 117
Macwahoc 98
Garfield 86
Moro 63
Oxbow 56
Nashville 55
Glenwood 0

Unorganized Territory

Like all of Maine's interior and northern counties, Aroostook County contains a significant amount of unorganized territory. The extent of this territory is far greater in Aroostook County than in any other Maine County. Organized municipalities have existed only in the eastern and northeastern parts of the county, generally in lower-lying areas with access to lakes and rivers (e.g., the valleys of the St. Croix River and its tributaries). The remainder of the county to the west, much of which is quite mountainous and remote, has been left unorganized. Most of this area has historically been very sparsely populated. The bulk of the population that does live in unorganized areas lives close to the areas of the county that are organized.

Historically, only about 40% the county’s land area was incorporated or organized, leaving the remainder unorganized. There are more than a hundred townships in the county which have never been organized, and a number of others which have never advanced beyond the plantation stage. Between 1935 and 1945, a large number of municipalities in Maine dissolved and reverted to unorganized townships. In Aroostook County, this included one community which had been a town (Connor) and one which had not advanced beyond the plantation stage (Silver Ridge). In more recent decades, Aroostook County has lost two additional municipalities. In 1987, the town of Benedicta disincorporated, and in 1990, E Plantation dissolved. Both reverted to unorganized territory.

The areas of Aroostook County that are entirely unorganized cover about 4,000 square miles, with a population of about 1,650. This covers just under 60% of the county’s land area, but includes only about 2.2% of its population. Five unorganized townships have large enough populations to maintain a registrar and clerk to conduct elections for state and federal offices, although they do not have true organized municipal governments: Benedicta, Connor, Cross Lake, Madawaska Lake and Sinclair.

Over the years, the U.S. Census Bureau has used different methods to compile data for unorganized territory in Maine. From 1900 to 1950, data was tabulated for each individual unorganized entity. In 1960, a single catch-all “Unorganized Territory” listing was provided for each Maine county, generally with no further breakdown. Since 1970, the Census has grouped contiguous areas in each county into one or more “unorganized territories”. As of the 2000 Census, five such areas are recognized within Hancock County:

South Aroostook Unorganized Territory: a group of approximately 12 contiguous unorganized townships in the southeastern part of the county. It is entirely bordered by organized municipalities and the Penobscot County line. Includes the former town of Benedicta and the former Silver Ridge Plantation.
Central Aroostook Unorganized territory: a group of approximately 15 contiguous unorganized townships in the east central part of the county. It is entirely surrounded by organized municipalities and the Penobscot County line. (There are two rows of organized municipalities in between South Aroostook and Central Aroostook.) Includes the former E Plantation.
Square Lake Unorganized Territory: a group of approximately 10 contiguous unorganized townships in the northeastern part of the county. It is entirely surrounded by organized municipalities except for a short stretch on its southwest in between Portage Lake and Winterville Plantation, across T14R6. Square Lake Unorganized Territory and Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory are continuous across T14R6, but the Census Bureau divides them at a line that runs through the township. As a result of this, for census purposes T14R6 is partially in Square Lake Unorganized Territory and partially in Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory.
Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory: a group of approximately 70 contiguous unorganized townships, covering most of the western part of the county. This territory includes about two-thirds of the unorganized territory in the county, and covers nearly 40% of the county’s total land area. Most of this area is essentially uninhabited, however. Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory and Square Lake Unorganized Territory are continuous across T14R6, but the Census Bureau divides them Bureau divides them at a line that runs through the township. As a result of this, for census purposes T14R6 is partially in Square Lake Unorganized Territory and partially in Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory.
Connor Unorganized Territory: the former town of Connor, which is its own unorganized territory because it does not border any other land that is unorganized.

When the Unorganized Territories were first created for the 1970 Census, there were four in Aroostook County. Central Aroostook, South Aroostook and Connor were similar to their present-day state. The fourth, North Aroostook, consisted of what is now both Northwest Aroostook and Square Lake. North Aroostook was divided into the current configuration for the 1980 Census, apparently in recognition of the fact that the areas represented by the two resulting territories are barely contiguous, and that there is a significant difference in population density between them. The former town of Benedicta was added to South Aroostook for the 1990 Census, and the former E Plantation was added to Central Aroostook for the 2000 census, following their dissolution as municipalities.

The listings below provide population figures for 1) all unincorporated territory, including plantations; 2) organized plantations, for which breakouts are available in the main tables above; and 3) unorganized territory, with any available breakouts provided.

1900

All unincorporated territory 10,592

Organized plantations 9,745

Unorganized territory 847

Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 144
St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 111
Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 101
T18R10 78
Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 74
T16R12 39
T15R6 38
T7R3 34
T13R15 31
T15R11 28
T14R16 27
TCR2 26
T9R5 26
T9R4 23
T7R5 21
T14R6 21
TAR2 11
T3R2 8
T1R5 3
T12R13 3

1910

All unincorporated territory 12,475

Organized plantations 11,390

Unorganized territory 1,085

Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 236
Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 180
T9R4 102
T11R4 89
Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 88
T15R6 74
TDR2 47
T7R4 31
T16R12 25
St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 23
T7R3 19
T7R5 19
T14R6 18
TCR2 17
T1R5 17
T8R3 16
TAR2 15
T8R5 14
T13R14 14
T14R14 10
T18R10 9
T3R2 8
T15R11 6
T16R4 6
T3R3 2

1920

All unincorporated territory 9,167

Organized plantations 8,096

Unorganized territory 1,071

Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 172
T9R4 151
St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 122
Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 102
TCR2 71
T20R12 56
T15R5 51
T4R3 37
T18R10 35
T14R16 31
T16R12 24
T9R5 21
T13R15 19
T15R11 19
T11R4 17
T3R3 15
T14R6 13
T9R3 12
T12R13 12
TDR2 11
T15R15 11
TAR2 10
T16R4 10
T11R14 9
T7R5 8
North Yarmouth Academy Grant & Upper Molunkus Grant (T1R4) 7
T14R11 6
T13R14 5
T3R2 4
T14R14 4
T18R11 4
T12R15 2

1930

All unincorporated territory 8,867

Organized plantations 8,023

Unorganized territory 844

Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 261
Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 248
T15R6 70
Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 47
St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 39
Webbertown Twp. (T7R4) 27
T9R4 18
TCR2 17
TDR2 13
T11R4 13
T11R13 13
T14R6 13
TAR2 11
T9R5 11
T7R5 10
T11R14 7
T13R15 6
T15R11 5
T8R5 4
T12R13 3
T16R4 3
T9R3 2
T16R5 2
Forkstown Twp. (T3R2) 1

1940

All unincorporated territory 9,723

Organized plantations 8,630

Unorganized territory 1,093

Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 490
Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 401
T20R11&12 38
St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 30
T13R16 27
T14R6 19
T12R17 14
T16R4 14
T8R5 11
T16R12 8
T9R5 5
T13R14 5
T7R5 4
T11R14 4
T14R14 4
T9R4 3
T13R8 3
T15R9 3
North Yarmouth Academy Grant & Upper Molunkus Grant (T1R4) 2
TAR2 2
T11R13 2
T12R13 1
T14R11 1
T15R12 1
T16R5 1

1950

All unincorporated territory 9,272

Organized plantations 7,315

Unorganized territory 1,957

Connor Twp. 630
Sinclair Twp. (T17R4) 507
Guerrette Twp. (T17R5) 320
Silver Ridge Twp. 143
Molunkus Twp. (TAR5) 58
T20R11&12 41
T15R6 35
T15R15 30
T14R6 29
T16R4 25
T17R3 20
Forkstown Twp. (T3R2) 19
St. Croix Twp. (T8R4) 19
TDR2 15
T13R15 11
T11R4 10
North Yarmouth Academy Grant & Upper Molunkus Grant (T1R4) 7
T11R17 7
T12R17 6
T15R11 4
T11R14 3
T14R16 3
T16R12 3
T1R5 2
T12R7 2
T13R12 2
T14R14 2
T11R13 1
T12R16 1
T13R8 1
T14R7 1

1960

All unincorporated territory 7,570

Organized plantations 5,985

Unorganized territory 1,594

The 1960 Census reported all unorganized territory in Aroostook County under a single catch-all listing. No breakdown is available.

1970

All unincorporated territory 5,327

Organized plantations 3,668

Unorganized territory 1,659

North Aroostook Unorganized Territory 759
Connor Unorganized Territory 575
South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 243
Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 82

1980

All unincorporated territory 4,532

Organized plantations 2,976

Unorganized territory 1,556

Square Lake Unorganized Territory 604
Connor Unorganized Territory 574
South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 261
Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory 101
Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 16

1990

All unincorporated territory 3,136

Organized plantations 1,602

Unorganized territory 1,534

Square Lake Unorganized Territory 564
Connor Unorganized Territory 468
South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 404
Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 53
Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory 45

2000

All unincorporated territory 3,024

Organized plantations 1,377

Unorganized territory 1,647

Square Lake Unorganized Territory 615
South Aroostook Unorganized Territory 486
Connor Unorganized Territory 424
Central Aroostook Unorganized Territory 95
Northwest Aroostook Unorganized Territory 27

Virtually all of the unorganized territory in Aroostook County is on the WELS (west of the Easterly Line of the State) grid. As its name suggests, the baseline for this grid is the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick, along Aroostook County’s eastern edge. In places, it has up to 20 numbered rows, arranged from north to south, and up to 17 numbered ranges, arranged from east to west. A row “A” and “B” also exist in some areas to the south of row 1. Some townships in the southeastern part of the grid do not line up precisely with the townships to their west, and were assigned range letters rather than numbers; some such townships in range two remain unorganized (e.g., TDR2; the former E Plantation was originally TER2). Many of the WELS townships in Aroostook County are identified only by their row and range numbers and have never developed informal township names.

All of the original townships in the first range are presently organized. The second through sixth ranges contain a mixture of organized and unorganized territory. The seventh through eleventh ranges only contain organized territory in the last few rows to the north, near the Saint John River, but are otherwise unorganized. No territory in Aroostook County in any range beyond the eleventh has ever been organized.

In 2005, the Maine state legislature officially changed the name of Guerette Township (T2R6) to Cross Lake Township, and officially named T11R14, which had not previously had a generally used name, as Clayton Lake Township.

Indian Reservations

Maine contains three federally recognized Indian reservations. One of these, the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, includes a very small amount of territory in Aroostook County. Maine currently treats Indian reservations as distinct entities, not part of any organized municipality or unorganized entity. This has not always been the case in the past; at one time, present-day reservation land was regarded as part of the municipalities or unorganized entities within which it is geographically located.

The main body of the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation is adjacent to the Penobscot River at Old Town, in Penobscot County. The reservation also has jurisdiction over the channel of the Penobscot River for some distance to the north. For a short distance near Aroostook County’s southwest corner, the Penobscot River forms the boundary between Penobscot and Aroostook counties. A very small portion of river channel at this location, under the jurisdiction of the reservation, lies within Aroostook County. The portion of the reservation that extends into Aroostook County measures less than a quarter of a square mile.

It is unclear how long the river channel has been considered part of the reservation. The Penobscot Indian Island Reservation has been considered a distinct entity since the 1950 Census, but the portion of the reservation within Aroostook County first appeared in the 2000 Census. The portion within Aroostook County is entirely water (not land) and did not report any population in the 2000 Census.

1960 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1960 census totals subsequent to their initial release. When it did so, however, it appears to have updated municipal totals only, not overall county totals or state totals, even though in most cases changing municipal totals should have caused county and state totals to change. The 1960 total for Aroostook County was originally reported as 106,064; and for the town of Stockholm, 649. The total for Stockholm was later revised to that shown in the list above (492). This should have caused the county total to change as well (to 105,907), but subsequent census publications have continued to list the county total as it was originally reported (106,064). As a result, in the list above, the municipal totals for 1960 do not add to the county total. The 1960 state total for Maine that appears in various Census materials (969,265) likewise reflects the original 1960 total for Aroostook County, and does not take into account the revision made to the population of Stockholm.

1970 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1970 census totals subsequent to their initial release. The 1970 total for Aroostook County was originally reported as 92,463, and for the town of Limestone, 8,745. The totals were later revised to those shown in the list above.

1980 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1980 census totals subsequent to their initial release. The 1980 total for Aroostook County was originally reported as 91,331, and for the town of Ashland, 1,865. The totals were later revised to those shown in the list above.

The 1970 Census reports show Westmanland as a plantation, changing to a town for the 1980 Census. No date or explanation is provided. The author of this article has been unable to locate any source with a date of incorporation for Westmanland. Until information to the contrary is discovered, this article assumes that Westmanland became a town between the 1970 and 1980 censuses.

1990 Census

The 1980 Census reports show Hammond as a plantation, changing to a town for the 1990 Census. No date or explanation is provided. The author of this article has been unable to locate any source with a date of incorporation for Hammond. Until information to the contrary is discovered, this article assumes that Hammond became a town between the 1980 and 1990 censuses.

The 1990 Census reports show Wallagrass as a plantation, changing to a town for the 2000 Census. The 2000 Census reports state that Wallagrass “changed legal description from plantation to a town”, but no date is provided. The author of this article was able to locate two sources containing a year of incorporation for Wallagrass, one of which indicated 1979, and one of which indicated 1986. It is possible that the 1979 date could refer to a legislative act which was not effective until 1980. It is also possible that the note in the 1990 Census reports is referring to a change which took place before 1990 but was missed in the 1990 reports. Until information to the contrary is discovered, this article assumes the most likely scenario is that Wallagrass became a town between the 1980 and 1990 censuses, and that it was shown as a plantation in 1990 in error.

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Historical United States Census totals for Aroostook County, Maine Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.