The first European settlers were British
Loyalists who reached the area in 1819 hoping to obtain land for lumber. Border disputes between the United States and the
United Kingdom over the area, however, made it impossible for pioneers to gain title to the land. In response, the government of the neighboring British colony of
New Brunswick (now a Canadian province) gave out patents for pioneers to live on the land but not claim ownership or sell it. By 1825, surveyors traveling along the
Aroostook River noted that twenty families lived along it and noted that while agriculture was present, all of the families employed most of their time towards wood production. The boundary dispute slowed development in the area, but the government of
Massachusetts, which governed the territory at the time, saw the territory as theirs and encouraged the development of settlements in northern Maine by offering land grants and mill privileges in the 1820s. The first American to settle in the area was Dennis Fairbanks in 1828 who gained ownership over the land under the provisions set up by Massachusetts and later Maine, which gained statehood in 1820. In 1914 the
Aroostook Farm was purchased as a Maine Agricultural Experiment Station.
Railroad In 1881, the
New Brunswick Railway created the first rail connection in Presque Isle. The
Bangor and Aroostook Railroad arrived in 1895.
Airport A small airport was established in 1931. It was expanded within the decade and later assumed major military importance. The
Presque Isle Air Force Base, in operation between 1941 and 1961, was a major departure point for U.S. fighter planes during
World War II and the
Korean War due to its relative proximity to Europe. When the base was sold, a piece of it became the Northern Maine Regional Airport. In June 2018, the Northern Maine Regional Airport was renamed
Presque Isle International Airport. On July 2, 2018,
United Airlines began service from the Presque Isle International Airport in Presque Isle, Maine to
Newark Liberty International Airport in
Newark, New Jersey. These flights were federally subsidized through the
Essential Air Service (EAS) program, and were operated by United Express carrier,
GoJet Airlines. On 4 June 2024, the US Dept. of Transportation awarded Jet Blue its first ever essential air service contract to replace United Airlines at Presque Isle. The service is less frequent, but offers more capacity to Boston Logan than the previous service offered to Newark Liberty International.
Colleges and universities In 1903, the Aroostook State
Normal School began offering a two-year teacher preparation program. In 1968, it was renamed the
University of Maine at Presque Isle. Northern Maine Technical College was established in 1961, now
Northern Maine Community College. The first students entered the college in 1963. Today it serves about 2000 students. Four physicians were affiliated with the hospital, whose dual aims were to serve the community and to provide a training school for nurses.
All American City Presque Isle was named an
All American City in 1966.
Historic images File:Potatoeing, Presque Isle, ME.jpg|Potato harvesting in 1909 File:Greenlaw Block, Presque Isle, ME.jpg|Greenlaw Block File:Perry Building, Presque Isle, ME.jpg|Old opera house File:Presque Isle Hospital. Maine mid 1910s.jpg|Presque Isle General Hospital, mid-1910s File:House of Seven Gables Presque Isle Maine.jpg| ==Geography and climate==