Houlton, the capital of Aroostook County, is situated on the eastern border of Maine, about half way between Calais and Grand Falls on the St. John, near the north-eastern angle of Maine. It is 250 miles from Portland, via the old “Military Road” from Bangor. The New Brunswick and Canada Railway terminated here; and hence start the old stage-routes to Caribou, Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield, Linnens, Danforth and Patten, in Maine, and Woodstock, in New Brunswick. The town is bounded on the north by Littleton, south by Hodgdon, west by New Limerick, and east by Richmond, in New Brunswick.
The first settlers of Houlton were two families named Houlton and Putnam, who removed there from Massachusetts about 1807. The town was incorporated March 8, 1831, taking the name of one of these first settlers. In 1830, a military station was established there by the national government, but the troops were removed in 1847, during the war with Mexico, and the place was not re-garrisoned. The barracks occupied a position on the outskirts of the village near the railway station; but by 1880 were greatly fallen to decay. The Aroostook County meridian line is established on the eastern side of the old parade ground. A soldier’s cemetery is near by.
Online Genealogy Resources
As in all locality searches, do not forget to work your way backward through the County resources and then the State resources if you are unable to find the specific information you are looking for on this page.
Aroostook County > Maine
Houlton Cemeteries
See also death records under Vital Records.
Houlton Census Records
Houlton Court Records
County Clerk has divorce and court records from 1839. Probate Court has probate records. Register of Deeds has land records.
Houlton Directories
- 1895 Houlton Residents Directory – From The Houlton Directory 1895: A Complete Index to the Residents, Business, Streets, etc. of the Town of Houlton, Maine – with other useful information. Originally compiled and published by A. B. Sparrow. Edited by Betty Fraser, Cary Library, Houlton, Maine. (RTF version available).
- 1895 Houlton Business Directory – From The Houlton Directory 1895: A Complete Index to the Residents, Business, Streets, etc. of the Town of Houlton, Maine – with other useful information. Originally compiled and published by A. B. Sparrow. Edited by Betty Fraser, Cary Library, Houlton, Maine. (RTF version available)
Houlton Genealogy
- Shepard Cary – The accounting ledger of S. Cary and Co. covering the period between 1838 and 1842. Also included is information about Shepard Cary, presented by Leigh Cummings Jr.
- Haggerty & Laverty Family History – Compiled by Edward Costello.
Houlton History
- The story of Houlton, by Francis Barnes. 1889
From the public records, and from the experiences of its founders, their descendants, and associates to the present time (1889). - History of the town of Houlton (Maine), from 1804 to 1883, by George H. Gilman. 1883
- History of Aroostook, by Edward Wiggin
- Index to History of Aroostook by Edward Wiggin – Compiled by H. Dwight Beers
- Northern Maine, its points of interest and its representative business men, by George F. Bacon. 1891
Embracing Houlton, Presque Isle, Caribou, Ft. Fairfield, Danforth, Lincoln, Mattawamkeag, Winn and Kingman. - Houlton Historical Items and Photographs
These are a collection of digitized material submitted to the Maine Memory Network, part of the Maine Historical Society. - Oral Histories
This section includes a selection of audio tracks from the Aroostook County Oral History Project, 1971-72. Click the link for a list of available audio files and an index of all contributors. - History of East Hodgdon, Maine: Facts and Fiction by Florence Grant Dickinson. Available by permission from Muriel (Mrs. Warden) Boone, daughter of Florence Dickinson. (MS Word version available)
Houlton Maps
- An old map of Houlton – Unknown date.
Houlton Military Records
Houlton Native American Resources
- Membership Roll of Houlton Band of Maliseets as of September 28, 1980 (7.5 Mb) – from the Proposed Settlement of Maine Indian Land Claims; Hearings before the Select Committee on Indian Afffairs United States Senate, Ninety-sixth Congress second session on S. 2829 To Provide for the Settlement of the Maine Indian Land Claims; July 1 and 2, 1980, Washington, D.C.; Volume 2 – Appendix.
Houlton Newspaper Resources
The Centennial Edition of the Houlton Pioneer Times (August 15, 1957) and the Illustrated Souvenir Edition of the Aroostook Pioneer (Spring 1895) have been digitized and uploaded to the website. A subject index to these editions is also available.
- Centennial Edition of the Houlton Pioneer Time, 1957
- Illustrated Souvenir Edition of the Aroostook Pioneer, 1895
Houlton Vital Records
In Maine, the Town Clerks possesses birth, marriage, death and burial records for each locality.
Birth Records
Marriage Records
- Marriage License Application
- Index to Marriages recorded in Houlton, Maine 1833-1885 (43 pages) – Compiled by Lorraine “Laurie” McQuarrie (MS Word version available) The library has photocopies of the original marriage and intentions of marriage records which the library can supply at a fee of $5.00 per record. To obtain a copy of the original record, please supply the name you are looking for, as well as your name, address, and appropriate fees. Submit requests to: Cary Library, 107 Main Street, Houlton ME 04730 Email inquiries will be responded to, but orders will not be accepted by email.
- Amity Marriages 1892 – 1916 – Compiled by Margaret Frye, Amity Town Office.
Death Records
- Death Record Application
- Buzzell’s and Dunn’s Funeral Home Records
The library has photocopies of Buzzell’s and Dunn’s Funeral Home original death records which the library can supply at a fee of $5.00 per record. To obtain a copy of the original record, please supply the name you are looking for, as well as your name, address, and appropriate fees. Submit requests to: Cary Library, 107 Main Street, Houlton ME 04730 Email inquiries will be responded to, but orders will not be accepted by email.