Bangor: Lumber Capital Turned Regional Hub
In the mid-1800s, Bangor was the lumber capital of the world. Logs cut from Maine's vast interior forests were floated down the Penobscot River to Bangor's sawmills, and the city shipped more timber than any other port on Earth. The giant Paul Bunyan statue on Main Street, erected in 1959, commemorates that era. When the forests thinned and the lumber trade declined, Bangor reinvented itself as a commercial and medical center for northern and eastern Maine.
Bangor International Airport served as a Cold War-era base for the Strategic Air Command and later became a refueling stop for military flights heading to and from the Middle East. Troops passing through the airport have been greeted by local volunteers known as the Maine Troop Greeters since 2003. The airport also handles commercial flights connecting the region to major East Coast cities.
Stephen King has lived in Bangor for decades. His Victorian house on West Broadway, recognizable by its wrought-iron bat-and-spider fence, is a frequent stop for fans. Several of his novels are set in the fictional town of Derry, which is based on Bangor. The city's downtown, centered on Main Street and Pickering Square, has a mix of locally owned shops, restaurants, and the Penobscot Theatre Company.
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center is the largest hospital north of Portland and serves as a trauma center for the upper half of the state. Bangor's population is around 32,000, making it the third-largest city in Maine. The Waterfront Concerts venue on the Penobscot draws national touring acts during the summer, and the Cross Insurance Center hosts events year-round. The city sits at the confluence of the Penobscot and Kenduskeag rivers, and the Kenduskeag Stream Trail provides a walking path from the suburbs into downtown.
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In the mid-1800s, Bangor was the lumber capital of the world. Logs cut from Maine's vast interior forests were floated down the Penobscot River to Bangor's sawmills, and the city shipped more timber than any other port on Earth. The giant Paul Bunyan statue on Main Street, erected in 1959, commemorates that era. When the forests thinned and the lumber trade declined, Bangor reinvented itself as a commercial and medical center for northern and eastern Maine.
Bangor International Airport served as a Cold War-era base for the Strategic Air Command and later became a refueling stop for military flights heading to and from the Middle East. Troops passing through the airport have been greeted by local volunteers known as the Maine Troop Greeters since 2003. The airport also handles commercial flights connecting the region to major East Coast cities.
Stephen King has lived in Bangor for decades. His Victorian house on West Broadway, recognizable by its wrought-iron bat-and-spider fence, is a frequent stop for fans. Several of his novels are set in the fictional town of Derry, which is based on Bangor. The city's downtown, centered on Main Street and Pickering Square, has a mix of locally owned shops, restaurants, and the Penobscot Theatre Company.
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center is the largest hospital north of Portland and serves as a trauma center for the upper half of the state. Bangor's population is around 32,000, making it the third-largest city in Maine. The Waterfront Concerts venue on the Penobscot draws national touring acts during the summer, and the Cross Insurance Center hosts events year-round. The city sits at the confluence of the Penobscot and Kenduskeag rivers, and the Kenduskeag Stream Trail provides a walking path from the suburbs into downtown.
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