Carmel is a town in Penobscot County, incorporated on June 21, 1811 from the township of T3 R2 NWP, annexed additional land from Etna in 1866.
The township was purchased from Massachusetts by Martin Kingsley of Hampden in 1795. Paul Ruggles, who arrived in 1798 with his wife, Abel, were the first settlers.
Ava Chadbourne speculates . . . the name of Carmel was doubtless suggested by the Reverend Paul Ruggles who delighted in preaching from prophecy and using figurative and quaint passages such as are found in the prophetic books. The dramatic experience of Elijah at Mount Carmel probably inspired his choice. (p. 17)
Complementing the biblical roots is the village name of Damascus just northwest of the main village which lies at the junctions of Maine Routes 2, 69, and 100.
Located near Interstate 95 and an easy commute to Bangor, Carmel sustained a substantial population growth of 19 percent in the 1990-2000 decade.
