Millinocket, Maine

Millinocket is an Abenaki word that means land of many islands. For more than 10,000 years the area now known as Millinocket was inhabited by the Penobscot (their name for themselves is Pαnawάhpskewi), an Indigenous people from the Northeastern Woodlands region whose name means the people of where the white rocks extend out.

The area was settled in 1829 by Betsy and Thomas Fowler and their family, who cleared land for a farm near Shad Pond. Other families followed in 1837. In 1846, Henry David Thoreau hired members of the Fowler family as guides on a trip to Mount Katahdin, which he wrote about in The Maine Woods. When the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad extended service to Houlton in 1894, the line ran through the area, opening it to development.

Charles W. Mullen,{{Cite web|title=Charles W. Mullen, Mayor of Bangor|url=https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/spec_photos/2457|website=DigitalCommons@UMaine|language=en|access-date=May 16, 2020}} an engineering graduate from the University of Maine, proposed a hydroelectric dam on the Penobscot River. He recognized the falls as an ideal water power source to operate a large pulp and paper mill. Mullen contacted Garret Schenck, vice president of the International Paper mill at Rumford Falls and an expert in the industry, about building a pulp and paper mill near the dam. Schenck agreed, and set about obtaining the necessary financial backing.{{Cite web |url=http://www.penobscotcountymegen.info/millinocket.htm |title=History of Millinocket, Maine |access-date=December 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721230736/http://www.penobscotcountymegen.info/millinocket.htm |archive-date=July 21, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

After securing land rights, the chosen site was at the junction of the West Branch of the Penobscot River and Millinocket Stream, where it stands today. Things moved quickly, and on May 15, 1899, construction began on the new Great Northern Paper Company paper mill. As the location was not near existing towns, it became necessary to build one. Millinocket, meaning "the land of many islands" after all the islands in the Penobscot River, was incorporated on March 16, 1901.[http://millinockethistoricalsociety.org/ "Brief History of Millinocket, Maine," Millinocket Historical Society]

Schenck contracted bonded labor, especially stonemasons from Italy. The term "bonded" in this case referred to the fact that the Italians owed for the passage to the U.S. and were in debt as soon as they set foot in this country. Italian masons were largely responsible for constructing the Millinocket mill. Immigrants from Poland, Finland, Lithuania, and Hungary, as well as French Canadians, also came to work on the mill.

Throughout the 20th century, the community prospered. It developed a reputation as a small but successful rural town, mostly due to the paper industry, but also to its proximity to Katahdin, Maine's tallest mountain.

In early 2003, Great Northern Paper announced it had filed for bankruptcy protection for its Millinocket and East Millinocket mills. Since then, the mill town has struggled to reshape its economy, while receiving significant help from the state government and local economic development efforts. Shortly after closing the mills in 2008, a Canadian corporation purchased the bankrupt paper mills in both Millinocket and East Millinocket. In addition to the traditional forest products industry, Millinocket has been growing a service economy, and has grown into a major four-season tourist attraction. The region is served by the Millinocket Municipal Airport, which sells both 100LL avgas and jet fuel.[http://www.katahdinmaine.com/area-history.html "Area History", Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221232309/http://www.katahdinmaine.com/area-history.html |date=December 21, 2010 }}

File:Great Northern Hotel in Millinocket, ME.jpg|Great Northern Hotel in Millinocket (1906)

File:Great Northern Paper Company Mill, Millinocket, ME.jpg|Great Northern Paper Company Mill in Millinocket (1907)

File:Log Pile of the Great Northern Paper Co., Millinocket, ME.jpg|Log pile in Millinocket (1908)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of {{convert|18.22|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|15.95|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|2.27|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer2010.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 16, 2012}}

The town is crossed by State Route 11 and State Route 157. The town of East Millinocket is {{convert|8|mi|0}} to the east. Millinocket is the closest town to Mount Katahdin, in Baxter State Park, {{convert|20|mi}} to the northwest. At an elevation of {{convert|5270|ft}}, its summit is the highest point in Maine and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

Millinocket Stream flows through the town, from Millinocket Lake north of the town into the West Branch Penobscot River.

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Millinocket has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=20637&cityname=Millinocket%2C+Maine%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Millinocket, Maine]

{{Weather box

|location = Millinocket, Maine, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1903–present

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 56

|Feb record high F = 62

|Mar record high F = 80

|Apr record high F = 87

|May record high F = 96

|Jun record high F = 101

|Jul record high F = 100

|Aug record high F = 100

|Sep record high F = 96

|Oct record high F = 87

|Nov record high F = 74

|Dec record high F = 62

|Jan avg record high F = 46.2

|Feb avg record high F = 45.7

|Mar avg record high F = 55.3

|Apr avg record high F = 72.1

|May avg record high F = 83.8

|Jun avg record high F = 89.3

|Jul avg record high F = 90.2

|Aug avg record high F = 89.4

|Sep avg record high F = 84.8

|Oct avg record high F = 72.8

|Nov avg record high F = 61.7

|Dec avg record high F = 49.8

|year avg record high F = 93.0

|Jan high F = 23.6

|Feb high F = 26.5

|Mar high F = 36.3

|Apr high F = 49.9

|May high F = 63.9

|Jun high F = 73.5

|Jul high F = 78.5

|Aug high F = 77.5

|Sep high F = 69.6

|Oct high F = 55.2

|Nov high F = 42.8

|Dec high F = 30.9

|year high F = 52.4

|Jan mean F = 14.1

|Feb mean F = 16.3

|Mar mean F = 26.3

|Apr mean F = 39.7

|May mean F = 52.5

|Jun mean F = 62.5

|Jul mean F = 67.9

|Aug mean F = 66.5

|Sep mean F = 58.5

|Oct mean F = 46.0

|Nov mean F = 34.9

|Dec mean F = 23.0

|year mean F = 42.4

|Jan low F = 4.6

|Feb low F = 6.0

|Mar low F = 16.3

|Apr low F = 29.6

|May low F = 41.2

|Jun low F = 51.4

|Jul low F = 57.2

|Aug low F = 55.5

|Sep low F = 47.5

|Oct low F = 36.8

|Nov low F = 26.9

|Dec low F = 15.1

|year low F = 32.3

|Jan avg record low F = -15.3

|Feb avg record low F = -12.5

|Mar avg record low F = -4.8

|Apr avg record low F = 17.2

|May avg record low F = 30.0

|Jun avg record low F = 39.7

|Jul avg record low F = 47.9

|Aug avg record low F = 44.7

|Sep avg record low F = 32.8

|Oct avg record low F = 23.6

|Nov avg record low F = 10.7

|Dec avg record low F = -5.8

|year avg record low F = -17.6

|Jan record low F = −41

|Feb record low F = −40

|Mar record low F = −32

|Apr record low F = −5

|May record low F = 19

|Jun record low F = 26

|Jul record low F = 37

|Aug record low F = 32

|Sep record low F = 22

|Oct record low F = 11

|Nov record low F = −10

|Dec record low F = −35

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.12

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.70

|Mar precipitation inch = 3.10

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.74

|May precipitation inch = 3.69

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.21

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.43

|Aug precipitation inch = 4.12

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.89

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.72

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.92

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.72

|year precipitation inch = 45.36

|Jan snow inch = 23.3

|Feb snow inch = 19.1

|Mar snow inch = 18.6

|Apr snow inch = 4.5

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.4

|Nov snow inch = 3.6

|Dec snow inch = 16.6

|year snow inch = 86.1

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 10.5

|Feb precipitation days = 8.9

|Mar precipitation days = 10.1

|Apr precipitation days = 10.1

|May precipitation days = 12.4

|Jun precipitation days = 12.8

|Jul precipitation days = 13.8

|Aug precipitation days = 10.6

|Sep precipitation days = 10.7

|Oct precipitation days = 12.1

|Nov precipitation days = 11.1

|Dec precipitation days = 10.5

|year precipitation days = 133.6

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 7.4

|Feb snow days = 6.5

|Mar snow days = 5.4

|Apr snow days = 1.5

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.4

|Nov snow days = 2.0

|Dec snow days = 5.9

|year snow days = 29.1

|Jan humidity = 88

|Feb humidity = 89

|Mar humidity = 89

|Apr humidity = 80

|May humidity = 75

|Jun humidity = 77

|Jul humidity = 77

|Aug humidity = 79

|Sep humidity = 79

|Oct humidity = 80

|Nov humidity = 79

|Dec humidity = 84

|year humidity =

|Jand sun = 4.0

|Febd sun = 3.3

|Mard sun = 4.5

|Aprd sun = 6.6

|Mayd sun = 7.7

|Jund sun = 8.4

|Juld sun = 9.5

|Augd sun = 9.8

|Sepd sun = 7.8

|Octd sun = 6.0

|Novd sun = 4.7

|Decd sun = 4.1

|yeard sun =

|Jan light = 9.2

|Feb light = 10.4

|Mar light = 12.0

|Apr light = 13.6

|May light = 15.0

|Jun light = 15.7

|Jul light = 15.3

|Aug light = 14.1

|Sep light = 12.5

|Oct light = 10.9

|Nov light = 9.5

|Dec light = 8.8

|year light =

|Jan uv = 2

|Feb uv = 1

|Mar uv = 2

|Apr uv = 3

|May uv = 4

|Jun uv = 5

|Jul uv = 5

|Aug uv = 4

|Sep uv = 3

|Oct uv = 2

|Nov uv = 2

|Dec uv = 1

|year uv =

|source 1 = NWS

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=car

|title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = October 18, 2019

}}

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00175304&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access - Station: Millinocket, ME

|access-date = October 12, 2022

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230807140748/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00175304&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|archive-date = August 7, 2023

}}

|source 2 = Weather Atlas (UV and humidity){{cite web

|url = https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/maine-usa/millinocket-climate

|title = Climate and monthly weather forecast Millinocket, ME

|access-date = August 10, 2022}}

}}

{{See also|Millinocket (CDP), Maine}}

{{US Census population

| 1910 = 3368

| 1920 = 4528

| 1930 = 5830

| 1940 = 6223

| 1950 = 5890

| 1960 = 7453

| 1970 = 7742

| 1980 = 7567

| 1990 = 6956

| 2000 = 5203

| 2010 = 4506

| 2020 = 4104

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the census of 2020, there were 4,104 people, 2,123 households, and 1,274 families living in the town.{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1101?q=Millinocket%20CDP,%20Maine |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=data.census.gov}} The population density was {{Convert|257.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 2,521 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|158.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 93.9% White, .2% Black or African American, .7% Native American, .4% Asian, .1% from other races and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

The median age in the town was 57.7 years.

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 16, 2012}} of 2010, there were 4,506 people, 2,167 households, and 1,305 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|282.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 2,586 housing units at an average density of {{convert|162.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 2,167 households, of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.8% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.58.

The median age in the town was 51.5 years. 15.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.8% were from 25 to 44; 36.6% were from 45 to 64; and 24.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 5,203 people, 2,295 households, and 1,556 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|327.5|pd/sqmi}}. There were 2,679 housing units at an average density of {{cvt|168.6|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.52% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.23% of the population.

There were 2,295 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% 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 2.69.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,318, and the median income for a family was $40,893. Males had a median income of $41,218 versus $23,289 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,130. About 11.8% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest include the Antique Snowmobile Museum,[http://www.northerntimbercruisers.com/antique-snowmobile-museum.htm Antique Snowmobile Museum] the Millinocket Historical Society and Museum,[http://millinockethistoricalsociety.org/ Millinocket Historical Society & Museum] the Boreal Theater,[https://borealtheater.org/ The Boreal Theater, Millinocket, Maine] and the West Branch of the Penobscot River.

In 2015, Gary Allen, a long-distance runner and race director, founded the Millinocket Marathon and Half.{{Cite web |title=Millinocket Marathon & Half: Race Overview |url=https://www.crowathletics.com/millinocket-race-overview |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Crow Athletics |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2015-12-24 |title=In a Struggling Town, Runners Come to Help |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20859087/in-a-struggling-community-runners-come-to-help/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Runner's World |language=en-US}} The race attracts runners from all 50 US states and internationally.{{Cite web |title=Millinocket Marathon & Half gives $20K in charitable gifts |url=https://observer-me.com/2024/12/29/news/millinocket-marathon-half-gives-20k-in-charitable-gifts/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Piscataquis Observer |language=en-US}}

Schools in Millinocket are under the jurisdiction of the Millinocket School Department. The town's primary school is the Granite Street School, the middle school is Millinocket Middle School, and the secondary school is Stearns High School.[http://www.greatschools.org/maine/east-millinocket/Millinocket-School-Department/schools/School Millinocket page on GreatSchools] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002064633/http://www.greatschools.org/maine/east-millinocket/Millinocket-School-Department/schools/School/ |date=October 2, 2012 }}

Millinocket has one traditional newspaper and one online newspaper which serve the area:

• Katahdin/Lincoln area News, a weekly newspaper, distributed each Thursday, which offers a Millinocket section.
• Magic City Morning Star, which has published online since 2002.

The area is served by several radio stations, mainly Millinocket-licensed WSYY-FM The Mountain 94.9 (broadcasting for approximately 18¼ hours per day, 7 days a week (from 4:55{{nbsp}}am through 11:10{{nbsp}}pm ET), under the slogan, "Radio With An Attitude") and WSYY 1240 offers CBS Sports Radio as "CBS Sports Radio for the Katahdin Area" from Dawn until Dusk (ET), broadcasting only on Weekends (but not between Monday-through-Friday). As an Adult Hits/Full-Service radio station, WSYY-FM airs a format consisting of a mix of oldies/classic hits, adult contemporary, rock music, and some country crossovers, airing the format for approximately 16 hours per day, from 6:00{{nbsp}}am through 10:00{{nbsp}}pm ET (reserving the first and, also, the final hour of their broadcast day to When Radio Was).{{cite web|title=When Radio Was ("Find A Local Station")|url=http://www.radiospirits.com/onradio/ontheradio.asp?source=wrw&pcode=WRW2008|website=RadioSpirits.com}} Stations from Bangor and the more powerful stations from Presque Isle are also heard.

Millinocket was home to the Discovery Channel TV show American Loggers which showcased the logging efforts of Gerald Pelletier Incorporated.[http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/american-loggers/ American Loggers on Discovery] Cable television is provided by Bee Line Cable, which provides most of the network affiliates from Bangor.[http://www.getbeeline.com/channel_lineups_millinocket.cfm Bee Line Cable - Digital Cable TV - Central Maine]

• George F. Carrier, applied mathematician Brown and Harvard University
• Herbert E. Clark, state legislator
• Harry A. Corey, entrepreneur, Canadian politician
• Allen Lee Davis, triple murderer, last man to be executed by the electric chair in Florida
• Joseph John Gerry OSB, Bishop of Portland until 2004
• Mary Kathryn Gonya, Miss Maine (1966)
• Jane Harragan, Miss Maine (1950)
• Marc Macauly, actor
• Mike Michaud, former member of the United States House of Representatives
• Charles P. Pray, politician
• Andrew St. John, actor
• Joe Whalen, tennis player

{{Reflist|3}}

{{commons category|Millinocket, Maine}}

• [http://www.millinocket.org/ Official Town of Millinocket website]
• [https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/02/13/maine-town-brink-extinction-plots-comeback/oBBfIaUeAUlP6kBw0X1slO/story.html In Maine, a town on the brink of extinction plots a comeback]

{{Penobscot County, Maine}}

{{Penobscot River}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Company towns in Maine

Category:Towns in Penobscot County, Maine

Category:North Maine Woods

Category:Penobscot River

Category:Populated places established in 1901

Category:1901 establishments in Maine

Category:Towns in Maine