The County 2019-2020 Aroostook County Tourism | Page 48

THE COUNTY | 2019-2020
ARE YOU FROM THE COUNTY?
Millions of Americans can trace their ancestry back to The County
and all have woven their traditions into the American story.
The first native North Americans encountered by European explorers were the
Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples. Among these are the Mi’kmaq and
Maliseet, who lived and hunted off the land throughout the region and still call
The County home. Visit the Aroostook Band of Micmacs’ Cultural Center in
Presque Isle to learn about a culture that dates back 9,000 years.
ACADIANS
The term Acadia refers to France’s 17th-century colony, l’Acadie, on America’s
North Atlantic coast. Some of the first settlers to come to the region, the
original Acadian settlement was on the banks of the St. John River near today’s
Madawaska. You can see French Acadian sites throughout the St. John Valley
dating back to the 18th century and experience this culture’s music, dance, and
foods at local festivals.
NATIVE AMERICANS
IRISH & SCOTCH-IRISH
The Scotch-Irish, who began immigrating to North America in the 1700s
seeking religious tolerance and a better life, established permanent settlements
in Aroostook, forming an English-speaking enclave among the Acadian French.
Followed in the mid-1800s by the Irish, these folks introduced potato farming to
the region, which has been economic driver for Aroostook County ever since.
SWEDISH COLONY
About 1869, Maine’s state immigration commissioner traveled to Sweden and
recruited 51 immigrants skilled in the logging trade to start a new life in the
northern Maine forests. The colony, known as New Sweden, prospered and
expanded to the neighboring townships of Westmanland, Stockholm, and
Woodland. Today visitors can enjoy local festivals that celebrate that
Swedish heritage.
With a pioneer spirit and a desire to find fertile farmlands, Amish from areas
like Ohio and Missouri headed to Aroostook County in the late 1990s. Settling
throughout the region, the ever-growing Amish population has established
traditional farms and businesses offering crafts, organic foods, and baked goods.
Visit our website for more information about Aroostook County’s
cultural heritage.
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AMISH