Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

284    GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

but the surface generally lies in large swells. The soil is a deep, rich
loam, underlaid by clay, and yielding abundantly of the usual farm
crops of the region. The Meduxnekeag River, a branch of the St.-
John, flows from south-west to north-east through the midst of the
town. Bog, Moose and Cook Brooks, tributaries of the Meduxnekeag,
are the■ other principal streams. The powers on the river are known
as the Cary, Page and Madigan, Ham, Logan, Mansur, Cressey, and
Houlton water-powers. The manufacturing is chiefly on the Cary
power in the south-western part of the town, and on the Cressey and    vd*,

Houlton powers, at Houlton Village, a little south of the centre of the
town. There are two cheese-factories, two or more starch-factories, a
canning-factory, a woollen-mill, four lumber-mills, three flour-mills, one
tannery, two iron-foundries and machine-shops, two printing-offices,
and a sash, blind and door-factory. Other manufactures are bark-ex-
tract, harnesses, boots and shoes, carriages, marble-work, cigars, etc.

Houlton is the centre of trade for the county, and is a busy and thrifty
town. The village has many handsome residences, and there are sev-
eral well-shaded and very attractive streets. The Houlton Savings
Bank, in May, 1881, held $60,000 in deposits, from its 500 depositors.

There are two lively newspapers published in the village, the “Aroos-
took Pioneer,” and the “Aroostook Times.” The first is an excellent
county newspaper for the family circle ; the other is independent in
politics, and has done good service for the community in which it is
published. The Houlton Academy has done noble service in the
cause of education. Many who have already gone out from its walls
have achieved distinction in their callings; and there is every reason    ts*

to hope that its future work will surpass that of its earlier period. The
building is a good one, and occupies ample grounds.

The first settlers of Houlton w^Tere two families named Houlton and
Putnam, who removed hither from Massachusetts about 1807. The
town was incorporated March 8, 1831, taking the name of one of these
first settlers. In 1830, a military station was established here by the
national government, but tbe troops were removed in 1847, during the
war with Mexico, and the place has not been re-garrisoned. The
barracks occupy a position on the outskirts of the village near the rail-
way station ; but are now greatly fallen to decay. The Aroostook
County meridian line is established on the eastern side of the parade
ground. A soldier’s cemetery is near by. Nearer the village, on the
south side, is a large trotting-park where many interesting shows have
been held.

The county court-house and jail occupy a central position in the
village. Near by is Liberty Hall, the place of public entertainments in
their variety. The town has a building exclusively for its own use
nearer the river. The attractive Free Baptist church and parsonage
occupy a pleasant lot adjoining the academy grounds. The Baptists
have a good church and parsonage on a neighboring street, and the
Roman Catholics have a good church and ample grounds near the rail-
road station. The town has also organized churches of the Congrega-
tionalists, Unitarians, Methodists, and Episcopalians. Houlton has
nine public schoolhouses; and the entire public school property in
land and buildings is valued at $7,000. The valuation of estates in
1870 was $681,646. In 1880 it was $725,469. The population in 1870
was 2,850. In 1880 it was 3,228.