Bangor, Maine

Bangor is a city along the Penobscot River in the U.S. state of Maine. The city proper has a population of 33,039, while the Bangor metropolitan area has a population of 153,746. Bangor is known as the "Queen City" of Maine. Modern Bangor was established by European Americans in the mid-1800s, based on the lumber and shipbuilding industries. As the city was located on the Penobscot River, logs could be floated downstream from the North Maine Woods and processed at the city's water-powered sawmills, then shipped from Bangor's port to the Atlantic Ocean 30 miles downstream, and from there to any port in the world. With their wealth, the lumber barons built elaborate Greek Revival and Victorian mansions and the 31 feet high statue of Paul Bunyan. Today, Bangor's economy is based on services and retail, healthcare, and education. Founded as Condeskeag Plantation, Bangor was incorporated as a New England town in 1791, after the end of the American Revolutionary War. There are more than 20 communities worldwide named Bangor, of which 15 are in the United States and named after Bangor, Maine by settlers in other areas.