Way back in the late 1500s, a man by the name of David Ingram became the first European to sail up the Penobscot River to the area that is now called Bangor Maine. Upon his return to Europe, Ingram bragged about finding a wealthy city whose streets were lined with gold and tall buildings with casements of silver. Excited and gullible about Ingram's tale, a number of Europeans believed Ingram had discovered Norumbega, the lost city of gold.
A few years later, in 1604, Samuel de Champlain sailed into Penobscot Bay, up the Penobscot River, and anchored his ship at the mouth of what is now called the Kenduskeag Stream. Of course, Champlain failed to find a wealthy city. However, he did become acquainted with the Tarratines, a Native American tribe. The Tarratines and Europeans agreed to engage in fur trading.
In the 19th Century, Bangor Maine was a major center for the timber and logging business. The timber and logging barons built their elaborate Victorian homes on West Broadway. Many of these, including the Stephen King house, are still standing today.
Bangor Maine is the commercial hub for eastern, central and northern Maine. When the Bangor Mall opened in 1978, the Stillwater Avenue and Hogan Road area experienced extensive commercial growth. The Bangor Mall shopping district is the place to find all of the major department and big-box stores.
The bigger stores at the Bangor Mall include Filene’s, J.C. Penney and Sears. You can also find smaller stores that include Olympia Sports, Foot Locker, Lids, Victoria's Secret, American Greetings and Sam Goody. There is also a huge food court at the Bangor Mall. If you feel like taking in a movie after your Bangor Mall shopping excursion, the 10-screen Hoyt’s Cinemas is next door to the mall.
Many domestic and international visitors to Maine fly
into Bangor Maine Airport. The Bangor Maine Airport possesses
a single runway that is 11,439 ft. long and 200ft. wide.
During the late 90s and early 2000s, the Bangor Maine
Airport underwent a significant evolution in domestic
air service. In this time period, it went from 367,000
passengers a year to 480,000. American, Continental, Northwest,
US Airways and Delta are served by the Bangor Maine Airport.
Many people take a flight to Bangor to attend or participate
in the Paul Bunyan Marathon. Why a Paul Bunyan Marathon
in Bangor? Well, the question of the home of Paul Bunyan
is quite controversial. Residents of Minnesota
have staked claim in the mythical lumberjack’s birthplace.
However, residents of Maine think that this is total nonsense.
Everyone knows that timber harvesting has its roots in
the woods of Northern Maine. Thus, the good people of
Bangor insist that their town in the home of Paul Bunyan,
and they erected a giant Paul Bunyan statue on Main Street
just to prove it! In case anyone still had any doubts
about the true home of Paul Bunyan, every July the town
sponsors the Paul Bunyan Marathon in his honor.
