Cary Baptist Church on U.S. Route 1 (2019)
Location Map For Cary Township
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 182 |
| 1980 | 229 |
| 1990 | 235 |
| 2000 | 217 |
| 2010 | 218 |
Population Trend 1890-2010
| Geographic Data | |
|---|---|
| N. Latitude | 46:00:08 |
| W. Longitude | 67:50:00 |
| Maine House | District 144 |
| Maine Senate | District 2 |
| Congress | District 2 |
| Area sq. mi. | (total) 19.0 |
| Area sq. mi. | (land) 19.0 |
| Population/sq.mi. | (land) 11.5 |
County: Aroostook
Total=land+water; Land=land only |
|
[KARRY] has been a plantation in Aroostook County since its organizational status was confirmed on March 5, 1895. It had several legislative “organizations” as a plantation (1849, 1854, 1859) under the name T11 R1 WELS.
The 1880 population was 413; in 1890, 390. With a population declining to 189, the plantation successfully “deorganized” the plantation in favor of becoming a township in June of 2019.
House with wood products for sale, U.S. Route 1 (2019)
The small population coincides with its physical size. Cary is what is called a “half township.” Most townships have been laid out to be six by six mile squares. Cary, sandwiched between Amity and Hodgdon, is six miles east-west, but only three miles north-south. Its “main street” is a little over three miles on U.S. Route 1.
The name is in honor of Shepard Cary, a prominent lumberman in the area, State Legislator and member of Congress.
A substantial portion of the Lt. Gordon Manuel Wildlife Management Area, shared with Hodgdon, lies in the northwestern portion. In general, these areas are open for recreational use and enjoyment, according to the Maine Department of Inland fisheries and Wildlife.
The township, bordered on the east by New Brunswick, Canada, is split by U.S. Route 1 about ten miles south of Houlton.
Sign: “Sweet Water Inn, Strings Violin Shop & Art Gallery, drop ins welcome”
With no community building, the Cary Baptist Church on U.S. Route 1 is the closest to one.
Without a clearly defined village area, the Skedgell Road with its two miles of unimproved surface and moderately spaced houses the best substitute.
Sweetwater Inn on Skedgell announces an art gallery and “Strings Violin Shop.”
Some houses on Skedgell Road (2919):
Cape style House
House and Garage
House and Barn
Form of Government: Township.
Additional resources
Maher, Hilda. Folklore: Folk Hero John Stockford; legends of Pirate’s Cove; ghost, witch and devil stories; forerunners; jokes and anecdotes; tall tales; George Knox stories. Orono, Me. Hilda Maher. 1962. [Material was acquired for the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History, Maine Folklife Center, University of Maine, Orono. Completed for UM course: Comparative literature 180 Fieldwork done in Amity, Cary, Hodgdon and Houlton, Maine.]