I am German and had the opportunity to see large parts of the USA in many visits to the USA. Many big cities, beautiful places, but also not so beautiful areas. But Maine with its great landscape, the clear air and the nice people is very important to me on the list. It doesn't always have to be LA, NYC, SFO, Miami, Chicago, Boston or Las Vegas. The small towns are simply more relaxed and better.
Many people who visit the USA seem to go to out biggest cities. While most Americans tend to vacation our rural areas. I am not much of a city person so I find very little interest in cities and city life.
@@mtadams2009 Absolutely, I agree with you 100%. Especially for us Europeans, if you come to the USA, you have to go to NY, LA, etc. etc. For many, this remains a goal of their dreams. But I love the small towns, the wide open spaces, nature and the country.
I grew up in Lincoln which is in between Millinocket an Old Town. True story most of us from this place grew up an moved away. No jobs all of those towns including my hometown lost there money makers the Paper an Pulp industry. Funny to see places I used to hang around as a teen in Old Town. That was a cool place in the 90's close to the university an lots different people.
In the fall of 2005, a buddy of mine and I decided we wanted to go to Maine (we were in New Brunswick for work). So we cross the border and drive into downtown Houlton. We park and are walking down the street when an older couple pull up next to us and say, "You guys aren't from around here are you". I just reply, "no ma'am" and I was expecting the worst. The lady proceeds to say, "well come down this street to this address, we run a museum in this colonial house, and we'd love to give you a tour"! So we went to the house and proceeded to have an amazing experience as a history buff. Highlights included: Boots worn by a Revolutionary War general (with a hole where he accidentally shot himself in the foot). Blankets used as signals for the Underground Railroad. Kaiser and Doughboy helmets worn by WW1 soldiers. And paintings created by German POWs in WW2. It was an awesome experience I am still grateful for.
@catherinesanchez1185 Exactly. Those ppl are full of it up there. & intolerant of black folks. I went up there in 2001, met a girl up there & nobody would give me a job. I went to East Millinocket/Medway. I went back to Lincoln, Me for work in 2018 & had a laugh! It had flipped from heavily gop to Democrat, the beloved paper mill had been dismantled & parts sold to China. It was like they "reaped what they sown " or something. I didnt feel bad at all. Didnt feel like I missed out on anything. Simply "too bad".
Lowell reporting in. More bears than people out here. Saw 2 moose coming down my driveway not long ago. I frequently wake up to deer and turkeys in my field. Absolutely love it out here. Friendly people (mostly) and beautiful wildlife. More places to hunt and fish than you could ever explore in one lifetime. Love Maine ❤
I live in Houlton and it’s a great place to live. You can let your children play outside without worrying that something will happen to them because everyone looks out for each other. Houlton is very community oriented and the town does a lot for the children and citizens. You should have kept walking across the bridge and checked out the river walk, it’s beautiful. The Temple theater was showing ‘old movies’ just for a week, we get all the newer movies as well. We have a simple way of life in a great community and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
It's wonderful to see Houlton and to be driven around. Looks like a really lovely place and I bet there is a nice community there. I'm lucky I too live in a beautiful place. Papamoa Beach in the Bay of Plenty New Zealand!
I'm from a small town in Northern Scotland and these towns all reminded me of my home, (which sadly has been neglected due to terrible politics but I shall not go into that)It's exactly the type of place that I would like to be if I were living in the states. It looks beautiful
We’ve been living just south of Houlton for nearly two years. It’s an amazing place! Fun Fact: Temple Theater is the longest continuously operated theater in Maine. It was slated to close in June but was saved by the owner of the local radio station.
@@streaming1950 most likely drug related crimes, all it takes to get high numbers is a Sheriff who wants to be "tough" on drugs. MAine up there gets really cold in Winter and heat is a significant expense. If you have a "mediator" type sheriff then you get really low crime numbers. Small town numbers. (ironically I lived on School Street in Freeport) $264K for that house you were looking at, Joe. I lived 8 months in ME, the north parts are really more of Canada South - they tend to do business to the north. The other main border area is down at Calais,I went through there -- its more remote on the US side but more active on the Canada side. (really Canada is "east" but that just confuses people)
@@AL_YZ the statistics are skewed! The area is tough on crime. It’s all petty crimes. I’ve never felt safer ANYWHERE in the US than I do in this part, if not all of Aroostock County, Maine. It’s truly a special place.
@@cristionagabhann-st8zn he didn't say either way -- you are reading into it. He reports the same statistics everywhere he goes. But when its X/1000 -- and the population is under 10K it is easy to skew numbers. Some places under report crime, especially if the local law is lax. Like do they arrest the guy that they KNOW has no license for riding a small motorcycle/moped to work. Technically he needs a license, but you can't NOT have a vehicle out there. They are the ones that TOOK the license, they know well who he is. Or do they let him "get away" with it since he has a family to feed and he isn't drinking anymore. If they are "hardcore" about it they could get 2-3 more arrests before he gets jailed. A high crime rate in a small city isn't pointing to a "crime" issue -- its pointing to a very active "hardcore" sheriff.
This video really hit home for me. I grew up about 30 minutes south of Houlton in a small town called Patten. I probably saw around 30 movies at the theater in the 80’s. Great town. My dad worked at the mill in Millenocket for over 30 years so that place also hold a lot of memories. Lastly, I worked as a pharmacist on Main st in Old Town for a couple years before movie out of state. Maine is an incredible place and you nailed it with this tour. Nice work.
I lived in MIllinocket in the early eighties and worked for Great Northern Paper. I am very surprised there was no mention or view of Mount Katahdin. Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in Maine. It can be seen throughout the town and is very beautiful. It also marks the ending of the Appalachian Trail.
I have been to Baxter state park and Millinocket as well, from what I was told the paper mill specialized in the slick glossy paper that was used for catalogs.
@@woxyroxme I cannot say I am an expert in paper manufacturing since I worked in IT, but GNP made a variety of papers including newsprint. Their newsprint was very high quality. Newspapers would use GNP newsprint for the front pages and use a competitor’s product for the middle pages to cut cost.
''It also marks the ending of the Appalachian Trail.'' The international Appalachian trail picks up from there, goes in New Brunswick , Canada and ends at Gaspé in the province of Quebec. It is also the end of the appalachian mountains themselves.
My family is from outside Houlton. (As a matter of fact, a relative founded it, Joseph Houlton) When I was a kid it was a happening place. The mills went out and farming isn't what it was. People in "The County" are good people. There is much civic pride. There is a simplicity that can't be beat. Our little towns in Maine are just waiting to be rediscovered. Internet jobs are the way to go... Safe, clean, lotsa love. Please come see us and share our life. We have so much to give. The Amish have discovered us. You can too!
@@presidenteden6498Make sure to visit Maine around January into February to really figure out if it's the right place for you to live. What's the average yearly snowfall in Germany where your from?
Millinocket was a wonderful town to grow up in. The mill took care of the town and the children. We had a rec center, huts over different parts of town you could go craft, lots of fun things to do. I loved growing up there. We were free
My Dad grew up in Millinocket in the 60's. He worked a year in the mill and then joined the Navy. He didn't want to do that for the rest of his life. He was always telling stories of all the hunting, fishing and camping they did. The boy scout troop was run by a bunch of WWII vets and their camp outs were fantastic. He had endless stories about Mount Katahdin and Millinocket Lake.
Millinocket known as the "Magic City". Once a huge manufacturing city. Built around the Great Northern paper company that existed from 1897 to 2014. I bet your Dad worked for them. At it's peak employing 7000 workers.
We used to stay on Lake Millinocket. There was a store there that had a breakfast sandwich called an "EggMcBacon" . When we pointed out that there was no bacon on the sandwich, just egg and cheese they said "no our last name is Bacon"
Very nice well kept small towns. Joe are you getting tired of driving? I’ve been checking in for well over a year . It’s kinda like that Johnny Cash song…I’ve been everywhere man. Safe travels.
My wife was born in Houlton in 1961. Her Dad was in the service stationed up there somewhere. Visited once to meet her God mother back in the early 90's. That's potato country for sure 😮
Can confirm Vet lead Boy Scout troop. We had a Marine drill sergeant for our troop leader. We would spend entire weeks out in the woods, summer or winter. I can still taste those old MRE’s. The brownie was alright tho
I moved up here to the Presque Isle/Caribou metropolitan area from Austin, Tx a year and a half ago. It's rural and beautiful. I'm really happy with my decision. I had car trouble a while back, and while I was waiting for my mechanic who jumped at the chance to come rescue me at 8:30 pm, a car stopped to check on me and ask if I needed help every two minutes (basically every car that passed). A police officer showed up just to make sure I was good and had help on the way. This would not have happened in my native SF Bay Area or my decade in Austin. I'm 53 and can get by on a full time pizza delivery gig. This includes rent, bills, and loan payments for the 15 acres up north that we bought to start a small farm. There's a sense of solidarity here that I've rarely felt. People might be gruff and grumbly, but they'll grumble while helping you get through whatever hump you're trying to get over. Financially struggling and Walmart and Amazon are killing the small businesses, yet downtown PI is going through a renovation with new shops opening in the empty store fronts monthly. I only wish I had known in a rural town kind of guy much earlier in life.
I grew up in Washburn near PI and I've been living in the south almost 15 years. I remember cars always stopping if someone had trouble up there, or we stopped to make sure they were safe. Down here in the south when I had trouble on the road it would be dozens of people passing me before one bothered to check, if that lol. I heard it described like this once, "People up north are not friendly but they're nice and people down south are friendly but they're not nice"
Excellent tour thanks for sharing. At around 16:55 in Millinocket, you mention "the nearest big city is Boston which is 6 hours away." Well, yes from a myopic American view. BUT, don't forget about Canada, if you're in Houlton, you're only about an hour from Fredericton, Canada. Fredericton is about the size of Portland, Maine, actually bigger, and go another hour or so south, you have Saint Johns, also bigger than Portland, Maine. People tend to treat the border like an invisible wall.. Go about an hour further east you have the city of Moncton, which is about the population of Bangor. Halifax takes another hour it's a big city, maybe not as big as Boston, but close to. Just a reminder, the humanity don't stop at the border.
We lived in Jackman and used to up Rt 21 to the Frontenac in Quebec for special suppers. About 1/2 of our town were French speakers and Catholic, the rest were old American and Protestant, there were times of light friction between the two. Lumbering was a frequent occupation, most of the lumberjacks were single and spent the season in lumber camps out in the Allagash wilderness.
Fredericton is nowhere near the size of Portland and no one of sound mind would call it a big city. It’s a small town surrounded by a few bedroom communities and woods. Portland metro pop: 487,568, Fredericton metro: 108,610, Saint John metro: 130,613, Halifax: 465,703, Boston: 4,941,632 (double that with adjacent areas). Compared to Boston anything in NB or NS or Maine is a tiny backwater.
I don’t think ppl realize just how massive of a state Maine is. Northern Maine near Canada always felt like it’s own foreign country to me than part of the US.
Yes, The County is almost a country in itself! Maine, the two states in one with a red north and a blue south. He just hasn’t seen anything yet! He should visit in the winter with sub zero temps and blazing snow fields!
@@loa81I was stationed at Loring many snows ago! That's all I'm gonna say. Well, I was 19+ it was pretty dead up there. We did go to Quebec for the Carnival, saw Sammy Hagar with his old band in some outdoor field; oh well. It was a nice place to live for a year.
literally 💀💀. like some things i see people apply to americans like diversity do not apply to me someone from here. like it’s all white people lmfao what do they mean when they talk about diversity in america. los angeles? and new york city
The Amish have definitely moved into northern Maine and have been a great addition to saving these small towns. The population decline is due to the closure of the mills and manufacturing being moved offshore. Yes a lot of paper mills but sneakers, clothing and fabrics were made in these small mill towns.
Also potato farming has declined, and most farms have been consolidated with fewer owners and fewer family run. Also around 50% of the farmland has grown back into forest.
the BEST shoes I have ever owned (casual) were Dexter Shoes, made in Maine. Sadly, the company either closed or sold out to some big shoe manufacturer.
My mom's family came from Old Town, where my grandfather was a logger, using a horse to pull logs, I believe in the 60s. He supplemented the income with lots of hunting and fishing. This video has given me a nudge to go explore it, and the surrounding towns! Edit: and for a Victorian, the more colorful, the better!
Being a native Mainer I was curious to watch this. Baxter State Park is near Millinocket, and Bangor is the closest large city, (approx. 32,000 pop.) it's a little over an hour drive, bus or car. There's an airport there as well. My sister lived in Old Town when she attended the University of Maine, just minutes away, so there are a fair amount of college students living there. There's another section of downtown I didn't see. The Penobscot Indian Reservation is close by as well. More and more people from other states are moving here, during covid there was a massive influx and it hasn't slowed much. Where I live, on the mid-coast, it's impossible to afford a home even with a glimpse of water without having half a million, the house I grew up in would likely sell for close to 2 million since it's right next to the ocean. I likely couldn't afford to live in the village I grew up in since even though almost half the village was owned by my father's family back in the day, it isn't anymore, sadly. Locals can't afford to live in their own state. Rents have risen to impossibly high rates, while wages remain low. In Rockland I've seen buildings getting bought by out of state "investors" who evict the tenants, add contractor grade materials to "upgrade" everything to resemble the boutique hotels or suburban homes from where they're from, then charge upwards of $2,000/mo. for an apartment. People are becoming homeless from their greed. It's sad. Thanks for your video. I realize this post is a bit long...oh well😁
This guy has his head up his arse…in case he hadn’t noticed, Maine is a RURAL state and our economy - like all across America - has changed. He leaves one with the impression that Maine is not too desirable a place to live. He should try living in Philadelphia - where I’m originally from - and walk down the drug infested streets in the Kensington section. Branding itself as the city of brotherly love is a real crock - that’s one of the reasons I left. BTW, the nearest big cities to Houlton and Millinocket are Bangor and Portland, fella! Big is a relative term in this state. Finally, I-95 is a pleasure to drive compared to the mayhem that exists in the “big city”.
I’m originally from Maine. The more you go up northern Maine the less there is. The poverty can be high. I grew up in Biddeford. We grew up in poverty. The thing is you don’t realize you don’t have much. Thank you for showing Maine. Brings back memories.
Biddeford is hardly poor. And now it's a seaside community. I grew up in York Beach. .big house on the water..corn chowder 3 nights in a row with mom's homemade bread was something we didn't think twice about. Us boys had to forage enough firewood first thing ( before homework) after school each day. ( this on the nubble peninsula) finding a spot where we could get a few days of firewood in one afternoon was joyous lol. The girls did the housework ( boys washed dishes 1 night of the week) cut our own Xmas tree. Sewed popcorn strands for decoration with some old decorations mom carefully took out and put away every year. 3 boys 3 girls. No father. Back then everyone brought lunch in paper bags to school..we hid our poverty from others. But we really didn't mind it..reading. playing chess , old monopoly board. We had second hand skates , sleds .we made do ..and never complained. It was our job to make sure mom never got upset. And too remind her to turn the goose in the woodstove oven on holidays. Because most of the heat came from the side with the fire. I don't know. I think that upbringing gave us character , honesty and a great work ethic. We all excelled at school with honors. Oldest sister graduated in 3 years instead of 4 from high school. Unfortunately..she turned down the scholarships to stay and care, run the family. Mom was getting older etc. I'm just yakking now. But not having much gave us so much..things we would have never known..about ourselves and... I wouldn't trade it for anything I see today. Just kinda wish pammy could have went to college. She deserved to see and be there. But that's life. The adversity you faced and how you overcame it..molded us.
Your life sounds like mine, I miss the simple days gone by,even miss outhouse,been to Maine several times would love to live there,loved the coast, stayed on little cranberry in bed and breakfast,tours all coastal towns,@@FrankMackey-nu6bz
I enjoyed this video. I live in Millinocket. The town is struggling and the drug problem is heartbreaking, but it is a great little town with amazing people.
Great video and thank you for sharing. As a Brit I lived in Maine 20 years ago when I worked and lived in Portland. I travelled extensively throughout and visited the places on your trip. To be fair it looks like much has not changes, I95 was always empty. I loved the whole state, so interesting to live and breathe it as an outsider. Always vow to return and regret moving back to the UK. Thanks for refreshing my memory!
Once you've lived in Maine, and really spent a significant amount of years there, it is always in your heart. I lived in Maine for many years as well. I'm from New Hampshire originally and returned to be near family. It's just something that cannot be explained unless you talk to another person that has also lived there and had to move away. My heart will always be in Maine. ❤
@@thepiper5522I stayed at a hotel in Augusta and the receptionist was from Manchester, England. She said she's been living in Maine for years. She kept her accent.
My family were some of first settlers in Houlton. They built the first saw mill and their home that they built themselves still has the foundation visible. Later they moved up North just a little to Mars Hill where they became successful potato farmers. When Idaho starting producing potatoes, the market collapsed and it became unprofitable to be a potato farmer. My Dad went to college and never looked back. There are a lot of Amish up in that area of Maine.
Very familiar with that area! We made many a cross-border beer run in the late 1970s to Mars Hill/Presque Isle and Houlton - because back then in NB the only place to buy booze was the liquor stores (which were only open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or the back-woods NB bootleggers who charged a 100% mark-up. WDHP was the go-to FM radio station for the entire area. As for Potatoes, in NB we had McCain Foods buying up much of the crops, which kept many farmers in business. But I was unaware that Maine's potato industry had taken such a hit.
Before the world went crazy my wife and I would explore the mountain towns of northern New Mexico, some made you feel welcome, others not. We always found good food and plenty of it. One incident I remember that was very hart warming, a young man having lunch with his 100 year old great grandfather, so kind and patient the young man, so appreciative the elder…Don’t remember the town but weaving was the principal attraction.
I am heartened to see the many responses from residents of Houlton. I lived in a village ten miles south of Houlton, and for us it was "town," the place where you bought groceries, feed, tools and materials, went to the movies and to church, etc. Houlton is the county seat of Aroostook (Ah-ROO-stook) County, which is why the courthouse is there -- and the jail next to it. Some history might help you make sense of the beautiful homes you drove past: at the turn of the 19th-20th century, Houlton boasted more millionaires per square mile than anyplace else in the country: people who had made fortunes in lumber and potatoes. The bottoms fell out of both markets around the late 70s to early 80s, and the town has become increasingly a shadow of its former self. Many of the youngsters leave to find work and livings elsewhere, and that's a pity, but it's the reality of life in northern Maine.
With Climate change now a sure thing, the Maine dominance in potato production will return. Idaho, California and other places that depend on irrigation are facing drought. Unsure crop yields, the expense of irrigation and water are making their potato crops too expensive and not dependable. Those dark green plants with the tiny purple flowers will return.
I feel for you guys. I'm from Eastern Kentucky and a lot of the young folk are moving away to Lexington and Louisville. Both northern Maine and Eastern Kentucky is one of the most amazing places in America. I hope both are homes can get some economic revitalization in order to keep our population steady.
Highly recommend hopping off 95 near Bangor and heading up route 15 towards kenduskeag, corinth, dover-foxcroft, and Guilford. Take 23 back down towards Dexter, Corrina, Newport/Stetson. Beautiful drive and some lovely small towns, one of my favorite areas in the whole state.
I live on an old potato farm in the area you describe. If you take that route you can see two covered bridges as well as many many historic old mills whose time has come to remove the dams associated with them.
My mom was raised a few miles southwest of Houlton and the people survived as potato farmers, lumberjacks and associated vocations with the land i.e. saw sharpeners, game wardens and guides (fishing or hunting) She would tell me she and her sister would walk to school in snowshoes during the hard winters. Life was not easy, but family, friends and the church kept them strong and most of her family lived long lives.
It looks like you drove right past my hometown of Lincoln, Maine (between Millinocket and Old Town), and its giant loon (photo op). It's also where my classmate, Gary Gordon is buried. He is a Medal of Honor recipient, and he died in the Battle of Mogadishu. A movie was made about him and that battle. It's called 'Blackhawk Down'. There's also a statue of him in Lincoln as well.
I live in New Brunswick and still cross border to go to some of the border towns. I think Maine is beautiful and peaceful. I was surprised at the crime rates. Prior to Canadians having to get a passport to get into Maine we flocked there for shopping groceries and Grandmas restaurant. Many Canadians were upset by the passport change and stopped going into Maine. Many of the bigger stores have closed now. Also you saw more Canadian license plates in parking lots than Maine plates. I95 was never crowded but did have more traffic than now. The people are super friendly and helpful there and its a shame to see that younger people have to move to make a life for themselves and their families.
Enjoyed the video, but some of those far-northern Maine towns are sad. You can sense the hardiness of the folks there -- right after you said it was 64 degrees entering Houlton I saw a father and son walking down the street in shorts and short sleeved shirts. In Florida people are bundled up in parkas and gloves when it hits 64. I vote a resounding YES to the magnificent Victorian painted lilac and purple in Old Town. Winters are incredibly long, dark and cold up there and a house painted lilac is cheery and fun, much needed in those months.
@@rmf9567 I did not say people who live in Northern Maine are sad -- I meant the towns seem a little sad simply because there are closed stores and empty houses due to shrinking population. But I'm sure most folks who live there like living there and are happy.
The far northern tip of Maine has a fascinating history. Acadia was a French colony from the 1600s in Nova Scotia, separate from the French in Quebec. In the 1750s the British took over and expelled them. Some Acadians went to Louisiana (where the word Cajun comes from) while others went to what is now the northern part of New Brunswick and Maine. The portion of the US/Canada border in the area was drawn in the 1840s, over 20 years after Maine became a US state, and split the Acadian community on both sides. Today they are a distinct subculture in both countries and even have their own flag. In the town of Madawaska one is likely to hear people speaking both English and French, sometimes switching in mid sentence 😀 I remember going through there in the early 1990s on my way from Boston to Quebec City. Very cool place, but I don't know what it's like today.
Thankyou for the historical facts. Proud ppl, those Acadians (both sides of border) It's a history that I often think that could be brought back to some of these dying old towns via tourism. Perhaps wall murals depicting it's history throughout the downtown. The purple house; historical bordello. :) wink wink.
In 1755 the British rounded up and forcibly put onto boats the Acadie population, and randomly sent them to New Brunswick/ Southwest Louisiana. This event was called Le Grande Derangement and at the time Louisiana was the most inhospitable place imaginable. The Cajuns as they were to become known, asked for nothing from the French government, just to be left alone. Cajuns are the strongest, warmest and most resiliant ethnic group I have ever met. Proud of family, tradition, music and food.
I grew up about 45 minutes north of Houlton in the area of Presque Isle. Hard to see a future in the area unless you're born the son of a farmer, work in the medical field, or are proficient in a trade. Young adults are moving away from the area pretty fast, but there's a lot of newcomers coming to the area for its isolation, as well as supporting the agriculture industry and some light military significance. From what I have heard, things were a lot brighter for the area when Presque Isle and later Loring Air Force Bases were operational, but without much military interest after the end of the cold war and the expansion of the Bangor base, things have stagnated. I'm going to school in the Bangor area now, and have gotten to know the area surrounding the city in about a 30 min radius fairly well, and I can say that the more "urban" parts of northern Maine resemble the smaller towns of the Bangor area fairly closely. The city of Old Town's downtown actually seems pretty similar to Presque Isle, but with a much larger college population. A large ongoing struggle with the area is obviously the poverty and correlating substance abuse issues. There were many classmates of mine whose families struggled with poverty and substance abuse and ended up in pretty much the same bucket as their parents. If your family doesn't have enough money to send their kids to college, it's hard to get a good job in the area and you're basically relegated to retail, dining, or working for a farmer.
My wife is from Presque Isle. Her family left Presque Isle in 76 and moved to Augusta. She was 12. Last time we were up there was 2012 just to check it out.
Class of 97 Presque Isle. Presque Isle generally has more people because of the two Colleges. My mother lives outside of Houlton and it’s okay, lots of law enforcement. Definitely had more money and people back when The County was developed, mostly due to lumber, potatoes, and the extinct ice industry. It’s the county seat(capital), but I would move back to Presque Isle before any other place there is.
@@justinmaine4932 i can tell you with confidence presque isle has gotten way better in the last 10 years. The town got its act together and is acting out on a massive infrastructure plan and major drug enforcement. It feels like a different place!
@@polarisswitchback2683 truer words have never been spoken, but I’d bet you make a couple cents more than a studying Audio Engineer, assuming you make a couple cents a year (which is probably too high an estimate due to inflation)
The crime is actually pretty high especially attacks Houlton has no real economy and most young people ha e to move away because there's nothing no mall no Walmart target and drug use in this state is unbelievable
I’m an Aussie and in my big trip to the USA I caught the train from Boston to Portland on a day trip just to see a bit of Maine. I’d come back just to see the mountains. One of my fave books as a kid was “Mystery back of the mountain” which was set in Maine.
See the real Maine next time, not the Massachusetts style Portland pit at the extreme south of the state. Next time, head north, see the coast of course, but head inland and see the North Maine Woods.
I live in NH, and spend allot of time in Maine. It's great that you are doing these videos. Hopefully, it will bring some attention to the beauty and people of this area. They could use it. Perhaps some companies may see the value of bringing back some manufacturing jobs to this area.
Not really. The poor remain behind, there's no industry. Old towns become slums. The states taxes are too high, so it doesn't attract healthy businesses where people can make a big salary. It attracts bottom feeders who depend on government assistance, and immigrants. Economic decay attracts more economic decay it's a downward spiral.
No, it's dying. The jobs have left everywhere, but the coast, our population is a lot of retireees which aren't starting new businesses. Of those that are young enough to start new enterprises the successful leave the state and the unsuccessful are hooked on drugs and alcohol with selling drugs being some people's only income. The young feel largely helpless, especially as our housing prices raise despite our population not because out of staters keep buying up all the homes as vacation homes. 20% of our homes are vacation homes owned by out of staters who leave them empty most of the year. We aren’t returning to some natural utopia we are slipping into crushing obsolescence.
@@mackenziemcinnis1879 Maybe, but a lot of people who work from home want a more rural life. Paired with a decent city salary, that means there an be income for these small towns. I'm thinking about doing that. Starting a little homestead, working from home as I do now. Why not? I know realtors in the area are focusing on that market. The prices don't lie. The prices are low. That means people are trying to leave. That IS a bit worrying. It could be that although many are tempted to do what I want to do, not enough of us want it to make it change things. (Edit: And Internet in rural locations has been difficult until very recently. With StarLink and ISPs continuing to build out infrastructure this should be less of an issue going forward. As long as I have power and Internet I can keep getting a paycheck.)
I was born and grew up in Millinocket, and my great grandparents were among its earliest inhabitants. The 70's were a fantastic time, at least from my then childhood experience. Even the early to mid 80's, when I was a teen, felt like a great time. I have lived away for decades now, but brought my grandchildren up last Summer and was depressed for weeks after. At least Katahdin continues to be beautiful.
Being an Airforce Veteran as well as my mom. Every time I hear about Maine I remember my mom telling me about Loring AFB Maine (It closed before I joined) and how remote and cold it was.But I always heard the people from the area were some of the best people you could meet.
I too was stationed at Loring AFB 1970-1973. People in Caribou, Limestone, Fort Fairfield were great. Yes, winters were indescribable… coldest ever. One flight a day into Presque Isle and during the winter one a week IF we were lucky.
I can echo the warmth of the people in the northern Maine communities of Presque Isle and Caribou; I was stationed at Loring AFB from 1982-1985. We had more than 200 inches of snowfall my first winter. Yikes!
Spent 6 years at Loring AFB. Loved the area. Originally from Montana and I found the small town atmosphere much the same. Winter weather was better in Maine.
NZer here. Of all the US states that I'd like to move to, Maine is at the top of my list! Wonderful coastal scenery, great seafood and lovely rolling forested mountains! It also helps that it has moose - my favourite animal!
I love Maine . I ve Made the drive up to Jackman Maine from Pennsylvania almost every summer for the last 15 years. I used to stay a a small, privately owned group of 5 cabins for a month. It had its own private trails, each cabin was on the lake, there was a trail leading to a different part of the lake that was absolutely stunning. You could take a boat into town. It was very close to the Moose River. The closes “Town” was called “The Forks”. It consisted of a general store, hotel, gas station, bait shop, and an ice cream shop all owned by the same person. Sadly, the couple who ran the cabins retired and sold them off. I’ll miss that place. I used to wake to the moose eating by the lake, and fall asleep to the cry of the loon. On a clear night, you could see the milky way scattered like shiny dust across the sky. If I ever get the money, I want to buy 50+ acres up there. I can close my eyes and still picture every inch of the cabin and surrounding area. It had a private spring with hoses connected to it that ran up to each cabin, so you can drink the best tasting, fresh water straight from the spring.
I love the drive up to Jackman, it really is idyllic. My brother and father go up there during the fall to hunt. It's funny to see the road signs start showing both english and french as you get closer to the Quebec border
It really is. I love the drive as well. As soon as you get into Vermont and New Hampshire the traffic practically disappears. One summer in Jackman, right before Canada started requiring US citizens to have a passport to enter Canada, I took a day trip and visited Quebec City. It was a good time. I remember seeing the French signs as well, and you are so close to Canada that you can pick up french radio stations. The place I used to stay at was called “The Last Resort”, and it was practically on the border. The cabins all had a wood burning stove, and the owner would let hunters rent the cabins in the winter. If I knew she was selling and had the money, I would have loved to buy one.
If finances ever allow, I’d like to buy some land of my own up there, or at least in one of the New England states. I’ve always wanted to camp at Baxter State Park, so I definitely will be making that happen in the future. The only problem is that i’m unwilling to drive that far unless I’m staying for 3 weeks, minimum; it’s about a 13 or 14 hour drive from where I’m living, if I recall correctly
@@oswaldmosley6179They ruined my home state of Arizona. Left for Idaho. They’re now coming for Idaho. Thinking of moving to New Hampshire or Maine.. only a matter of time till the whole country is lost.
I saw you and Nicole headed down I-69 in Michigan. I wanted to honk, but thought it might be rude. Hope you enjoyed your trip here. There's so much more to see than you can imagine.
I'm from NJ but I remember driving up to Limestone, Maine around 2005 to see the band Phish play at an airfield up there. I was amazed at how I-95 changed the farther north we got. Yes, it's truly a little lonesome highway up there. So lonesome that thoundsands of people actually ended up abandoning their cars on the side of I-95 when Phish announced on the radio that it was too muddy to get in. Everybody left their vehicles right where they were, and walked/hitch hiked, riding in the back of locals' pickup trucks, etc. And when it was all over, their cars were still there. Ours was still there. The police had left them alone. We just got in and drove back home.
We're also from NJ and when our son and his family moved up to ME, we'd drive along I-95 for what seemed to be forever. Since this was in 2004 or thereabouts, the highway wasn't crowded at all. The tolls were annoying--you just get out of New Hampshire by paying a toll, and a few miles up the road is tollbooths for Maine. Coming from Jersey--who is "toll" crazy, it was a little annoying, but on the other hand, someone has to pay for the roads.
i remember in the 90s driving up 95 for work. it was no joke traffic stopped all the way from old orchard beach maine...4 hours up to loring afb, i took that day off, and sucked down some nitrous for fun and conversation with some stuck travelers going to that show. it was quite the parade
You are correct about the drive from Bangor to Houlton on I95 having sparse traffic, but the scenery is so beautiful. I make this drive every year to see friends in northern Aroostook County (aka "the County") and look forward to the drive. Little traffic, no billboards, and signs with hard to pronounce names on water ways and off the highway towns. Remember to get gas and food before getting on this stretch. The only time in 30+ years of driving this road it was more scary than beautiful was in a January snowstorm. Maine is almost two separate states -southern and northern - attitudes, culture, population, and even the language (many northern are bilingual English/French). I love the slower pace of The County and the small-town culture. I lived there for two years but needed a better paying job. It is a good place and worth the explore.
Both Presque Isle and Caribou (60-70 miles north from Houlton) are bigger and even more isolated towns. Houlton is only about an hour and a half north of Bangor. My wife's parents lived there back in the 90s. Millinocket was a paper mill town. There are quite a few town in Maine that depended on now closed paper mills.
They had a paper mill in Lincoln, it gave the town the name “stinkin’ Lincoln” I have a friend who is a police officer there, he said he does nothing all day, he moved there from Camden NJ, he said if he didn’t respond to at least one shooting every shift that he felt like he was cheating the taxpayers. Maine may have problems but violent crimes is not one of them.
I love your channel and your delivery. I was a professional community planner who has lived in Maine, NH, and Upstate NY since 1973. I married a girl from Barre, Vermont 50 years ago and we now live near the Finger Lakes in NY. It is not surprising then that as I watched the Erie Canal, NY, Northern New England videos of your trip I was excited. I was particularly attracted to the Maine segment because my first professional job as the Director of Planning and Development in the early 1970s was in Houlton. I was the Clerk of the Works for the redevelopment of the Town Hall and the Fire Station you showed. I also got Market Square (Downtown) poised for National Historic District Designation. I also proposed the building of that pedestrian bridge downtown before I left my job in 1978. However, the most significant thing that you showed in the video was the neighborhood house tour. The large house that you showed (toward the end) of the Houlton segment that was missing its front porch and had weeds growing on the stub of its old roof caught our attention immediately. That house is 15 Weeks Avenue. You said was in rough shape and you were right !!!!. My wife and I lived in that sprawling old gem when we lived in Houlton in 1974. It was in beautiful shape 49 years ago, actually almost elegant LOL. It was owned by the couple across the street, they were redeveloping it. It made my wife so, so sad to see our old house falling down around its ears. However I love your videos and the channel. Keep it up
You know how thousands of people flock to foliage, I assume that this part of Maine hits peak early? Is it a foliage destination or could be marketed as such?
Thank you for the pedestrian bridge, it's a beautiful addition to our town. Sorry about the house though, it was a beautiful house on Weeks Avenue, now renamed Weeks Street.💗😊😞
From 1954 to 1962, I spent my summers in a small place called Norcross, which is 7 miles from Millinocket. The Great Northern Paper Co was the big employer in the area and it owned a lot of land in this part of Maine. We did our shopping in Millinocket and it was a very vibrant working class town. To see Millinocket the way it is now, is heartbreaking.
I have no home and wander out of the US, but if I was ever forced to go back, it would be Maine for sure. I spent year covid there (trapped in the US as it were) and hiked over 1,000 miles, right through the winter at Bucksport and thankfully the snow was light that year so I did not have to resort to skis or snowshoes. Went all over the state. Really like the entire coast past Portland. But loved Greenville, Caribou and Van Buren too !! Best place in the US, for sure.
@@crazychicken8290 My life has never been better. Retired very early. Just travel the world now. Met a great woman in Colombia and am traveling with her now in Argentina. We fly to Spain soon.
This sounds like a dream! The hiking AND the travel!! My goal is to retire by the time I'm 50 so that I can do all of the active things I love. I think I'll make it! Enjoy your adventures with your partner! ❤
I have relatives in Van Buren and had them in Caribou, I know those towns well. I love hiking too and used to snowshoe in the winter. I think I put it more miles on snowshoes than boots. It's fun!
I love your videos and the chance to see small towns that I would otherwise never see. I was born in a big city and I’m now a senior living in another big city. I’ve lived in medium size towns but I always imagined one day living in the country or a small town. I have wonderful memories of small towns I’ve visited or driven through. There a certain peace and calm in New England small towns and upstate small towns that’s so attractive. Thank you for doing these videos.
One thing to note: I-95 in Maine is Maine....no State East not South not North. One reason no traffic no competition no inter-state drivers just Maine. I lived in Maine in the 80's and it was like that then too. Don't leave out all the picturesque towns along the Atlantic Coast of Maine like driving through a dream. Large homes large porches well painted. Friendly hard working people most out on boat's getting lobster and other seafood. Church suppers with real homemade bread and beans among many other items. Thick dark pine forest through the State, logging a big industry as well as Christmas Trees. Maine is rugged you have to be a surviver to live there but having driven up the Coast through the center and eating my share of fresh off the boat lobster it's paradise.
@t.s.butler191 OH My Gosh YES!! Best baked potatoes ever!! I've been in a nursing home the past several months stage 4 cancer which paralyzed me so forgotten REAL FOOD but you are so right!!!
People think of lonely freeways as the desert southwest where there's no speed limit half the time. I did travel that stretch of I-95 in Maine once many years ago and (I think the statute of limitations has passed) I may or may not have hit triple digits on the speedometer. I know, I was young and dumb then and had a bit of a heavy foot.
@joycelebaron2582 thank you I appreciate your sincerity it's a slow process. I must have had it for years before I realized then it spread fast. I'm so glad for UA-cam from Chateaus in France to California and everything in between helps keep my mind off pain and worry. Enjoy Every day!!
I grew up in Woodstock, just across the border in Canada. Visited Houlton many times, had past relatives that lived there. Been in the theatre, recognize the downtown, town was more of a going concern in the 70's. It was a quasi college town back then, we used to play pick-up basketball games with the students. Brings back memories.
The majority have been converted into apartments. Lots of pretty architecture but it’s very rare for them to remain single family homes here in Maine. The homes shown in old town, for instance, were college student homes with the exception of the lilac house.
Another great video !! Nice quiet towns, and I love the idea of an old theatre that shows old movies, awesome !! The cat looked very content and relaxed. Thanks so much, Joe and Nic, very enjoyable and interesting, as always.🥰
@@JAMES_III Goodness gracious @ mention of The House of Wax- with Vincent Price? That's going back, way back. lol Very fond memories with me & siblings. thx.
I find that people are usually friendly and warm everywhere you go if you're friendly and warm to them. (usually!). Actually Maine has a reputation of the people being standoffish but I don't think so.
I really appreciate your effort to show us places all over our country. I also appreciate the tone of your videos. You give us the straight facts and give them with sympathy and respect for the towns and the people who live in them.
The entire northern half of Maine except for the I95 corridor is divided into townships and ranges. They vary from 12 to 20 square miles with some exceptions. The majority of them have zero full time residents. Easily a quarter of the state is unpopulated. You have to go west of the Mississippi River to find a comparable area.
I think Nothern Maine is unpopulated basically because there's still plenty of land near the coast. That, and the cost of maintaining roads up there that cars can drive on in winter, while not that high, makes it not worth it
New England is so beautiful, and it’s a shame I don’t explore it more. I live in New Haven, so my scenery is a bit different; but I appreciate all of the quaint family oriented towns. When I visit in Montreal next spring, I’m going to take the scenic route.
As a New Brunswicker, that is probably why I enjoy Maine so much, Baxter State Park, Penobscot river, Old Town...still feels like home, not the US you see on TV with all the hustle and bustle, just nice people and beautiful wilderness.
I'm from the Old Town Maine area, I love this town! There are so many things you missed about Old town and also Orono their like brothers. They feed off each other well and help each survive. It's a family and plus collageville, it's where the biggest collage is, University of Maine! Bangor is the problem city where drugs are everywhere. These little towns are great places to raise kids safely. I also think you missed another opportunity. If not going into LINCOLN MAINE. It has its own sandy beach, new playground, Waterfront properties, small down town and has its own Walmart, mcds, Hannafords grocery stores police station little down town city. Don't forget to come back to visit! Let me tell you, fall is the best time to come back and visit too! ❤️ Houlton is also famous for their HOULTON chocolate milk and ice cream. I hope you got that homemade opportunity! If not you missed out on the best product 😮. Come back and have some locals take you around these towns again and bet you will find more interesting things you will love about these towns you may have missed. Hope you come back soon!!❤😁
There is another idea to spruce up business, a tour station, to show folks around.Then you are gonna need some restaurants, good healthy food,& a motel or a place to spend overnite...There is an alternative to Air b & B which has corporate management & is better in my opinion than Air b& B
My husband is from Lincoln but lived in Millinocket. I’m running the Millinocket Half Marathon in December. The traffic from the marathon/half marathon give the local economy a boost. Beautiful place. I love traveling to Maine to visit my in-laws but luckily they live near Bar Harbor now 😊
Interesting to note, the Millinocket Marathon actually has FREE ENTRY, in order to bring people into the area to support local businesses. The entire community gets involved. And, it's in the dead of winter! I'm hoping to do it this year or next. Good luck!
I ran the half last year, my girlfriend the whole, and she did the half the year previously. We love it so much we almost bought a house there. But, no jobs. We would be there this year but our car has a broken axle we can't get fixed in time. My gf is an ultra-runner aiming for a 100 miler, I'm just a 'normal' marathoner. We both LOVE Millinocket's marathon. The first 3 miles will trick you up. Have a great time!!
In the 70’s, spent a summer working the fishing docks in Boothbay Harbor. Best summer of my life. The local people were so welcoming to 3 guys from NY. 50 years later, Maine still a big place in my heart.
What a wonderful video of the great state of ME. Lived in the southern part of ME in the late for a bit. What amazes me is that some towns that struggle with increased levels of poverty after a single industry closes find a way to maintain their homes and downtown business sections; while others allow "everything" to decay with higher levels of violent crime. Why is that? Safe travel, Cheers!!
T.hank you, Joe, so much for this video! I grew up in the USAF (born in 1948) and always wanted to be stationed in New England but, at least, we were stationed at Kincheloe AFB, near Sault St. Marie, MIchigan from 1962 - 1964 and I absolutely loved it. There was a little, rural town near the base named, Rudyard, where we air base kids got to go to school. It was a tiny, farming town and I attended the 8th and 9th grades there. I wish I could return to visit it. Sure would love to visit Maine. It is wonderful to see parts of the far north east and all of its beauty. Thanks, again!!!
Loring AFB up in Houlton about another hour north of houlton was a fairly large installation and a very important part of our nuclear triad. I went to a couple airshows up there as a kid including the last one before it closed in 92 I believe. My dad served in the 101st ANG at the former Dow AFB in Bangor which is now Bangor Intl Airport/Maine ANG station. During the first gulf war BIA was the return point for troops coming back from iraq/kuwait. We used to go great the guys coming home. One of my favorite stories ever was all the other kids on their dads shoulders had a lil American flag to wave. I didnt and I was asking my dad and he was like "ahhh im sorry I dont know where they got them". A solider passing bye overheard and was like "this kid needs a flag!" so he grabbed the guy next to him and bit and torn the American flag patch off his buddies uniform and handed it to me.
I’m fascinated by these old towns that look like they’re stuck in the 50’s. Industry died off and time stopped for them. Old buildings closed and the only things left open are restaurants because people have to eat.
There are a lot of huge old houses all over Maine. Since it is so costly to heat such large homes, and they are simply too big for an average-sized family, many of them have been divided into apartments. I live in midcoast Maine, in one of those kinds of apartments. It's in a house that was built by a wealthy shipbuilder and banker around 1847. His grave in the town cemetery has a huge statue of him. He and another wealthy individual were this town's most prominent businessmen in the mid-19th century, and some of the country's first millionaires came from Maine. Well, anyway, the thick plaster walls of my apartment make it very quiet and I don't need air conditioning in the summer. I only moved to Maine three years ago and have not explored much of the state outside of the midcoast, but I plan to see and experience more of Maine.
A Maine author, highly recommended: In copyright date order: The House That Jacob Built, John Gould [1908-2003], Illustrator Unacknowledged; William Morrow & Co. (1947 hardcover) --- And One To Grow On, Recollections of a Maine Boyhood, John Gould [1908-2003], with Drawings by F. Wenderoth Saunders; William Morrow & Co. (1949 hardcover) --- You Should Start Sooner, In which widely separated topics are strangely discussed by an old cuss, John Gould [1908-2003], with illustrations by F. Wenderoth Saunders; Little, Brown & Co. (1964 [1949-1964] hardcover) --- Last One In, Tales of a New England Boyhood, John Gould [1908-2003], with Illustrations by F. Wenderoth Saunders; Little, Brown & Co. (1966 hardcover) --- Europe on Saturday Night, John Gould [1908-2003]; Little, Brown & Co. (1968 hardcover) --- The Jonesport Raffle and other numerous Maine veracities, John Gould [1908-2003], with illustrations by Edward Malsberg; Little, Brown & Co. (1969 hardcover) --- Twelve Grindstones ["Folklore"], Joe Gould [1908-2003]; Little, Brown & Co. (1970 hardcover) --- Glass Eyes By The Bottle, Some Conversations about Some Conversation Pieces, John Gould [1908-2003]; Little Brown & Co. (1975 hardcover) --- Stitch In Time, John Gould [1908-2003], with Illustrations by Consuelo Hanks; W.W. Norton & Co. (1985 hardcover).
If you want to see some interesting towns in Maine, drive Route 1 north starting at Ellsworth along the coast up to Eastport. There are some towns in beautiful locations that are trying to come back from the closure of the sardine canning industry in the 20th century. Eastport itself is in a beautiful location. It is well worth the drive north. I would look at Machias, Lubec, Eastport and also make stops at towns like Cutler.
@@joycelebaron2582 the sardine industry was big on the Maine coast. Where I live on Mount Desert Island there were canneries in Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor. The old docks are still there in both towns and the cannery building is still there in Bass Harbor. The last cannery, in Prospect Harbor on the east side of Schoodic closed in 2010.
I just moved out of Millinocket last year. It’s a beautiful area, true old America. I love it like none other. Great people. Brutal winters with early sunsets, but it builds character - hence the good people haha. Thank you for this video, it warms my heart to see rural ME.
You didn't go far enough north. To Caribou, Fort Kent, and Presque Isle. The small Swedish settlements of Stockholm and New Sweden where Swedish settlers came to settle in the 1800's. Or Limestone where there was once an Air Force Base that has since closed. Hope you can make it further north and meet the proud, friendly people who are proud of their heritage. As mentioned in an earlier comment, many potato farmers moved away. Some to Southern Maine and many moved to New York State. My dad left after WW2.
@@robertpare2702 My grandparents lived there. Eddie and Ida Bossie . They both passed a couple decades ago. They lived a five minute walk from the general store. They had 5 kids : Sonny, Joan, Betty, Maralyn, and my mother Hilda. If you knew them , I'm going to flip!! LOL!
Was stationed at Loring AFB in the early 90s. Would drive from NY, usually stop in Boston for dinner and to refuel. If I did the trip in one shot it was just over 12 hours drive. Yes, after Bangor you don't see many cars on 95. Lots of snow, very small towns, Limestone, Caribou. Great fishing. Made a couple trips into Canada. They closed that base sometime around 1994, there are few if any Air Force bases left in the Northeast which is kind of sad as New England is a beautiful part of the country. I remember my two years there mostly happy. Very peaceful place.
A bit of trivia for the comment readers : The I-95 ends in Houlton. Maybe they've extended it since the last time I was there, who knows. Millinocket is south of Houlton, heading back towards Bangor. Old Town is the small town north of Bangor. The University of Maine at Orono is east of it, and on the other side of the campus is the town of Orono. Many ppl from the surrounding area work for the University. People who've lived on the reservation or their parents did (Indian Island) get free tuition at any Maine university. AND, Joe wondered about the boys on the bridge? The Amish are quiet and secluded, but they co exist in communities here and in the Midcoast area. So yes it's possible those youngsters were Amish boys fishing off the bridge. TY for your visit to see the northernmost state, and also the only state in the US with a one syllable name! PS You did good with Houlton and Old Town, but Aroostook sounds more like "R-oos-took".
We did a Canadian Maritime Provinces trip a few years ago and after driving around Quebec, Gaspe and New Brunswick, we crossed over into the USA at Houlton where i95 begins, what struck me then, was just how quiet it was and had that end of the line feeling ! nothing much has changed in the past 10 years !!!
I like this video. I am an Amazon employee, with the odd hobby of...reading our labels. I like to see where goods are headed. I'm in Michigan and can find a town in Michigan I've never heard of fairly frequently. I like to see if I can find packages to every state in a single 4-5 hour shift. Anyways, this video made me think of how...the same places seem to be. I sometimes take a walk in towns via Google Map. I once owned an Old Town Canoe and was grateful that Old Town was included in this video. I suppose talking to and interviewing people would be problematic for reasons I don't know. Those lonely vendors at the farmer's market might have enjoyed a chance to chat about their burg.
Maine and Michigan are similar. Not in all ways, but Washington County, Maine is similar to the (wonderful) UP of Michigan. Poverty in Washington County is bad, but the old money is still there, looking down their noses at everyone they did not grow up with, anyone who is not rich, or anyone NOT from Maine.
They would have loved to have a chat. Out of all the places I've lived and been to in the us/ world; aroostook county maine has the friendliest people I've ever encountered. Life is super simple there and people like it that way. It's also usually not as dead as this video portrays, this must have been early in the morning.
I grew up in the UP of Michigan and currently live in Millinocket, Maine. I moved here because the northern part of the state is much like the UP when I was growing up.
Ironically I worked in millinocket when that place closed... I worked in a crew that closed the place down... They had huge oil tanks that needed to be drained, so we were there to empty and clean them... There was 2 workers left who were such awesome guys... Mike was one I can't remember the other guys name...they both bought their houses for 30k. It's a weird place but I liked it...back then I drank and had a lot of fun in the bar near our hotel...now that I mention that the guy Mikes family owned the hotel in some sort of way..cool guys they were so welcoming to us and willing to show us around the local culture, which mostly included identifying different animal dumps..
I could go traveling America with you's all day via vlogs.. but I've watched every episode 🤦🏻♀️ some even more than once. Love the town statistics n all as well. Your friend from Western Australia 👋🏽.
Presque Isle Maine, just a little bit further north was home of the first ICBM's, the Northrop SM-62 "SNARK" at the old Presque Isle AFB. The launch pads and hangers still exist and are accessible to anyone interested. About 10 miles further north is the town of Limestone and Loring AFB which was one of the largest bases in the US and a huge source of the towns revenue. Housed the B-52 long range bombers ready to retaliate for a Russian first strike. Moscow is only about 4000 miles away from this point. It's mostly abandoned and a ghost town I like to walk around and explore with my dog. You should come up here! I live in Fort Fairfield Maine by the way.
No traffic or people is what we are definitely looking for. With everyones brother moving to middle Tennessee and this freaking heat my husband want out! So we've been looking to move to upper Maine in the next few years. As the years go by and the hotter it gets each summer in the south people will eventually start moving north again to get away from it.
We lived in Texas and then Oklahoma before re-locating to Maine 5 years ago. One of my concerns was, would I be able to handle the winters. Make sure you house has a good source of heat, make sure you have the right clothing keep your car in good order, and you'll probably love it here. I do. If I ever have to leave Maine, it won't be because of winter. I was driving in Calais the other day and had my daughter with me. I was sort of complaining about the "heavy" traffic while I waited at the stop sign...all 4 cars of that "heavy" traffic.
Calais is the "big city" to me! 😄Well, I guess it is a medium city and Bangor is the big city for my purposes. I drive to Calais to get groceries. I used to live in Oklahoma too (OKC), and don't miss the tornadoes. I also don't miss the road rage, congestion, and hot summers. I retired to Washington County five years ago and it was the best decision I've ever made. What a beautiful place! @@geraldrhodes4114
New Brunswick to Damariscotta are places where they are still living the dream. Great little towns . Maine is what it is and hopefully remains as is. Hope you 2 get to Damariscotta. Downtown is bustling. Still the season.
Spent a few days in Millinocket prepping for my Katahdin hike back in July and had a good time chatting with some of the locals at the bar. Really quiet place
That house in Houlton is at 60 School Street! Oh it's gorgeous on the inside, all remodeled (built in 1900, which was my guess on that other house down the street you asked about) with workshop, etc, my dream house!. I would have gotten in the van and raced up there to place an offer if I thought I could stand the Maine winters and being ... (from that line in the Shrek movie you talked about...) "Far, far away, Man!" LOL! Oh I forgot to tell you, it's $265. Somebody will snap that up and use it as a second home, IMHO.
Can’t believe you gave us a tour of Millinocket without of view of Mt Katahdin! 😱 Hope you at least got to see it. Magnificent ending to the Appalachian Trail ❤
I randomly follow UA-camrs from Houlton. (It's so different from the urban desert I live in.) Those UA-camrs are very proud of their little town and maintain it's a great place to raise a family. I was really surprised by those numbers. Houlton has some great architecture and --- obviously --- very reasonable prices.
Thanks Joe and Nicole for showing us the blight of NAFTA and GATT back in the day also how it has impacted states in the upper North East and I just love Maine!
Passed through northern Maine a few years ago en route from Toronto to Halifax NS. Glad to escape an unfriendly Quebec into this relaxed part of the US.
Well not a language problem as I can get by in basic French. Certainly very offhand service and manners I've never experienced in other parts of Canada, the US and a large chunk of the planet I've wandered over. Could be the English accent but I travel low profile and never talk politics. Funnily enough the only part of Canada where locals told me they wanted out.
A lot of people from Quebec come to Old Orchard Beach, Me for their vacations in the summer. They can be rude. But so can people from here.@@freebird1ification
Hi Joe & Nic, love you're fun and informative videos. Back in 1982 I commissioned a U.S. Navy Guided Missile Frigate, USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29) in Bath, Maine, namesake of a downed Battle of Midway pilot from East Millinocket. The officers were invited to East Millinocket and hosted to stay with local families and provided meals, etc. by the VFW. A tour of the booming paper mill at the time was included. Great memories. Thank you!
I live in South Portland Maine. Born and raised. I havent ever been to Old Town or Houlton. I look forward to watching this video. I wish you came to Portland!😊
Wow. Yup that’s the Interstate in Maine. Beautiful place. Can you imagine what the winters are like here? Without barely any industrial activity it’s hard to keep a population going. That’s the sad part of it
Thanks for another great video of rural America . I am very surprised too about those poverty and crime numbers in Houlton. Most people think of the old money super wealthy towns like Bar Harbor and Kennebunkport when they think of Maine. BTW, I think the song that she is singing is "A Place in the Sun" which was a big hit by Stevie Wonder in 1966.
Even Bar Harbor and Kennebunkport aren't really "old money" towns in the winter. They have extremely seasonal economies and most of the expensive real estate is second homes, which is a huge issue for locals.
I'm sure that is true all the way from the Hamptons on the tip of Long Island to Newport, RI to the Islands, Cape Cod up all the way to Bar Harbor. Summer playground towns for the super wealthy of NYC and Boston, many with "old money".@@gracegrass4462
I spent 2 weeks in Millinocket back in the '90s teaching an electronics class at Great Northern Paper. It was a great little town and the people were wonderful. It''s sad to see how few people are out and about on a Saturday now that the mill has closed. It was fairly busy back then.
If you’re from Millinocket you must know the little jingle about the man from there. Cannot write it on here but my husband sang it to his kids when they were little. They loved hearing it. He grew up in Dexter but don’t repeat that.
@@thewarriors3615 I was only there 2 weeks, but it seems to me I heard the jingle form one of the paper mill workers. Can't recall how it went, however.
I am German and had the opportunity to see large parts of the USA in many visits to the USA. Many big cities, beautiful places, but also not so beautiful areas. But Maine with its great landscape, the clear air and the nice people is very important to me on the list. It doesn't always have to be LA, NYC, SFO, Miami, Chicago, Boston or Las Vegas. The small towns are simply more relaxed and better.
Maine is an exceptionally beautiful state..it has many things that are special to the US
And there’s Stephen King:)
Many people who visit the USA seem to go to out biggest cities. While most Americans
tend to vacation our rural areas. I am not much of a city person so I find very little interest in cities and city life.
@@mtadams2009 Absolutely, I agree with you 100%. Especially for us Europeans, if you come to the USA, you have to go to NY, LA, etc. etc. For many, this remains a goal of their dreams. But I love the small towns, the wide open spaces, nature and the country.
I grew up in Lincoln which is in between Millinocket an Old Town. True story most of us from this place grew up an moved away. No jobs all of those towns including my hometown lost there money makers the Paper an Pulp industry. Funny to see places I used to hang around as a teen in Old Town. That was a cool place in the 90's close to the university an lots different people.
In the fall of 2005, a buddy of mine and I decided we wanted to go to Maine (we were in New Brunswick for work). So we cross the border and drive into downtown Houlton. We park and are walking down the street when an older couple pull up next to us and say, "You guys aren't from around here are you". I just reply, "no ma'am" and I was expecting the worst. The lady proceeds to say, "well come down this street to this address, we run a museum in this colonial house, and we'd love to give you a tour"!
So we went to the house and proceeded to have an amazing experience as a history buff. Highlights included:
Boots worn by a Revolutionary War general (with a hole where he accidentally shot himself in the foot).
Blankets used as signals for the Underground Railroad.
Kaiser and Doughboy helmets worn by WW1 soldiers.
And paintings created by German POWs in WW2.
It was an awesome experience I am still grateful for.
They immediately know if someone is from around there or not!!
Good for you. We are in a time where we need to see more of this!
How much was admission?
@catherinesanchez1185 Exactly. Those ppl are full of it up there. & intolerant of black folks. I went up there in 2001, met a girl up there & nobody would give me a job. I went to East Millinocket/Medway. I went back to Lincoln, Me for work in 2018 & had a laugh! It had flipped from heavily gop to Democrat, the beloved paper mill had been dismantled & parts sold to China. It was like they "reaped what they sown " or something. I didnt feel bad at all. Didnt feel like I missed out on anything. Simply "too bad".
Wow! What a great experience!!!
Lowell reporting in. More bears than people out here. Saw 2 moose coming down my driveway not long ago. I frequently wake up to deer and turkeys in my field. Absolutely love it out here. Friendly people (mostly) and beautiful wildlife. More places to hunt and fish than you could ever explore in one lifetime. Love Maine ❤
This sounds like a dream to me. Less people and more animals
I live in Houlton and it’s a great place to live. You can let your children play outside without worrying that something will happen to them because everyone looks out for each other. Houlton is very community oriented and the town does a lot for the children and citizens. You should have kept walking across the bridge and checked out the river walk, it’s beautiful. The Temple theater was showing ‘old movies’ just for a week, we get all the newer movies as well. We have a simple way of life in a great community and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
It's wonderful to see Houlton and to be driven around. Looks like a really lovely place and I bet there is a nice community there. I'm lucky I too live in a beautiful place. Papamoa Beach in the Bay of Plenty New Zealand!
I'm from a small town in Northern Scotland and these towns all reminded me of my home, (which sadly has been neglected due to terrible politics but I shall not go into that)It's exactly the type of place that I would like to be if I were living in the states. It looks beautiful
Many Scots help settle an abundance of eastern coastal Maine towns and cities.@@nuancematters
Good for you but when the kids become teenagers they will leave if they have any common sense.
l've let my children play out side for years !!! But still no one has managed to run them over !! 🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲😡😡😡
We’ve been living just south of Houlton for nearly two years. It’s an amazing place! Fun Fact: Temple Theater is the longest continuously operated theater in Maine. It was slated to close in June but was saved by the owner of the local radio station.
The crime rate is high. Why?
A lot of things I can live with but That is a deal breaker.
@@streaming1950 most likely drug related crimes, all it takes to get high numbers is a Sheriff who wants to be "tough" on drugs. MAine up there gets really cold in Winter and heat is a significant expense. If you have a "mediator" type sheriff then you get really low crime numbers. Small town numbers. (ironically I lived on School Street in Freeport)
$264K for that house you were looking at, Joe.
I lived 8 months in ME, the north parts are really more of Canada South - they tend to do business to the north. The other main border area is down at Calais,I went through there -- its more remote on the US side but more active on the Canada side. (really Canada is "east" but that just confuses people)
It’s not major crimes. This guy makes it sound like we have a lot of major crime when in fact we do not.
@@AL_YZ the statistics are skewed! The area is tough on crime. It’s all petty crimes. I’ve never felt safer ANYWHERE in the US than I do in this part, if not all of Aroostock County, Maine. It’s truly a special place.
@@cristionagabhann-st8zn he didn't say either way -- you are reading into it. He reports the same statistics everywhere he goes.
But when its X/1000 -- and the population is under 10K it is easy to skew numbers. Some places under report crime, especially if the local law is lax.
Like do they arrest the guy that they KNOW has no license for riding a small motorcycle/moped to work. Technically he needs a license, but you can't NOT have a vehicle out there. They are the ones that TOOK the license, they know well who he is.
Or do they let him "get away" with it since he has a family to feed and he isn't drinking anymore. If they are "hardcore" about it they could get 2-3 more arrests before he gets jailed. A high crime rate in a small city isn't pointing to a "crime" issue -- its pointing to a very active "hardcore" sheriff.
This video really hit home for me. I grew up about 30 minutes south of Houlton in a small town called Patten. I probably saw around 30 movies at the theater in the 80’s. Great town. My dad worked at the mill in Millenocket for over 30 years so that place also hold a lot of memories. Lastly, I worked as a pharmacist on Main st in Old Town for a couple years before movie out of state. Maine is an incredible place and you nailed it with this tour. Nice work.
My dad grew up in patten in the 70s-80s
My wife grew up in Crystal...went to SA for school...
I lived in MIllinocket in the early eighties and worked for Great Northern Paper. I am very surprised there was no mention or view of Mount Katahdin. Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in Maine. It can be seen throughout the town and is very beautiful. It also marks the ending of the Appalachian Trail.
Katahdin in my opinion is the prettiest mountain east of the rockies.
I have been to Baxter state park and Millinocket as well, from what I was told the paper mill specialized in the slick glossy paper that was used for catalogs.
@@woxyroxme I cannot say I am an expert in paper manufacturing since I worked in IT, but GNP made a variety of papers including newsprint. Their newsprint was very high quality. Newspapers would use GNP newsprint for the front pages and use a competitor’s product for the middle pages to cut cost.
''It also marks the ending of the Appalachian Trail.'' The international Appalachian trail picks up from there, goes in New Brunswick , Canada and ends at Gaspé in the province of Quebec. It is also the end of the appalachian mountains themselves.
And it is where the Appalachin trail starts or near it. Its a gorgeous mountain!
My family is from outside Houlton. (As a matter of fact, a relative founded it, Joseph Houlton) When I was a kid it was a happening place. The mills went out and farming isn't what it was. People in "The County" are good people. There is much civic pride. There is a simplicity that can't be beat. Our little towns in Maine are just waiting to be rediscovered. Internet jobs are the way to go... Safe, clean, lotsa love. Please come see us and share our life. We have so much to give. The Amish have discovered us. You can too!
@@presidenteden6498Make sure to visit Maine around January into February to really figure out if it's the right place for you to live. What's the average yearly snowfall in Germany where your from?
Hispanic in Houlton, Maine? Are they sure about those numbers?
Millinocket was a wonderful town to grow up in. The mill took care of the town and the children. We had a rec center, huts over different parts of town you could go craft, lots of fun things to do. I loved growing up there. We were free
My Dad grew up in Millinocket in the 60's. He worked a year in the mill and then joined the Navy. He didn't want to do that for the rest of his life. He was always telling stories of all the hunting, fishing and camping they did. The boy scout troop was run by a bunch of WWII vets and their camp outs were fantastic. He had endless stories about Mount Katahdin and Millinocket Lake.
Millinocket known as the "Magic City". Once a huge manufacturing city. Built around the Great Northern paper company that existed from 1897 to 2014. I bet your Dad worked for them. At it's peak employing 7000 workers.
We used to stay on Lake Millinocket. There was a store there that had a breakfast sandwich called an "EggMcBacon" . When we pointed out that there was no bacon on the sandwich, just egg and cheese they said "no our last name is Bacon"
Very nice well kept small towns. Joe are you getting tired of driving? I’ve been checking in for well over a year . It’s kinda like that Johnny Cash song…I’ve been everywhere man. Safe travels.
My wife was born in Houlton in 1961. Her Dad was in the service stationed up there somewhere. Visited once to meet her God mother back in the early 90's. That's potato country for sure 😮
Can confirm Vet lead Boy Scout troop. We had a Marine drill sergeant for our troop leader. We would spend entire weeks out in the woods, summer or winter. I can still taste those old MRE’s. The brownie was alright tho
I moved up here to the Presque Isle/Caribou metropolitan area from Austin, Tx a year and a half ago. It's rural and beautiful. I'm really happy with my decision.
I had car trouble a while back, and while I was waiting for my mechanic who jumped at the chance to come rescue me at 8:30 pm, a car stopped to check on me and ask if I needed help every two minutes (basically every car that passed). A police officer showed up just to make sure I was good and had help on the way. This would not have happened in my native SF Bay Area or my decade in Austin.
I'm 53 and can get by on a full time pizza delivery gig. This includes rent, bills, and loan payments for the 15 acres up north that we bought to start a small farm.
There's a sense of solidarity here that I've rarely felt. People might be gruff and grumbly, but they'll grumble while helping you get through whatever hump you're trying to get over.
Financially struggling and Walmart and Amazon are killing the small businesses, yet downtown PI is going through a renovation with new shops opening in the empty store fronts monthly.
I only wish I had known in a rural town kind of guy much earlier in life.
What a great travel story thanks!
What pizza delivery gig is that?
It's what the Finns call Sisu. Self reliance so you can help others.
I grew up in Washburn near PI and I've been living in the south almost 15 years. I remember cars always stopping if someone had trouble up there, or we stopped to make sure they were safe. Down here in the south when I had trouble on the road it would be dozens of people passing me before one bothered to check, if that lol. I heard it described like this once, "People up north are not friendly but they're nice and people down south are friendly but they're not nice"
LOL I'm from Caribou and moved to SF.😂
Excellent tour thanks for sharing. At around 16:55 in Millinocket, you mention "the nearest big city is Boston which is 6 hours away." Well, yes from a myopic American view. BUT, don't forget about Canada, if you're in Houlton, you're only about an hour from Fredericton, Canada. Fredericton is about the size of Portland, Maine, actually bigger, and go another hour or so south, you have Saint Johns, also bigger than Portland, Maine. People tend to treat the border like an invisible wall.. Go about an hour further east you have the city of Moncton, which is about the population of Bangor. Halifax takes another hour it's a big city, maybe not as big as Boston, but close to. Just a reminder, the humanity don't stop at the border.
We lived in Jackman and used to up Rt 21 to the Frontenac in Quebec for special suppers. About 1/2 of our town were French speakers and Catholic, the rest were old American and Protestant, there were times of light friction between the two. Lumbering was a frequent occupation, most of the lumberjacks were single and spent the season in lumber camps out in the Allagash wilderness.
Fredericton is nowhere near the size of Portland and no one of sound mind would call it a big city. It’s a small town surrounded by a few bedroom communities and woods.
Portland metro pop: 487,568, Fredericton metro: 108,610, Saint John metro: 130,613, Halifax: 465,703, Boston: 4,941,632 (double that with adjacent areas).
Compared to Boston anything in NB or NS or Maine is a tiny backwater.
I don’t think ppl realize just how massive of a state Maine is. Northern Maine near Canada always felt like it’s own foreign country to me than part of the US.
Yes, The County is almost a country in itself! Maine, the two states in one with a red north and a blue south. He just hasn’t seen anything yet! He should visit in the winter with sub zero temps and blazing snow fields!
@@loa81I was stationed at Loring many snows ago! That's all I'm gonna say. Well, I was 19+ it was pretty dead up there. We did go to Quebec for the Carnival, saw Sammy Hagar with his old band in some outdoor field; oh well. It was a nice place to live for a year.
north Maine is seceret military country... shhhhh ;)
literally 💀💀. like some things i see people apply to americans like diversity do not apply to me someone from here. like it’s all white people lmfao what do they mean when they talk about diversity in america. los angeles? and new york city
It actually was a foreign country. Northern Maine was New France and the province of Acadia. Southern Maine was part of Massachusetts.
The Amish have definitely moved into northern Maine and have been a great addition to saving these small towns. The population decline is due to the closure of the mills and manufacturing being moved offshore. Yes a lot of paper mills but sneakers, clothing and fabrics were made in these small mill towns.
Thank God for the Amish. They contribute well to any location in which they choose to live.
Quite a few in Whitefield in the mid coast. Great people.
One famous shoe-sneaker line is New Balance, made in Maine. I used to buy Dexter shoes for years--also from Maine.
Also potato farming has declined, and most farms have been consolidated with fewer owners and fewer family run. Also around 50% of the farmland has grown back into forest.
the BEST shoes I have ever owned (casual) were Dexter Shoes, made in Maine. Sadly, the company either closed or sold out to some big shoe manufacturer.
My mom's family came from Old Town, where my grandfather was a logger, using a horse to pull logs, I believe in the 60s. He supplemented the income with lots of hunting and fishing. This video has given me a nudge to go explore it, and the surrounding towns!
Edit: and for a Victorian, the more colorful, the better!
Being a native Mainer I was curious to watch this. Baxter State Park is near Millinocket, and Bangor is the closest large city, (approx. 32,000 pop.) it's a little over an hour drive, bus or car. There's an airport there as well.
My sister lived in Old Town when she attended the University of Maine, just minutes away, so there are a fair amount of college students living there. There's another section of downtown I didn't see. The Penobscot Indian Reservation is close by as well.
More and more people from other states are moving here, during covid there was a massive influx and it hasn't slowed much. Where I live, on the mid-coast, it's impossible to afford a home even with a glimpse of water without having half a million, the house I grew up in would likely sell for close to 2 million since it's right next to the ocean. I likely couldn't afford to live in the village I grew up in since even though almost half the village was owned by my father's family back in the day, it isn't anymore, sadly.
Locals can't afford to live in their own state. Rents have risen to impossibly high rates, while wages remain low. In Rockland I've seen buildings getting bought by out of state "investors" who evict the tenants, add contractor grade materials to "upgrade" everything to resemble the boutique hotels or suburban homes from where they're from, then charge upwards of $2,000/mo. for an apartment. People are becoming homeless from their greed. It's sad.
Thanks for your video. I realize this post is a bit long...oh well😁
Me too
I had heard that corporations were buying out homes all over the us and thought they r up to something.
😢
How awful. Natives have to get legal defense.
This guy has his head up his arse…in case he hadn’t noticed, Maine is a RURAL state and our economy - like all across America - has changed. He leaves one with the impression that Maine is not too desirable a place to live. He should try living in Philadelphia - where I’m originally from - and walk down the drug infested streets in the Kensington section. Branding itself as the city of brotherly love is a real crock - that’s one of the reasons I left. BTW, the nearest big cities to Houlton and Millinocket are Bangor and Portland, fella! Big is a relative term in this state. Finally, I-95 is a pleasure to drive compared to the mayhem that exists in the “big city”.
I’m originally from Maine. The more you go up northern Maine the less there is. The poverty can be high. I grew up in Biddeford. We grew up in poverty. The thing is you don’t realize you don’t have much. Thank you for showing Maine. Brings back memories.
Went to UNE. Beautiful area.
Biddeford is hardly poor. And now it's a seaside community. I grew up in York Beach. .big house on the water..corn chowder 3 nights in a row with mom's homemade bread was something we didn't think twice about. Us boys had to forage enough firewood first thing ( before homework) after school each day. ( this on the nubble peninsula) finding a spot where we could get a few days of firewood in one afternoon was joyous lol. The girls did the housework ( boys washed dishes 1 night of the week) cut our own Xmas tree. Sewed popcorn strands for decoration with some old decorations mom carefully took out and put away every year. 3 boys 3 girls. No father. Back then everyone brought lunch in paper bags to school..we hid our poverty from others. But we really didn't mind it..reading. playing chess , old monopoly board. We had second hand skates , sleds .we made do ..and never complained. It was our job to make sure mom never got upset. And too remind her to turn the goose in the woodstove oven on holidays. Because most of the heat came from the side with the fire. I don't know. I think that upbringing gave us character , honesty and a great work ethic. We all excelled at school with honors. Oldest sister graduated in 3 years instead of 4 from high school. Unfortunately..she turned down the scholarships to stay and care, run the family. Mom was getting older etc. I'm just yakking now. But not having much gave us so much..things we would have never known..about ourselves and... I wouldn't trade it for anything I see today. Just kinda wish pammy could have went to college. She deserved to see and be there. But that's life. The adversity you faced and how you overcame it..molded us.
Your life sounds like mine, I miss the simple days gone by,even miss outhouse,been to Maine several times would love to live there,loved the coast, stayed on little cranberry in bed and breakfast,tours all coastal towns,@@FrankMackey-nu6bz
@@FrankMackey-nu6bzThank you for sharing some of your childhood. I like getting a "window" into people's past.
Why would anyone want to be near Boston? You just don’t get it.
I enjoyed this video. I live in Millinocket. The town is struggling and the drug problem is heartbreaking, but it is a great little town with amazing people.
Great video and thank you for sharing. As a Brit I lived in Maine 20 years ago when I worked and lived in Portland. I travelled extensively throughout and visited the places on your trip. To be fair it looks like much has not changes, I95 was always empty. I loved the whole state, so interesting to live and breathe it as an outsider. Always vow to return and regret moving back to the UK. Thanks for refreshing my memory!
Once you've lived in Maine, and really spent a significant amount of years there, it is always in your heart. I lived in Maine for many years as well. I'm from New Hampshire originally and returned to be near family. It's just something that cannot be explained unless you talk to another person that has also lived there and had to move away. My heart will always be in Maine. ❤
Hey I had some medical tests recently in Houlton, and one of the techs was from Britain. That accent is not something I hear every day! 🙂
@@thepiper5522I stayed at a hotel in Augusta and the receptionist was from Manchester, England. She said she's been living in Maine for years. She kept her accent.
My family were some of first settlers in Houlton. They built the first saw mill and their home that they built themselves still has the foundation visible. Later they moved up North just a little to Mars Hill where they became successful potato farmers. When Idaho starting producing potatoes, the market collapsed and it became unprofitable to be a potato farmer. My Dad went to college and never looked back. There are a lot of Amish up in that area of Maine.
Fascinating comment! Your family must just LOVE Mr. Simplot.
Thus that explains the Amish looking people on the bridge.
I love Maine and it's people! Thanks for all you do to share all of our great country in your travels!
Very familiar with that area! We made many a cross-border beer run in the late 1970s to Mars Hill/Presque Isle and Houlton - because back then in NB the only place to buy booze was the liquor stores (which were only open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or the back-woods NB bootleggers who charged a 100% mark-up. WDHP was the go-to FM radio station for the entire area. As for Potatoes, in NB we had McCain Foods buying up much of the crops, which kept many farmers in business. But I was unaware that Maine's potato industry had taken such a hit.
They're not Amish they're Mennonites.
Before the world went crazy my wife and I would explore the mountain towns of northern New Mexico, some made you feel welcome, others not. We always found good food and plenty of it.
One incident I remember that was very hart warming, a young man having lunch with his 100 year old great grandfather, so kind and patient the young man, so appreciative the elder…Don’t remember the town but weaving was the principal attraction.
I am heartened to see the many responses from residents of Houlton. I lived in a village ten miles south of Houlton, and for us it was "town," the place where you bought groceries, feed, tools and materials, went to the movies and to church, etc.
Houlton is the county seat of Aroostook (Ah-ROO-stook) County, which is why the courthouse is there -- and the jail next to it.
Some history might help you make sense of the beautiful homes you drove past: at the turn of the 19th-20th century, Houlton boasted more millionaires per square mile than anyplace else in the country: people who had made fortunes in lumber and potatoes. The bottoms fell out of both markets around the late 70s to early 80s, and the town has become increasingly a shadow of its former self.
Many of the youngsters leave to find work and livings elsewhere, and that's a pity, but it's the reality of life in northern Maine.
Thanks for the history~The houses are beatiful and HUGE! I suppose in the day of glory what those houses could say. God bless.
With Climate change now a sure thing, the Maine dominance in potato production will return. Idaho, California and other places that depend on irrigation are facing drought. Unsure crop yields, the expense of irrigation and water are making their potato crops too expensive and not dependable. Those dark green plants with the tiny purple flowers will return.
I feel for you guys. I'm from Eastern Kentucky and a lot of the young folk are moving away to Lexington and Louisville. Both northern Maine and Eastern Kentucky is one of the most amazing places in America. I hope both are homes can get some economic revitalization in order to keep our population steady.
Houlton is absolutely beautiful. That's the type of town I'd love to live in.
@@DGill48 I remember when it was called "Global Warming". Didn't believe it back then either.....
Highly recommend hopping off 95 near Bangor and heading up route 15 towards kenduskeag, corinth, dover-foxcroft, and Guilford. Take 23 back down towards Dexter, Corrina, Newport/Stetson. Beautiful drive and some lovely small towns, one of my favorite areas in the whole state.
I hopped off I-95 near Bangor once and took Route 9 all the way to New Brunswick for a tour of the Eastern Provinces. Beautiful ride!
I live in one of the small towns that you listed, and it really is a beautiful area!
If you make it as far as Guilford keep going 20 more miles to Greenville.
@@piratecat5649 After Greenville it's very rural , Moosehead Lake and the Golden Road then the Alligash ( sp) .
I live on an old potato farm in the area you describe. If you take that route you can see two covered bridges as well as many many historic old mills whose time has come to remove the dams associated with them.
My mom was raised a few miles southwest of Houlton and the people survived as potato farmers, lumberjacks and associated vocations with the land i.e. saw sharpeners, game wardens and guides (fishing or hunting) She would tell me she and her sister would walk to school in snowshoes during the hard winters. Life was not easy, but family, friends and the church kept them strong and most of her family lived long lives.
It looks like you drove right past my hometown of Lincoln, Maine (between Millinocket and Old Town), and its giant loon (photo op). It's also where my classmate, Gary Gordon is buried. He is a Medal of Honor recipient, and he died in the Battle of Mogadishu. A movie was made about him and that battle. It's called 'Blackhawk Down'. There's also a statue of him in Lincoln as well.
The Millinocket area is a major playground for nature lovers. You have to head about ten miles away from downtown to fall in love with it.
I live in New Brunswick and still cross border to go to some of the border towns. I think Maine is beautiful and peaceful. I was surprised at the crime rates. Prior to Canadians having to get a passport to get into Maine we flocked there for shopping groceries and Grandmas restaurant. Many Canadians were upset by the passport change and stopped going into Maine. Many of the bigger stores have closed now. Also you saw more Canadian license plates in parking lots than Maine plates. I95 was never crowded but did have more traffic than now. The people are super friendly and helpful there and its a shame to see that younger people have to move to make a life for themselves and their families.
Grandmas restaurant is absolutely unmatched! I’m from newbrundswick as well your comment hit home for me
Enjoyed the video, but some of those far-northern Maine towns are sad. You can sense the hardiness of the folks there -- right after you said it was 64 degrees entering Houlton I saw a father and son walking down the street in shorts and short sleeved shirts. In Florida people are bundled up in parkas and gloves when it hits 64. I vote a resounding YES to the magnificent Victorian painted lilac and purple in Old Town. Winters are incredibly long, dark and cold up there and a house painted lilac is cheery and fun, much needed in those months.
I liked it a lot too. It wasn't really purple, more a light pastel color. Gorgeous house.
LOL!
From Louisiana to Maine you still can't pronounce names
@@geradpelletier478 I lived in New England for many years and thought I was pretty good at names but even "I" fail many times! LOL
@@rmf9567 I did not say people who live in Northern Maine are sad -- I meant the towns seem a little sad simply because there are closed stores and empty houses due to shrinking population. But I'm sure most folks who live there like living there and are happy.
The far northern tip of Maine has a fascinating history. Acadia was a French colony from the 1600s in Nova Scotia, separate from the French in Quebec. In the 1750s the British took over and expelled them. Some Acadians went to Louisiana (where the word Cajun comes from) while others went to what is now the northern part of New Brunswick and Maine. The portion of the US/Canada border in the area was drawn in the 1840s, over 20 years after Maine became a US state, and split the Acadian community on both sides. Today they are a distinct subculture in both countries and even have their own flag. In the town of Madawaska one is likely to hear people speaking both English and French, sometimes switching in mid sentence 😀 I remember going through there in the early 1990s on my way from Boston to Quebec City. Very cool place, but I don't know what it's like today.
Thankyou for the historical facts. Proud ppl, those Acadians (both sides of border) It's a history that I often think that could be brought back to some of these dying old towns via tourism. Perhaps wall murals depicting it's history throughout the downtown. The purple house; historical bordello. :) wink wink.
Thank you 😊 for stating this , I’m Acadian French , my mother did our genealogy 🌿🍁💯
My first Duty station was Loring Maine , AFB , when the base closed , the local area suffered 😢
In 1755 the British rounded up and forcibly put onto boats the Acadie population, and randomly sent them to New Brunswick/ Southwest Louisiana. This event was called Le Grande Derangement and at the time Louisiana was the most inhospitable place imaginable. The Cajuns as they were to become known, asked for nothing from the French government, just to be left alone. Cajuns are the strongest, warmest and most resiliant ethnic group I have ever met. Proud of family, tradition, music and food.
indeed, COOL!
I've always wanted to visit Maine. The weather is very appealing to me. I live in NC where it's humid and miserable most of the summer
I grew up about 45 minutes north of Houlton in the area of Presque Isle. Hard to see a future in the area unless you're born the son of a farmer, work in the medical field, or are proficient in a trade. Young adults are moving away from the area pretty fast, but there's a lot of newcomers coming to the area for its isolation, as well as supporting the agriculture industry and some light military significance.
From what I have heard, things were a lot brighter for the area when Presque Isle and later Loring Air Force Bases were operational, but without much military interest after the end of the cold war and the expansion of the Bangor base, things have stagnated. I'm going to school in the Bangor area now, and have gotten to know the area surrounding the city in about a 30 min radius fairly well, and I can say that the more "urban" parts of northern Maine resemble the smaller towns of the Bangor area fairly closely. The city of Old Town's downtown actually seems pretty similar to Presque Isle, but with a much larger college population.
A large ongoing struggle with the area is obviously the poverty and correlating substance abuse issues. There were many classmates of mine whose families struggled with poverty and substance abuse and ended up in pretty much the same bucket as their parents. If your family doesn't have enough money to send their kids to college, it's hard to get a good job in the area and you're basically relegated to retail, dining, or working for a farmer.
My wife is from Presque Isle. Her family left Presque Isle in 76 and moved to Augusta. She was 12. Last time we were up there was 2012 just to check it out.
Class of 97 Presque Isle. Presque Isle generally has more people because of the two Colleges.
My mother lives outside of Houlton and it’s okay, lots of law enforcement. Definitely had more money and people back when The County was developed, mostly due to lumber, potatoes, and the extinct ice industry.
It’s the county seat(capital), but I would move back to Presque Isle before any other place there is.
You forgot underpaid trades bro
@@justinmaine4932 i can tell you with confidence presque isle has gotten way better in the last 10 years. The town got its act together and is acting out on a massive infrastructure plan and major drug enforcement. It feels like a different place!
@@polarisswitchback2683 truer words have never been spoken, but I’d bet you make a couple cents more than a studying Audio Engineer, assuming you make a couple cents a year (which is probably too high an estimate due to inflation)
What a beautiful town Houlton is! I would love to live there, it looks so peaceful.
The crime is actually pretty high especially attacks Houlton has no real economy and most young people ha e to move away because there's nothing no mall no Walmart target and drug use in this state is unbelievable
this video makes me miss maine. ive been wanting to go back for a while now. I first went towards Presque Isle for the eclipse a few years ago.
I’m an Aussie and in my big trip to the USA I caught the train from Boston to Portland on a day trip just to see a bit of Maine. I’d come back just to see the mountains. One of my fave books as a kid was “Mystery back of the mountain” which was set in Maine.
Good that you made it up here, but too bad you made it to the armpit of Maine. You missed a lot.
See the real Maine next time, not the Massachusetts style Portland pit at the extreme south of the state. Next time, head north, see the coast of course, but head inland and see the North Maine Woods.
I live in NH, and spend allot of time in Maine. It's great that you are doing these videos. Hopefully, it will bring some attention to the beauty and people of this area. They could use it. Perhaps some companies may see the value of bringing back some manufacturing jobs to this area.
I ❤ Maine, and New Hampshire!
from a New Brunswicker 🇨🇦
It’s not dying , it’s going back to precious nature…. ❤
Not really. The poor remain behind, there's no industry. Old towns become slums. The states taxes are too high, so it doesn't attract healthy businesses where people can make a big salary. It attracts bottom feeders who depend on government assistance, and immigrants. Economic decay attracts more economic decay it's a downward spiral.
No, it's dying. The jobs have left everywhere, but the coast, our population is a lot of retireees which aren't starting new businesses. Of those that are young enough to start new enterprises the successful leave the state and the unsuccessful are hooked on drugs and alcohol with selling drugs being some people's only income. The young feel largely helpless, especially as our housing prices raise despite our population not because out of staters keep buying up all the homes as vacation homes. 20% of our homes are vacation homes owned by out of staters who leave them empty most of the year.
We aren’t returning to some natural utopia we are slipping into crushing obsolescence.
@@mackenziemcinnis1879 Maybe, but a lot of people who work from home want a more rural life. Paired with a decent city salary, that means there an be income for these small towns. I'm thinking about doing that. Starting a little homestead, working from home as I do now. Why not? I know realtors in the area are focusing on that market.
The prices don't lie. The prices are low. That means people are trying to leave. That IS a bit worrying. It could be that although many are tempted to do what I want to do, not enough of us want it to make it change things.
(Edit: And Internet in rural locations has been difficult until very recently. With StarLink and ISPs continuing to build out infrastructure this should be less of an issue going forward. As long as I have power and Internet I can keep getting a paycheck.)
I was born and grew up in Millinocket, and my great grandparents were among its earliest inhabitants. The 70's were a fantastic time, at least from my then childhood experience. Even the early to mid 80's, when I was a teen, felt like a great time. I have lived away for decades now, but brought my grandchildren up last Summer and was depressed for weeks after. At least Katahdin continues to be beautiful.
Being an Airforce Veteran as well as my mom. Every time I hear about Maine I remember my mom telling me about Loring AFB Maine (It closed before I joined) and how remote and cold it was.But I always heard the people from the area were some of the best people you could meet.
I too was stationed at Loring AFB 1970-1973. People in Caribou, Limestone, Fort Fairfield were great. Yes, winters were indescribable… coldest ever. One flight a day into Presque Isle and during the winter one a week IF we were lucky.
I can echo the warmth of the people in the northern Maine communities of Presque Isle and Caribou; I was stationed at Loring AFB from 1982-1985. We had more than 200 inches of snowfall my first winter. Yikes!
Spent 6 years at Loring AFB. Loved the area. Originally from Montana and I found the small town atmosphere much the same. Winter weather was better in Maine.
Meaningless is there is no economic activity, or population growth.
If you are angry with Northen Maine sounds like Florida is more your speed. Hit It dude. @@ViceCoin
NZer here.
Of all the US states that I'd like to move to, Maine is at the top of my list!
Wonderful coastal scenery, great seafood and lovely rolling forested mountains!
It also helps that it has moose - my favourite animal!
I love Maine . I ve Made the drive up to Jackman Maine from Pennsylvania almost every summer for the last 15 years. I used to stay a a small, privately owned group of 5 cabins for a month. It had its own private trails, each cabin was on the lake, there was a trail leading to a different part of the lake that was absolutely stunning. You could take a boat into town. It was very close to the Moose River. The closes “Town” was called “The Forks”. It consisted of a general store, hotel, gas station, bait shop, and an ice cream shop all owned by the same person. Sadly, the couple who ran the cabins retired and sold them off. I’ll miss that place. I used to wake to the moose eating by the lake, and fall asleep to the cry of the loon. On a clear night, you could see the milky way scattered like shiny dust across the sky. If I ever get the money, I want to buy 50+ acres up there. I can close my eyes and still picture every inch of the cabin and surrounding area. It had a private spring with hoses connected to it that ran up to each cabin, so you can drink the best tasting, fresh water straight from the spring.
I love the drive up to Jackman, it really is idyllic. My brother and father go up there during the fall to hunt. It's funny to see the road signs start showing both english and french as you get closer to the Quebec border
It really is. I love the drive as well. As soon as you get into Vermont and New Hampshire the traffic practically disappears. One summer in Jackman, right before Canada started requiring US citizens to have a passport to enter Canada, I took a day trip and visited Quebec City. It was a good time. I remember seeing the French signs as well, and you are so close to Canada that you can pick up french radio stations. The place I used to stay at was called “The Last Resort”, and it was practically on the border. The cabins all had a wood burning stove, and the owner would let hunters rent the cabins in the winter. If I knew she was selling and had the money, I would have loved to buy one.
Keep looking for cabin rentals, might not be the same but there is availability. Camping at the state park is nice too
If finances ever allow, I’d like to buy some land of my own up there, or at least in one of the New England states. I’ve always wanted to camp at Baxter State Park, so I definitely will be making that happen in the future. The only problem is that i’m unwilling to drive that far unless I’m staying for 3 weeks, minimum; it’s about a 13 or 14 hour drive from where I’m living, if I recall correctly
Check out Bulldog Camps - in that same area. You won’t be disappointed and will have a new favorite place 😊
I love Maine and always will. It's the only Northern State that feels like the South. Great people, great traditions, beautiful wilderness.
Thats why they are going to ruin it.
@@oswaldmosley6179 how so?
@@AB-ol5uz The are importing 10's of thousands of migrants.
@@oswaldmosley6179They ruined my home state of Arizona. Left for Idaho. They’re now coming for Idaho. Thinking of moving to New Hampshire or Maine.. only a matter of time till the whole country is lost.
@@Devin7Eleven Abandoned towns and very rural areas will be the only somewhat safe places eventually. Migrants want to be in cities.
My family is from Houlton. The red house at 2:50 on the right was my Grandfather’s house.
I saw you and Nicole headed down I-69 in Michigan. I wanted to honk, but thought it might be rude. Hope you enjoyed your trip here. There's so much more to see than you can imagine.
I'm from NJ but I remember driving up to Limestone, Maine around 2005 to see the band Phish play at an airfield up there. I was amazed at how I-95 changed the farther north we got. Yes, it's truly a little lonesome highway up there. So lonesome that thoundsands of people actually ended up abandoning their cars on the side of I-95 when Phish announced on the radio that it was too muddy to get in. Everybody left their vehicles right where they were, and walked/hitch hiked, riding in the back of locals' pickup trucks, etc. And when it was all over, their cars were still there. Ours was still there. The police had left them alone. We just got in and drove back home.
Yup..I've seen the Grateful Dead there a few times...
We're also from NJ and when our son and his family moved up to ME, we'd drive along I-95 for what seemed to be forever. Since this was in 2004 or thereabouts, the highway wasn't crowded at all. The tolls were annoying--you just get out of New Hampshire by paying a toll, and a few miles up the road is tollbooths for Maine.
Coming from Jersey--who is "toll" crazy, it was a little annoying, but on the other hand, someone has to pay for the roads.
i remember in the 90s driving up 95 for work. it was no joke traffic stopped all the way from old orchard beach maine...4 hours up to loring afb, i took that day off, and sucked down some nitrous for fun and conversation with some stuck travelers going to that show. it was quite the parade
You are correct about the drive from Bangor to Houlton on I95 having sparse traffic, but the scenery is so beautiful. I make this drive every year to see friends in northern Aroostook County (aka "the County") and look forward to the drive. Little traffic, no billboards, and signs with hard to pronounce names on water ways and off the highway towns. Remember to get gas and food before getting on this stretch. The only time in 30+ years of driving this road it was more scary than beautiful was in a January snowstorm. Maine is almost two separate states -southern and northern - attitudes, culture, population, and even the language (many northern are bilingual English/French). I love the slower pace of The County and the small-town culture. I lived there for two years but needed a better paying job. It is a good place and worth the explore.
Totally agree. It was a beautiful drive.
Both Presque Isle and Caribou (60-70 miles north from Houlton) are bigger and even more isolated towns. Houlton is only about an hour and a half north of Bangor. My wife's parents lived there back in the 90s.
Millinocket was a paper mill town. There are quite a few town in Maine that depended on now closed paper mills.
Paper Mills poison waterways with effluent. People suffer for generations in that occurrence.
They had a paper mill in Lincoln, it gave the town the name “stinkin’ Lincoln” I have a friend who is a police officer there, he said he does nothing all day, he moved there from Camden NJ, he said if he didn’t respond to at least one shooting every shift that he felt like he was cheating the taxpayers. Maine may have problems but violent crimes is not one of them.
So was Madison
I love your channel and your delivery. I was a professional community planner who has lived in Maine, NH, and Upstate NY since 1973. I married a girl from Barre, Vermont 50 years ago and we now live near the Finger Lakes in NY. It is not surprising then that as I watched the Erie Canal, NY, Northern New England videos of your trip I was excited. I was particularly attracted to the Maine segment because my first professional job as the Director of Planning and Development in the early 1970s was in Houlton. I was the Clerk of the Works for the redevelopment of the Town Hall and the Fire Station you showed. I also got Market Square (Downtown) poised for National Historic District Designation. I also proposed the building of that pedestrian bridge downtown before I left my job in 1978.
However, the most significant thing that you showed in the video was the neighborhood house tour. The large house that you showed (toward the end) of the Houlton segment that was missing its front porch and had weeds growing on the stub of its old roof caught our attention immediately. That house is 15 Weeks Avenue. You said was in rough shape and you were right !!!!. My wife and I lived in that sprawling old gem when we lived in Houlton in 1974. It was in beautiful shape 49 years ago, actually almost elegant LOL. It was owned by the couple across the street, they were redeveloping it. It made my wife so, so sad to see our old house falling down around its ears. However I love your videos and the channel. Keep it up
Remarkable how a youtube video can make such a connection. I appreciate your sharing your story. Kudos on that pedestrian bridge!
@@travelfeet I know . I have seen things on YT that we have visited and seen but this was a first. Seeing a house that we lived in was really special.
You know how thousands of people flock to foliage, I assume that this part of Maine hits peak early? Is it a foliage destination or could be marketed as such?
Thank you for the pedestrian bridge, it's a beautiful addition to our town. Sorry about the house though, it was a beautiful house on Weeks Avenue, now renamed Weeks Street.💗😊😞
From 1954 to 1962, I spent my summers in a small place called Norcross, which is 7 miles from Millinocket. The Great Northern Paper Co was the big employer in the area and it owned a lot of land in this part of Maine. We did our shopping in Millinocket and it was a very vibrant working class town. To see Millinocket the way it is now, is heartbreaking.
I have no home and wander out of the US, but if I was ever forced to go back, it would be Maine for sure. I spent year covid there (trapped in the US as it were) and hiked over 1,000 miles, right through the winter at Bucksport and thankfully the snow was light that year so I did not have to resort to skis or snowshoes. Went all over the state. Really like the entire coast past Portland. But loved Greenville, Caribou and Van Buren too !! Best place in the US, for sure.
u ok
@@crazychicken8290 My life has never been better. Retired very early. Just travel the world now. Met a great woman in Colombia and am traveling with her now in Argentina. We fly to Spain soon.
This sounds like a dream! The hiking AND the travel!! My goal is to retire by the time I'm 50 so that I can do all of the active things I love. I think I'll make it! Enjoy your adventures with your partner! ❤
I have relatives in Van Buren and had them in Caribou, I know those towns well. I love hiking too and used to snowshoe in the winter. I think I put it more miles on snowshoes than boots. It's fun!
I loved Maine in the 80s
So peaceful.
So safe
Wonderful people
Not so safe anymore!
I think all the New England states rank in the top 10 safest when it comes to violent crime.@@Westhamsterdam
I lived in Maine in the 80’s. Wasn’t a fan. Boring, cold, and not many good jobs. Left for good in 91.
@@jeffneptune2922Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire are the top 3. I couldn't believe my home state (NJ) is number 5.
@@FixIt1975 NJ has the lowest level of gun ownership, and go figure NJ is among the lowest for crime.
I love your videos and the chance to see small towns that I would otherwise never see. I was born in a big city and I’m now a senior living in another big city. I’ve lived in medium size towns but I always imagined one day living in the country or a small town. I have wonderful memories of small towns I’ve visited or driven through. There a certain peace and calm in New England small towns and upstate small towns that’s so attractive. Thank you for doing these videos.
One thing to note: I-95 in Maine is Maine....no State East not South not North. One reason no traffic no competition no inter-state drivers just Maine. I lived in Maine in the 80's and it was like that then too. Don't leave out all the picturesque towns along the Atlantic Coast of Maine like driving through a dream. Large homes large porches well painted. Friendly hard working people most out on boat's getting lobster and other seafood. Church suppers with real homemade bread and beans among many other items. Thick dark pine forest through the State, logging a big industry as well as Christmas Trees. Maine is rugged you have to be a surviver to live there but having driven up the Coast through the center and eating my share of fresh off the boat lobster it's paradise.
wait a minute, what 'bout potato? I love me some Maine taters
@t.s.butler191 OH My Gosh YES!! Best baked potatoes ever!! I've been in a nursing home the past several months stage 4 cancer which paralyzed me so forgotten REAL FOOD but you are so right!!!
@@virginiawestcot3111 I was waiting for somebody to mention Maine potatoes! Wishing you all the best on your health journey.
People think of lonely freeways as the desert southwest where there's no speed limit half the time. I did travel that stretch of I-95 in Maine once many years ago and (I think the statute of limitations has passed) I may or may not have hit triple digits on the speedometer. I know, I was young and dumb then and had a bit of a heavy foot.
@joycelebaron2582 thank you I appreciate your sincerity it's a slow process. I must have had it for years before I realized then it spread fast. I'm so glad for UA-cam from Chateaus in France to California and everything in between helps keep my mind off pain and worry. Enjoy Every day!!
Maine is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I’d love to visit again
Don’t be shy, come on back .
I grew up in Woodstock, just across the border in Canada. Visited Houlton many times, had past relatives that lived there. Been in the theatre, recognize the downtown, town was more of a going concern in the 70's. It was a quasi college town back then, we used to play pick-up basketball games with the students. Brings back memories.
Those are some huge homes in that tiny town! It would be interesting to see how the town looks and feels in winter.
The majority have been converted into apartments. Lots of pretty architecture but it’s very rare for them to remain single family homes here in Maine. The homes shown in old town, for instance, were college student homes with the exception of the lilac house.
Cold AF
Another great video !! Nice quiet towns, and I love the idea of an old theatre that shows old movies, awesome !! The cat looked very content and relaxed. Thanks so much, Joe and Nic, very enjoyable and interesting, as always.🥰
@@JAMES_III Goodness gracious @ mention of The House of Wax- with Vincent Price? That's going back, way back. lol Very fond memories with me & siblings. thx.
@@zoidmo3388 Vincent Price! Yes! I'm not a big fan of horror movies but I always loved Vincent Price!
@@joycelebaron2582 I grew up with the horror show hosted by Vincent Twice. Vincent Twice.
@@WyldStallion-bs9oo lol, yea, anyone from Portland is basically a Masshole, am i right?
Presque Isle is the largest town in the County and that is 1 more hour north and even further up is Fort Kent and Madawaska
I visited Belfast Maine last month. Maine is a beautiful place the people are so friendly and warm it's also very peaceful. Great video !!
I visited Belfast in the next video! It is beautiful there.
I find that people are usually friendly and warm everywhere you go if you're friendly and warm to them. (usually!). Actually Maine has a reputation of the people being standoffish but I don't think so.
I had my best lobster roll experience in Belfast! Picturesque area.
@majorkade I Agree Belfast Maine has Fantastic Seafood everything is Fresh from the ocean.
You just missed the ducks!
❤maine and your videos. I distinctly remember that stretch of I 95 north to Houlton♾
I really appreciate your effort to show us places all over our country. I also appreciate the tone of your videos. You give us the straight facts and give them with sympathy and respect for the towns and the people who live in them.
Thank you!
Was waiting for a video to pop up today! Always makes my day! Amish or Mennonite - $264,900 on that house in Houlton
Thanks for this.
I owned a home in Mt.Vernon for many years. The winters are brutal in Maine.
I now live in the tropics.
I live in New Brunswick, Canada,. It's just across the border from Houlton, Maine. We often buy gas and do grocery shopping in Houlton.
The entire northern half of Maine except for the I95 corridor is divided into townships and ranges. They vary from 12 to 20 square miles with some exceptions. The majority of them have zero full time residents. Easily a quarter of the state is unpopulated. You have to go west of the Mississippi River to find a comparable area.
I think Nothern Maine is unpopulated basically because there's still plenty of land near the coast. That, and the cost of maintaining roads up there that cars can drive on in winter, while not that high, makes it not worth it
New England is so beautiful, and it’s a shame I don’t explore it more. I live in New Haven, so my scenery is a bit different; but I appreciate all of the quaint family oriented towns. When I visit in Montreal next spring, I’m going to take the scenic route.
Montreal is the best
Go to Quebec City too
As a New Brunswicker, that is probably why I enjoy Maine so much, Baxter State Park, Penobscot river, Old Town...still feels like home, not the US you see on TV with all the hustle and bustle, just nice people and beautiful wilderness.
I'm from the Old Town Maine area, I love this town!
There are so many things you missed about Old town and also Orono their like brothers. They feed off each other well and help each survive. It's a family and plus collageville, it's where the biggest collage is, University of Maine!
Bangor is the problem city where drugs are everywhere. These little towns are great places to raise kids safely.
I also think you missed another opportunity.
If not going into LINCOLN MAINE. It has its own sandy beach, new playground, Waterfront properties, small down town and has its own Walmart, mcds, Hannafords grocery stores police station little down town city. Don't forget to come back to visit! Let me tell you, fall is the best time to come back and visit too! ❤️
Houlton is also famous for their HOULTON chocolate milk and ice cream. I hope you got that homemade opportunity! If not you missed out on the best product 😮. Come back and have some locals take you around these towns again and bet you will find more interesting things you will love about these towns you may have missed. Hope you come back soon!!❤😁
09-30-23: "Collageville": Where collages reign supreme. Where you an art major?
No but I definitely love art. 😊
There is another idea to spruce up business, a tour station, to show folks around.Then you are gonna need some restaurants, good healthy food,& a motel or a place to spend overnite...There is an alternative to Air b & B which has corporate management & is better in my opinion than Air b& B
My husband is from Lincoln but lived in Millinocket. I’m running the Millinocket Half Marathon in December. The traffic from the marathon/half marathon give the local economy a boost. Beautiful place. I love traveling to Maine to visit my in-laws but luckily they live near Bar Harbor now 😊
How is East Millinocket these days? I was up that way in 1972 to climb Mt. Katahdin.
Interesting to note, the Millinocket Marathon actually has FREE ENTRY, in order to bring people into the area to support local businesses. The entire community gets involved. And, it's in the dead of winter! I'm hoping to do it this year or next. Good luck!
@@campbellrob1919 kiss me where it stinks 😂
@@skrink1981😂😂 good ol stinkin Lincoln.
I ran the half last year, my girlfriend the whole, and she did the half the year previously. We love it so much we almost bought a house there. But, no jobs. We would be there this year but our car has a broken axle we can't get fixed in time. My gf is an ultra-runner aiming for a 100 miler, I'm just a 'normal' marathoner. We both LOVE Millinocket's marathon. The first 3 miles will trick you up. Have a great time!!
In the 70’s, spent a summer working the fishing docks in Boothbay Harbor. Best summer of my life. The local people were so welcoming to 3 guys from NY. 50 years later, Maine still a big place in my heart.
What a wonderful video of the great state of ME. Lived in the southern part of ME in the late for a bit. What amazes me is that some towns that struggle with increased levels of poverty after a single industry closes find a way to maintain their homes and downtown business sections; while others allow "everything" to decay with higher levels of violent crime. Why is that? Safe travel, Cheers!!
T.hank you, Joe, so much for this video! I grew up in the USAF (born in 1948) and always wanted to be stationed in New England but, at least, we were stationed at Kincheloe AFB, near Sault St. Marie, MIchigan from 1962 - 1964 and I absolutely loved it. There was a little, rural town near the base named, Rudyard, where we air base kids got to go to school. It was a tiny, farming town and I attended the 8th and 9th grades there. I wish I could return to visit it.
Sure would love to visit Maine. It is wonderful to see parts of the far north east and all of its beauty. Thanks, again!!!
Loring AFB up in Houlton about another hour north of houlton was a fairly large installation and a very important part of our nuclear triad.
I went to a couple airshows up there as a kid including the last one before it closed in 92 I believe. My dad served in the 101st ANG at the former Dow AFB in Bangor which is now Bangor Intl Airport/Maine ANG station. During the first gulf war BIA was the return point for troops coming back from iraq/kuwait. We used to go great the guys coming home.
One of my favorite stories ever was all the other kids on their dads shoulders had a lil American flag to wave. I didnt and I was asking my dad and he was like "ahhh im sorry I dont know where they got them". A solider passing bye overheard and was like "this kid needs a flag!" so he grabbed the guy next to him and bit and torn the American flag patch off his buddies uniform and handed it to me.
@@MrAwsomeshot What a nice thing for the soldier to do giving you his American flag.😊
I’m fascinated by these old towns that look like they’re stuck in the 50’s. Industry died off and time stopped for them. Old buildings closed and the only things left open are restaurants because people have to eat.
There are a lot of huge old houses all over Maine. Since it is so costly to heat such large homes, and they are simply too big for an average-sized family, many of them have been divided into apartments. I live in midcoast Maine, in one of those kinds of apartments. It's in a house that was built by a wealthy shipbuilder and banker around 1847. His grave in the town cemetery has a huge statue of him. He and another wealthy individual were this town's most prominent businessmen in the mid-19th century, and some of the country's first millionaires came from Maine. Well, anyway, the thick plaster walls of my apartment make it very quiet and I don't need air conditioning in the summer. I only moved to Maine three years ago and have not explored much of the state outside of the midcoast, but I plan to see and experience more of Maine.
A Maine author, highly recommended:
In copyright date order:
The House That Jacob Built, John Gould [1908-2003], Illustrator Unacknowledged; William Morrow & Co. (1947 hardcover) --- And One To Grow On, Recollections of a Maine Boyhood, John Gould [1908-2003], with Drawings by F. Wenderoth Saunders; William Morrow & Co. (1949 hardcover) --- You Should Start Sooner, In which widely separated topics are strangely discussed by an old cuss, John Gould [1908-2003], with illustrations by F. Wenderoth Saunders; Little, Brown & Co. (1964 [1949-1964] hardcover) --- Last One In, Tales of a New England Boyhood, John Gould [1908-2003], with Illustrations by F. Wenderoth Saunders; Little, Brown & Co. (1966 hardcover) --- Europe on Saturday Night, John Gould [1908-2003]; Little, Brown & Co. (1968 hardcover) --- The Jonesport Raffle and other numerous Maine veracities, John Gould [1908-2003], with illustrations by Edward Malsberg; Little, Brown & Co. (1969 hardcover) --- Twelve Grindstones ["Folklore"], Joe Gould [1908-2003]; Little, Brown & Co. (1970 hardcover) --- Glass Eyes By The Bottle, Some Conversations about Some Conversation Pieces, John Gould [1908-2003]; Little Brown & Co. (1975 hardcover) --- Stitch In Time, John Gould [1908-2003], with Illustrations by Consuelo Hanks; W.W. Norton & Co. (1985 hardcover).
If you want to see some interesting towns in Maine, drive Route 1 north starting at Ellsworth along the coast up to Eastport. There are some towns in beautiful locations that are trying to come back from the closure of the sardine canning industry in the 20th century. Eastport itself is in a beautiful location. It is well worth the drive north. I would look at Machias, Lubec, Eastport and also make stops at towns like Cutler.
I love MAINE, and our favorite area is DownEast, areas around Machias up to Eastport in particular. Simply stunning, peaceful and great people.
I never knew Maine had a sardine industry. Thanks for the info!
@@joycelebaron2582 the sardine industry was big on the Maine coast. Where I live on Mount Desert Island there were canneries in Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor. The old docks are still there in both towns and the cannery building is still there in Bass Harbor. The last cannery, in Prospect Harbor on the east side of Schoodic closed in 2010.
@@TheSquirrelgirl55 Eastport and Lubec have beautiful scenery.
@@TheSquirrelgirl55 Machias is interesting because it is very old with a number of houses from the 1700s.
I just moved out of Millinocket last year. It’s a beautiful area, true old America. I love it like none other. Great people. Brutal winters with early sunsets, but it builds character - hence the good people haha. Thank you for this video, it warms my heart to see rural ME.
You didn't go far enough north. To Caribou, Fort Kent, and Presque Isle. The small Swedish settlements of Stockholm and New Sweden where Swedish settlers came to settle in the 1800's. Or Limestone where there was once an Air Force Base that has since closed. Hope you can make it further north and meet the proud, friendly people who are proud of their heritage.
As mentioned in an earlier comment, many potato farmers moved away. Some to Southern Maine and many moved to New York State.
My dad left after WW2.
My uncle and cousin still farm potatoes. My grandfather was a farmer as well from the Washburn/Caribou area.
I used to live in Stockholm
@@robertpare2702 My grandparents lived there. Eddie and Ida Bossie . They both passed a couple decades ago. They lived a five minute walk from the general store. They had 5 kids : Sonny, Joan, Betty, Maralyn, and my mother Hilda. If you knew them , I'm going to flip!! LOL!
@@catherinesanchez1185 I lived a short walk to Anderson's store also. On School St I don't remember the #. It was a long time ago.
I was stationed at Loring AFB in the 70’s. We flew up to goose bay Labrador.
Was stationed at Loring AFB in the early 90s. Would drive from NY, usually stop in Boston for dinner and to refuel. If I did the trip in one shot it was just over 12 hours drive. Yes, after Bangor you don't see many cars on 95. Lots of snow, very small towns, Limestone, Caribou. Great fishing. Made a couple trips into Canada. They closed that base sometime around 1994, there are few if any Air Force bases left in the Northeast which is kind of sad as New England is a beautiful part of the country. I remember my two years there mostly happy. Very peaceful place.
A bit of trivia for the comment readers : The I-95 ends in Houlton. Maybe they've extended it since the last time I was there, who knows. Millinocket is south of Houlton, heading back towards Bangor. Old Town is the small town north of Bangor. The University of Maine at Orono is east of it, and on the other side of the campus is the town of Orono. Many ppl from the surrounding area work for the University. People who've lived on the reservation or their parents did (Indian Island) get free tuition at any Maine university. AND, Joe wondered about the boys on the bridge? The Amish are quiet and secluded, but they co exist in communities here and in the Midcoast area. So yes it's possible those youngsters were Amish boys fishing off the bridge. TY for your visit to see the northernmost state, and also the only state in the US with a one syllable name! PS You did good with Houlton and Old Town, but Aroostook sounds more like "R-oos-took".
We did a Canadian Maritime Provinces trip a few years ago and after driving around Quebec, Gaspe and New Brunswick, we crossed over into the USA at Houlton where i95 begins, what struck me then, was just how quiet it was and had that end of the line feeling ! nothing much has changed in the past 10 years !!!
I like this video. I am an Amazon employee, with the odd hobby of...reading our labels. I like to see where goods are headed. I'm in Michigan and can find a town in Michigan I've never heard of fairly frequently. I like to see if I can find packages to every state in a single 4-5 hour shift. Anyways, this video made me think of how...the same places seem to be. I sometimes take a walk in towns via Google Map. I once owned an Old Town Canoe and was grateful that Old Town was included in this video. I suppose talking to and interviewing people would be problematic for reasons I don't know. Those lonely vendors at the farmer's market might have enjoyed a chance to chat about their burg.
Maine and Michigan are similar. Not in all ways, but Washington County, Maine is similar to the (wonderful) UP of Michigan. Poverty in Washington County is bad, but the old money is still there, looking down their noses at everyone they did not grow up with, anyone who is not rich, or anyone NOT from Maine.
They would have loved to have a chat. Out of all the places I've lived and been to in the us/ world; aroostook county maine has the friendliest people I've ever encountered. Life is super simple there and people like it that way. It's also usually not as dead as this video portrays, this must have been early in the morning.
I grew up in the UP of Michigan and currently live in Millinocket, Maine. I moved here because the northern part of the state is much like the UP when I was growing up.
I find that interesting.. with all the towns..if I find a place I’m not familiar with, would be interesting where it’s at
I think the oddest name of town in Michigan is Hell, MI 😂 that’s a nice beautiful town though.
Ironically I worked in millinocket when that place closed... I worked in a crew that closed the place down...
They had huge oil tanks that needed to be drained, so we were there to empty and clean them...
There was 2 workers left who were such awesome guys... Mike was one I can't remember the other guys name...they both bought their houses for 30k. It's a weird place but I liked it...back then I drank and had a lot of fun in the bar near our hotel...now that I mention that the guy Mikes family owned the hotel in some sort of way..cool guys they were so welcoming to us and willing to show us around the local culture, which mostly included identifying different animal dumps..
I could go traveling America with you's all day via vlogs.. but I've watched every episode 🤦🏻♀️ some even more than once. Love the town statistics n all as well. Your friend from Western Australia 👋🏽.
Thank you! 👍😀
I enjoy all your videos and I have been looking forward to this one on Maine as I have friends who live there. Thanks again from the UK 🇬🇧
Presque Isle Maine, just a little bit further north was home of the first ICBM's, the Northrop SM-62 "SNARK" at the old Presque Isle AFB. The launch pads and hangers still exist and are accessible to anyone interested. About 10 miles further north is the town of Limestone and Loring AFB which was one of the largest bases in the US and a huge source of the towns revenue. Housed the B-52 long range bombers ready to retaliate for a Russian first strike. Moscow is only about 4000 miles away from this point. It's mostly abandoned and a ghost town I like to walk around and explore with my dog. You should come up here! I live in Fort Fairfield Maine by the way.
Come visit Moscow, Maine up by Bingham. See the Wyman Dam.
No traffic or people is what we are definitely looking for. With everyones brother moving to middle Tennessee and this freaking heat my husband want out! So we've been looking to move to upper Maine in the next few years. As the years go by and the hotter it gets each summer in the south people will eventually start moving north again to get away from it.
We lived in Texas and then Oklahoma before re-locating to Maine 5 years ago. One of my concerns was, would I be able to handle the winters. Make sure you house has a good source of heat, make sure you have the right clothing keep your car in good order, and you'll probably love it here. I do. If I ever have to leave Maine, it won't be because of winter. I was driving in Calais the other day and had my daughter with me. I was sort of complaining about the "heavy" traffic while I waited at the stop sign...all 4 cars of that "heavy" traffic.
Same here.....middle Tennessee boom area....
I’ve been saving for years almost ready too purchase a house in Aroostick county, a place the world hasn’t ruined yet, much love friends
I know a lot of people from Maine that have moved to Tennessee over the years.
Calais is the "big city" to me! 😄Well, I guess it is a medium city and Bangor is the big city for my purposes. I drive to Calais to get groceries. I used to live in Oklahoma too (OKC), and don't miss the tornadoes. I also don't miss the road rage, congestion, and hot summers. I retired to Washington County five years ago and it was the best decision I've ever made. What a beautiful place! @@geraldrhodes4114
New Brunswick to Damariscotta are places where they are still living the dream. Great little towns . Maine is what it is and hopefully remains as is. Hope you 2 get to Damariscotta. Downtown is bustling. Still the season.
Used to live in Bristol loved the area in general!
@@jamesvanover82Great oysters at Scully Sea Products
Love all the fresh oysters in Damariscotta!
Spent a few days in Millinocket prepping for my Katahdin hike back in July and had a good time chatting with some of the locals at the bar. Really quiet place
That house in Houlton is at 60 School Street! Oh it's gorgeous on the inside, all remodeled (built in 1900, which was my guess on that other house down the street you asked about) with workshop, etc, my dream house!. I would have gotten in the van and raced up there to place an offer if I thought I could stand the Maine winters and being ... (from that line in the Shrek movie you talked about...) "Far, far away, Man!" LOL!
Oh I forgot to tell you, it's $265. Somebody will snap that up and use it as a second home, IMHO.
Looks so peaceful. I would love to visit Maine.
Please do.
Can’t believe you gave us a tour of Millinocket without of view of Mt Katahdin! 😱 Hope you at least got to see it. Magnificent ending to the Appalachian Trail ❤
I randomly follow UA-camrs from Houlton. (It's so different from the urban desert I live in.) Those UA-camrs are very proud of their little town and maintain it's a great place to raise a family. I was really surprised by those numbers. Houlton has some great architecture and --- obviously --- very reasonable prices.
70 School St, $265k. Built in the 1900.
Old Town, those big majestic houses - $300k to $400k or more.
Thanks Joe and Nicole for showing us the blight
of NAFTA and GATT back in the day also how it has impacted
states in the upper North East and I just love Maine!
Passed through northern Maine a few years ago en route from Toronto to Halifax NS. Glad to escape an unfriendly Quebec into this relaxed part of the US.
Mad a won keg. River
why do you think quebec is unfriendly ?
Well not a language problem as I can get by in basic French. Certainly very offhand service and manners I've never experienced in other parts of Canada, the US and a large chunk of the planet I've wandered over. Could be the English accent but I travel low profile and never talk politics. Funnily enough the only part of Canada where locals told me they wanted out.
A lot of people from Quebec come to Old Orchard Beach, Me for their vacations in the summer. They can be rude. But so can people from here.@@freebird1ification
@@freebird1ification I know they dont care for Americans
Hi Joe & Nic, love you're fun and informative videos. Back in 1982 I commissioned a U.S. Navy Guided Missile Frigate, USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29) in Bath, Maine, namesake of a downed Battle of Midway pilot from East Millinocket. The officers were invited to East Millinocket and hosted to stay with local families and provided meals, etc. by the VFW. A tour of the booming paper mill at the time was included. Great memories. Thank you!
I live in South Portland Maine. Born and raised. I havent ever been to Old Town or Houlton. I look forward to watching this video. I wish you came to Portland!😊
I have visited Portland and did a video. It’s on the channel! I loved Portland, BTW. 😀👍
Wow. Yup that’s the Interstate in Maine. Beautiful place. Can you imagine what the winters are like here? Without barely any industrial activity it’s hard to keep a population going. That’s the sad part of it
Thanks for another great video of rural America . I am very surprised too about those poverty and crime numbers in Houlton. Most people think of the old money super wealthy towns like Bar Harbor and Kennebunkport when they think of Maine. BTW, I think the song that she is singing is "A Place in the Sun" which was a big hit by Stevie Wonder in 1966.
I can't get that song out of my head now. I hope Joe doesn't get a copyright strike but he should be OK.
Even Bar Harbor and Kennebunkport aren't really "old money" towns in the winter. They have extremely seasonal economies and most of the expensive real estate is second homes, which is a huge issue for locals.
There was a reggae version by David Isaacs (produced by Lee Perry) released in 1968 - real old time music from Jamaica. A classic.
I'm sure that is true all the way from the Hamptons on the tip of Long Island to Newport, RI to the Islands, Cape Cod up all the way to Bar Harbor. Summer playground towns for the super wealthy of NYC and Boston, many with "old money".@@gracegrass4462
Thanks for the tip! I just listened to it.
I am from Millinocket and have lived in Old town. You nailed it.
I spent 2 weeks in Millinocket back in the '90s teaching an electronics class at Great Northern Paper. It was a great little town and the people were wonderful. It''s sad to see how few people are out and about on a Saturday now that the mill has closed. It was fairly busy back then.
If you’re from Millinocket you must know the little jingle about the man from there. Cannot write it on here but my husband sang it to his kids when they were little. They loved hearing it. He grew up in Dexter but don’t repeat that.
@@thewarriors3615 I was only there 2 weeks, but it seems to me I heard the jingle form one of the paper mill workers. Can't recall how it went, however.