AROOSTOOK COUNTY, ME HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
*None Listed
Aroostook County, Maine: A Genealogical Overview
Located in the northernmost part of Maine, Aroostook County, often called simply “The County,” is the largest county by land area east of the Mississippi River. It is a vast, rural region of dense forests, rolling farmland, and river valleys. Its history and culture are uniquely shaped by its geography, bordering two Canadian provinces, and by its distinct settlement patterns, including significant Acadian French, Swedish, and Anglo-American populations. Its identity is deeply connected to the timber and potato farming industries that have sustained it for generations.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Aroostook County’s formation from two parent counties and its connection to a major border dispute is critical for locating the correct records for ancestors in the region.
- 1839: County Formed: Aroostook County was incorporated on March 16, 1839, during the height of the Aroostook War, a tense, undeclared border conflict with Great Britain over the territory.
- Parent Counties: It was created from the northern portions of Penobscot and Washington counties. Records for settlers in this area prior to 1839 would be located in the records of those respective parent counties.
- Subsequent County Formations: The county’s boundaries were enlarged several times with additional land from Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, but it has not been partitioned to form new counties.
- Name Origin: The county is named for the Aroostook River. The name is believed to be derived from a Mi’kmaq or Maliseet word, such as Wool-ah-stook or Welas-took, meaning “beautiful river” or “shining river.”
- County Seat History: Houlton was established as the county seat upon the county’s formation in 1839 and has remained the administrative center. A key feature for researchers is that Aroostook maintains two districts for land records: the Southern Registry of Deeds is in Houlton, and the Northern Registry of Deeds is in Fort Kent.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The region was the ancestral homeland of the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet peoples, who utilized the St. John River and its tributaries for travel, trade, and sustenance. Many of their descendants remain in the region today, particularly the Aroostook Band of Micmacs and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians.
- Pioneer Settlement and Economy: The first significant European settlement began in the 1780s, when Acadian families, displaced by the British, migrated north to the fertile St. John River Valley. Following the official border settlement by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842, settlers of English, Scots-Irish, and Irish descent began moving in from southern Maine and Massachusetts. In 1870, a unique planned settlement, “New Sweden,” was established, bringing a large group of Swedish immigrants to the county. The economy was initially dominated by logging and timber, but by the late 19th century, it had become one of the premier potato-growing regions in the world.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Aroostook County.
- County Courthouse and Registries: The Aroostook County Courthouse, which houses the Probate Court, is located at 144 Sweden Street, Caribou, ME 04736, with additional offices in Houlton and Fort Kent. For land records (deeds), researchers must use the correct registry office:
- Southern Aroostook Registry of Deeds: 2 Houlton Road, Houlton, ME 04730.
- Northern Aroostook Registry of Deeds: 322 West Main Street, Fort Kent, ME 04743.
- Vital Records:
- Birth, Marriage, and Death Records: Statewide registration of vital records in Maine began in 1892. Records from 1892 to the present are held by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Records Office in Augusta.
- For records prior to 1892, researchers must contact the Town Clerk’s office in the individual town or city where the event occurred.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Acadian Archives / Archives acadiennes: Located at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, this is an essential resource for anyone researching Acadian and French-Canadian heritage in the St. John River Valley.
- Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library: Located in Presque Isle, it has a significant local history and genealogy collection.
- Cary Library: Located in Houlton, it serves as a key resource for the southern part of the county.
- Maine State Library: Located in Augusta, this library holds extensive statewide genealogical resources, including microfilmed records and databases.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Penobscot County, ME
- Piscataquis County, ME
- Somerset County, ME
- Washington County, ME
- Quebec, Canada (to the west)
- New Brunswick, Canada (to the east)