АҚШ, Мэн штатындағы Преск-Айл қаласы

City in Maine, United States

Presque Isle (/p//r//ɛ//s//k/ PRESK) is the commercial center and largest city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,797 at the 2020 Census. The city is home to the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Northern Maine Community College, Northern Maine Fairgrounds, the Aroostook Centre Mall, and the Presque Isle International Airport. Presque Isle is the headquarters of the Aroostook Band of Micmac, a federally recognized tribe.

The first European settlers were British Loyalists who reached the area in 1819 hoping to obtain land for lumber. Border disputes between the United States and the United Kingdom over the area, however, made it impossible for pioneers to gain title to the land. In response, the government of the neighboring British colony of New Brunswick (now a Canadian province) gave out patents for pioneers to live on the land but not claim ownership or sell it. By 1825, surveyors traveling along the Aroostook River noted that twenty families lived along it and noted that while agriculture was present, all of the families employed most of their time towards wood production. The boundary dispute slowed development in the area, but the government of Massachusetts, which governed the territory at the time, saw the territory as theirs and encouraged the development of settlements in northern Maine by offering land grants and mill privileges in the 1820s. The first American to settle in the area was Dennis Fairbanks in 1828 who gained ownership over the land under the provisions set up by Massachusetts and later Maine, which gained statehood in 1820. In 1914 the Aroostook Farm was purchased as a Maine Agricultural Experiment Station.

In 1881, the New Brunswick Railway created the first rail connection in Presque Isle. The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad arrived in 1895.

A small airport was established in 1931. It was expanded within the decade and later assumed major military importance. The Presque Isle Air Force Base, in operation between 1941 and 1961, was a major departure point for U. S. fighter planes during World War II and the Korean War due to its relative proximity to Europe. When the base was sold, a piece of it became the Northern Maine Regional Airport. In June 2018, the Northern Maine Regional Airport was renamed Presque Isle International Airport. Beginning on July 2, 2018, United Airlines began service from the Presque Isle International Airport in Presque Isle, Maine to Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey. These flights are federally subsidized through the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, and are operated by United Express carrier, GoJet Airlines.

In 1903, the Aroostook State Normal School began offering a two year teacher preparation program. In 1968, it was renamed the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Northern Maine Technical College was established in 1961, now Northern Maine Community College. The first students entered the college in 1963. Today it serves about 2000 students. Four physicians were affiliated with the hospital, whose dual aims were to serve the community and to provide a training school for nurses.

Presque Isle was named an All American City in 1966.

Presque Isle is located at (46.679321, −68.002166). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 77.60 square miles (201 km2), of which 75.76 square miles (196 km2) is land and 1.84 square miles (5 km2) is water. Presque Isle is drained by the Aroostook River and Presque Isle Stream (also called Prestile Stream). Presque Isle has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb) typified by long cold winters and short warm summers. Presque Isle is the driest city in Maine, with an annual precipitation of .

The City of Presque Isle operates under the council manager form of government. The current city manager is Martin Puckett.

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,692 people, 4,201 households, and 2,413 families residing in the city. The population density was There were 4,608 housing units at an average density of The racial makeup of the city was 94.5% White, 0.6% African American, 2.4% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 1.3% of the population. There were 4,201 households, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.6% were non families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age in the city was 40.2 years. 19.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,511 people, 3,963 households, and 2,464 families residing in the city. The population density was There were 4,405 housing units at an average density of The racial makeup of the city was 95.13% White, 0.36% African American, 2.26% Native American, 0.84% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 0.65% of the population. There were 3,963 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82. In the city, 21.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 13.1% was from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,325, and the median income for a family was $37,090. Males had a median income of $27,510 versus $19,785 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,712. About 9.2% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

Due to being Aroostook County's largest city, Presque Isle is the retail center for a large number of both American and Canadian towns. The Aroostook Centre Mall became a major shopping center for residents during the 1990s. Agriculture remains a top industry of Presque Isle and the surrounding area, with potatoes being the top crop. During the winter months many local businesses rely on the snowmobiling industry as there is a highly regarded trail system connecting far away towns and cities with Presque Isle. Presque Isle is also home to a significant industrial park near the Presque Isle International Airport. The unemployment rate in Presque Isle is typically somewhat higher than the average across Maine.

Presque Isle is home to one of the smallest TV markets as defined by Nielsen market research. It consists of WAGM TV channel 8 (a CBS/Fox/CW+ affiliate), sister station WWPI LD channel 16 (an NBC affiliate which launched on January 7, 2020), and WMEM TV channel 10 (affiliated with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network ("Maine Public") and PBS). While not part of the Presque Isle TV market, WVII TV, the ABC affiliate out of Bangor, Maine, airs in Presque Isle, as does NBC affiliate WLBZ.

Several radio stations have studios located in Presque Isle, including WBPW, WOZI and WQHR, all owned by Townsquare Media. The city is also home to WUPI, the University of Maine Presque Isle's student radio station which broadcasts on 92.1. WMEM 106.1 is Maine Public's radio outlet for the area, affiliated with National Public Radio.

There are no daily newspapers in Aroostook County. The Presque Isle Star Herald is published Wednesdays, one of several weekly newspapers published in Aroostook County. Others include Caribou's Aroostook Republican, Madawaska's St. John Valley Times, The Fort Fairfield Journal and Houlton's Pioneer Times. The Bangor Daily News has an Aroostook County edition.

Presque Isle is the focal location for operations in the 1953 film Island in the Sky. The city is also where Handy McKay retires to open a diner in the Parker novel series by Richard Stark.