Caribou is a City in Aroostook County, incorporated on April
5, 1859 as the town of Lyndon from Eaton Plantation and part of half township
H. In 1869 Lyndon annexed Eaton, Sheridan and Forestville plantations.
On February 26th of that year its name was changed to Caribou,
then back to Lyndon on March 9th. Finally on February 8, 1877 Caribou was confirmed
as the town's permanent name. Ninety years later, it was incorporated as a city
February 23, 1967.
Though Alexander Cochran visited the area in 1793 seeking a
mill site, European settlers awaited the conclusion of the northern boundary
dispute with Canada before arriving in force in 1843.
After the optimism of 1967, the City began a long-term population
decline, associated with difficulties in the traditional potato industry and
the closing of nearby Loring Air Force Base in Limestone.
The city is located on the northern bend of the Aroostook River
before it heads southeast to join the St. John River in Canada just east of
Fort Fairfield. In the sparsely populated County, Caribou is at the hub of spokes
serving the area via U.S. Route 1 and Maine Routes 89, 161, 164, 205 and 228.
The Nylander Museum offerings include geology and, ironically
in this inland area, mollusk shell collections.
