Bangor Celebrates 190 Years As Maine’s Queen City This Week!

190 years ago, the City of Bangor was incorporated. A lot has changed in almost two centuries, but there's a lot that is still very recognizable.

City officials put out this little blurb about it on their Facebook Page:

"Bangor was incorporated as a city on this day in 1834! From the early days as a trading center to lumbering and Paul Bunyan, we are rich in history and uniquely Bangor."

A quick check of the City of Bangor website gives us this insight into how the City came to be.

"Bangor is named for an Irish hymn entitled 'Bangor,' said to be a favorite of pastor Seth Noble who traveled to Boston with the initial intention of naming the town Sunbury. Until recently, it was generally believed that the earliest record of European exploration was found in the journals of French explorer Samuel de Champlain. In 1604, Champlain established a short-lived colony on an island off the Maine coast and explored the Penobscot River to the head of tide at Bangor."

Once recognized as the Lumber capital of the World, Bangor has branched out a bit, if you will.

"Today, Bangor remains the commercial and social center of Northern, Central, and Eastern Maine. It has become the region’s largest center of retail and service businesses, and a center for government, education, and employment. Offering a widely diversified economy, Bangor has transcended its traditional roots in forest products and shipbuilding and today maintains its position as one of Maine’s major urban centers."

The Bangor Historical Society featured this cool map of what Bangor looked like back in 1834 when it had just become a city.  It's pretty neat to see how much the city has changed since then.

Here's to you, Bangor! And another 190 years to come.