Bangor Fact Sheet

Bangor is the retail, cultural and service center for central, eastern and northern Maine as well
as Atlantic Canada.

Incorporated in 1769 with only 12 families; current population is 31,473 people with 13,713
households, and 7,185 families. Bangor is the third most-populous city in Maine

The Penobscot people were the first inhabitants of this area. European settlement began in
1769. The town was supposed to be named Sunbury, but was ultimately named Bangor.

In the 19th century, Bangor prospered as a lumber port, and began to call itself "the lumber
capital of the world".
Attractions:
 Chamberlain Freedom Park
Main Street, Brewer, ME
- Sculpture park addressing the war hero's contribution at the Battle of Gettysburg
- A full scale bronze of him as well as a topography that re-creates the decisive site of his
command at Little Roundtop battlefield
- Includes an Underground Railroad memorial depicting an escaped slave
 Paul Bunyan Statue and Park
Main Street, Bangor, ME
- 31 feet tall, weighs approximately 3,700 pounds
- Reputed to have been the largest of Paul Bunyan in the world
 Cole Land Transportation Museum
(207) 990-3600; www.colemuseum.org
- Collects, preserves, and displays a cross section of Maine's land transportation equipment
- Home to several war memorials: World War II Monument, Purple Heart Memorial, Vietnam
Memorial: 3 Person Bronze Statue, Vietnam Memorial: Huey Helicopter UH-1D, Vietnam
Memorial: M-60 Tank, Vietnam Memorial: Black Granite Monument
- Historical photograph collection of over 2,000 photographs that chronicles life in early
Maine Communities
- Believed we have the largest display of snow removal equipment under one roof in America
- 10 fire trucks ranging from a 1910 hand tub to a 1948 Ahrens Fox
VisitBangorMaine.com
207.947.5205 800.91.MOOSE
Bangor Fact Sheet
 Penobscot Indian Nation Museum
(207) 827-4153; penobscotnation.org/museum/Index.htm
- Dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of the Penobscot and
Wabanaki people
- Houses collections that span thousands of years of Maine Native American history
- A repository for contemporary Wabanaki art, such as paintings, woodcarvings, and basketry,
demonstrating the strong connections we have with our ancestors and the earth
 Bangor Public Library
(207)-947-8336; www.bpl.lib.me.us
- serves as a community center, offering meeting space, programs for adults and children,
and monthly exhibits of art and artifacts
- aims to provide material on all subjects likely to be of concern or interest
- offers wireless connections to the Internet for wireless-capable laptops, handheld PDAs, and
other wireless devices
- Over 500,000 books and other materials on site
 Hudson Museum
(207) 581-1901; www.umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum
- over 9000 sq. ft. of exhibition space with three galleries
- Free and open to the public
 Maine Discovery Museum
(207) 262-7200; www.mainediscoverymuseum.org
- Maine’s largest children’s museum
- 3 floors of family fun, touch-all-you-want exhibits
- 7 permanent exhibits: Nature trails, Tradewinds, Booktown, Sounds Abound, Artscape,
Mission: Discovery and Body Journey
- Daily activities and special events
 Penobscot Theater Company
(207)-942-3333-Box Office; (207)-947-6618 Administrative Office; penobscottheatre.org
- America's Northeastern-most professional theatre company
- Last remaining theatre in downtown Bangor
- Educational and outreach programming is the largest in the state, serving thousands of
Maine students in schools with workshops
- Offers post-show discussions, student matinees and summer theatre workshops
VisitBangorMaine.com
207.947.5205 800.91.MOOSE
Bangor Fact Sheet
 University of Maine Museum of Art
(207) 561-3350; www.umma.umaine.edu
- Hosts an annual calendar of exhibitions featuring contemporary artists and ideas
- Offers art camps for children lectures, special events, family programming, and educational
classes and workshops for adults
- Remains the only institution owned by the citizens of the State of Maine to house a
permanent fine arts collection
- More than 3,500 original works of art
 Bangor City Forest and Orono Bog Walk
www.oronobogwalk.org; www.oronobogwalk.org/bgrforest.htm
- Home to hundreds of wild animals, including deer, moose, bears, turkeys, beavers and
rabbits
- 9 miles of groomed trails
- Over 360 acres of land
- 4 miles of access roads
- Unique ecological gem- a national, natural landmark
 Mount Hope Cemetery
(207) 945-6589; www.mthopebgr.com
- Recognized as America's second oldest garden cemetery
- 300 acres
- Final resting place for some of Bangor's, the states and even the nation's most famous and
infamous characters: Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, gangster Al Brady, and many notable
people from Bangor and Maine’s history.
- Site for filming of the movie “Pet Sematary”
- Oldest Civil War monument in the country
- Home to many war memorials: Korean War Memorial, and 2 Civil War Memorials
VisitBangorMaine.com
207.947.5205 800.91.MOOSE