Bangor, Maine

Bangor is a city in the United States, located in Penobscot County, Maine. It is called the “Queen City” and has a population of 31,753, making it the state's third-most populous city after Portland and Lewiston.

The city grew in the mid-19th century because of its strong lumber and shipbuilding industries. Bangor lies on the Penobscot River, so logs from the Maine North Woods could float down to the city's sawmills. Goods were then shipped from Bangor's port to the Atlantic Ocean and other places. You can still see evidence of this time in the grand Greek Revival and Victorian homes built by wealthy lumber barons, as well as a huge statue of the legendary figure Paul Bunyan.

Today, Bangor's economy relies more on services, healthcare, and education. The city has a port of entry at Bangor International Airport, which is home to the Bangor Air National Guard Base. In the past, Bangor was an important stop for airplanes traveling between the U.S. East Coast and Europe on the Great Circle Air Route.

Name and pronunciation

Bangor was founded as Kenduskeag Plantation in 1791 and became a town in 1834. The city's name comes from a Welsh hymn tune. It is also the name of another city, Bangor, Gwynedd.

People in Bangor say the final syllable as gor. In 2015, some local famous people and business owners made a fun YouTube video titled "How to Say Bangor," sung to the tune of "We Are the World."

History

The Penobscot people have lived around Bangor for thousands of years. They call the area kkάtaskkik, meaning "at/on the water parsnip ground." Europeans arrived in the 1500s, looking for fur, and later set up a mission.

Bangor started as a small settlement in 1769. It grew into a big lumber center in the 1800s. The Penobscot River helped carry timber to sawmills and ships. By 1860, Bangor was the world's largest lumber port, with many sawmills and ships.

During the Civil War, Bangor sent soldiers to fight for the Union. The city also developed other industries, like making moccasins and producing bricks. Even with fires and economic changes, Bangor kept growing and adapting.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bangor covers 34.59 square miles (89.59 km²). Of this, 34.26 square miles (88.73 km²) is land and 0.33 square miles (0.85 km²) is water.

Bangor is on the Penobscot River. It has a humid continental climate. This means it has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. The city usually gets about 74.6 inches of snow each year. It also has about 20 nights each year where the temperature falls to 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower.

Demographics

Bangor, Maine, is the third most populous city in the state. As of the 2020 census, Bangor had a population of 31,753 people. The city has people of different ages, with some under 18 and some aged 65 or older. Most people in Bangor live in urban areas.

In 2010, the city's population was 33,039. The racial makeup was mostly White, with smaller numbers of African American, Native American, Asian, and other races. Many households in Bangor have one person, but some have families or married couples.

Economy

Bangor, Maine, has many jobs and places that help the local economy. Big stores like Hannaford Supermarkets, Shaw's and Star Market, Walmart, and Hollywood Casino give work to many people. The Bangor Savings Bank is a big bank in the state, and hospitals such as Eastern Maine Medical Center care for residents. Schools like the University of Maine and Husson University also employ many staff and help the community.

The city is a central spot for a large area, including five counties. It offers many outdoor fun activities like hiking and fishing. Bangor Raceway holds horse racing events, and the Bangor Air National Guard Base supports important operations. These jobs and services make Bangor a busy and important place in Maine.

Arts and culture

Bangor, Maine, has many fun cultural events and places to explore. Every year, the city hosts the Bangor State Fair, one of the oldest fairs in the country. It has rides, live shows, and exhibits about farming. There are also special music and art festivals.

The city has many interesting buildings and places to visit. You can see old houses made in Greek Revival, Victorian, and Colonial Revival styles. Some famous spots include the University of Maine Museum of Art, the Maine Discovery Museum for kids, and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra. There are also cool statues around the city, like one of Paul Bunyan, the famous lumberman, and memorials for important people and events.

Sports

From 2002 to 2017, Bangor hosted the Senior League World Series, a big baseball tournament for older players. The city also had several minor league baseball teams, like the Bangor Blue Ox, the Bangor Lumberjacks, and the Bangor Millionaires.

The Penobscot River is well-known for salmon fishing. The Penobscot Salmon Club used to send the first fish caught each year to the President of the United States. Salmon fishing was stopped from 1999 to 2006 because there were not enough fish, but the wild salmon population is getting bigger again thanks to projects like the Penobscot River Restoration Project. The Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race, a fun white-water event, has been held near Bangor since 1965.

Government

See also: List of mayors of Bangor, Maine

Bangor is the county seat of Penobscot County.

Since 1931, Bangor has used a council–manager form of government. The nine-member city council is a nonpartisan group. Three city councilors are elected each year for three-year terms. The nine council members choose a chair, called the mayor for ceremonies. As of 2025^[update], the council members are Michael Beck, Susan Deane, Carolyn Fish, Rick Fournier, Susan Hawes, Joseph Leonard, Cara Pelletier (chair), Wayne Mallar, and Dan Tremble.

In 2007, Bangor became the first city in the U.S. to ban smoking in cars with passengers under 18.

In 2012, Bangor’s city council supported same-sex marriage in Maine. In 2013, Bangor joined a request to the United States Supreme Court to change the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

In the United States House of Representatives, Bangor is part of Maine's 2nd congressional district and is represented by Democrat Jared F. Golden.

Education

Bangor, Maine, has several places for learning. The University of Maine started in nearby Orono in 1868 and is part of the University of Maine System. Other colleges in Bangor are Husson University and Beal University. The city also had the Bangor Theological Seminary until it closed in 2013.

The Bangor School Department runs public schools, with Bangor High School as the main one. Private schools include John Bapst Memorial High School, Bangor Christian Schools, and All Saints Catholic School, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

Media

Bangor, Maine, has many media outlets. The city has a long history of newspapers, starting from 1815. The Bangor Daily News, founded in 1889, is one of the few family-owned newspapers left in the United States. Another publication, The Maine Edge, is also based in Bangor.

The city has many radio and television stations. These include WLBZ 2 (NBC), WABI 5 (CBS; CW on DT2), WVII 7 (ABC), WBGR-LD 33 (MeTV), and WFVX-LD 22 (Fox/MyNetworkTV). The area’s PBS station is WMEB 12, licensed to nearby Orono. Some radio stations, like WKIT and WZON, are owned by Zone Radio Corporation. Other stations are run by Blueberry Broadcasting and Townsquare Media.

Infrastructure

Bangor has many roads that connect it to other places. These include interstates I-95 and I-395, and U.S. highways US 1A, US 2, US Route 2A, and US 202. The city is linked to nearby Brewer by three important bridges. There are also public buses that travel within Bangor and to nearby areas.

Bangor International Airport serves the area with flights to many places. The airport has one long runway. It was once an important stop for planes flying between the U.S. East Coast and Europe before planes could fly longer distances. Bangor also has two major hospitals that help take care of the community's health.

Popular culture

Bangor has appeared in many songs, such as King of the Road, I've Been Everywhere, How 'Bout Them Cowgirls, and What the Cowgirls Do.

The city is also known in movies and TV shows. For example, the Marvel Comics villain MODOK is from Bangor, and Julie "The Cat" Gaffney from The Mighty Ducks film franchise is from there. The TV series The Langoliers is set at Bangor International Airport. Famous writer Stephen King often includes Bangor in his stories, and some of his films were shot there.

Sister cities

Bangor has sister cities around the world. These include Harbin in China and Saint John in Canada. Sister cities are towns in different countries that work together on projects and cultural exchanges.

Notable people

Bangor has been home to many interesting people throughout history. You can find a list of notable individuals from Bangor, Maine here.