Bangor, Maine
Bangor (/ˈbæŋɡɔːr/ BANG-gor) is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's third-most populous city, behind Portland (68,408) and Lewiston (37,121). Bangor is known as the “Queen City.”
Bangor | |
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Skyline of Bangor in August 2017 | |
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Flag Seal Logo | |
| Nickname: The Queen City of the East | |
Bangor Location in Maine Bangor Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 44°48′11″N 68°46′03″W | |
| Country | United States |
| Region | New England |
| State | Maine |
| County | Penobscot |
| Settled | 1769 |
| Incorporated (plantation) | 1791 |
| Incorporated (town) | February 12, 1834 |
| Incorporated (city) | March 26, 1853 |
| Named for | Bangor, a Welsh hymn written by William Tans'ur |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • City manager | Debbie Laurie |
| Area | |
| • City | 34.59 sq mi (89.60 km2) |
| • Land | 34.26 sq mi (88.73 km2) |
| • Water | 0.34 sq mi (0.87 km2) |
| Elevation | 118 ft (36 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 31,753 |
| • Density | 926.85/sq mi (357.86/km2) |
| • Urban | 61,210 (US: 441st) |
| • Metro | 153,923 (US: 276th) |
| Demonym | Bangorean |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Codes | 04401–04402 |
| Area code | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-02795 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0561558 |
| Website | BangorMaine.gov |
Modern Bangor was established in the mid-19th century with the lumber and shipbuilding industries. Lying on the Penobscot River, logs could be floated downstream from the Maine North Woods and processed at the city's water-powered sawmills, then shipped from Bangor's port to the Atlantic Ocean 30 miles (48 km) downstream, and from there to any port in the world. Evidence of this is still visible in the lumber barons' elaborate Greek Revival and Victorian mansions and the 31-foot-high (9.4 m) statue of Paul Bunyan. Today, Bangor's economy is based on services and retail, healthcare, and education.
Bangor has a port of entry at Bangor International Airport, also home to the Bangor Air National Guard Base. Historically Bangor was an important stopover on the Great Circle Air Route between the U.S. East Coast and Europe.
Bangor has a humid continental climate, with cold, snowy winters, and warm summers.