Northern Maine Real Estate Listings

Fort Kent Blockhouse

Features About the St. John Valley

The original settlers of the St. John Valley, known as Acadians, fled British rule in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, then known as Acadia, in 1755. Some went to Quebec. Others, today’s Cajuns, traveled down the coast of America and settled in Louisiana. Many others followed the St. John River west and settled in the St. John Valley. Originally known as “La Grande d?charge,” the town was renamed “Fort Kent” in honor of the blockhouse constructed in 1839. This blockhouse, a State historic site and the last original fort on the Northern border, still exists and is open for tours during the summer. The people of the Valley are largely descended from the French-Acadians and French-Canadians and French is largely spoken on both sides of the border.

The St. John Valley is found in Northern Aroostook County, Maine, bordering the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Bruswick. The County, as it is known by the locals, is the largest county east of the Mississippi. It actually encompasses more area than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. 89% of the County is forest, 1% is lakes, ponds and rivers, and 10% is cultivated farmland. The primary crop is potato, and the potato industry in Maine is over 240 years old. Aroostook County is one of the few places in the United States which releases students from school to participate in the fall harvest.

The Valley is made up of towns built along the St. John River, from Allagash to Hamlin, a distance of over 60 miles. It also encompasses part of the Fish River waterway, from Fort Kent to Winterville, a trip of 16 miles. A short 3 hour trip to the north puts you in the beautiful city of Quebec, Cananda. About the same distance to the south is the city of Bangor, Maine and the Bangor International Airport.

Fish River Falls

In the Valley, 3 rivers drain into the St. John River, the longest free-flowing river remaining in the Northeastern U.S. They are the Allagash River, The St. Francis River, and the Fish River. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway is a 92 mile corridor of lakes and the river, connecting several large public land units. The DeLorme Maine Atlas calls it a “Canoe camper’s paradise”. The St. Francis River is also popular for canoeing. It is made up of several lakes and forms the boundary between Maine and Quebec, Canada. The largest lakes in the Valley are part of the Fish River chain of lakes. They include St. Froid Lake, Eagle Lake, Long Lake, Square Lake, Cross Lake and Mud Lake.

St. John Valley Realty Co., LLC’s service area includes the towns of Allagash, St. Francis, St. John, Fort Kent, Frenchville, St. Agatha, Wallagrass, Eagle Lake, Winterville, the surrounding Unorganized Townships and the numerous lakes. The area is known for it’s picturesque hills, flowing rivers and streams, beautiful lakes, and friendly people.

These towns center around Fort Kent, the largest town in our service area, with a population of around 4,300. The total population of our coverage area, including Fort Kent, is 9,300 (U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000). Fort Kent’s business district boasts 3 car dealerships, 3 banks & 2 credit unions, 1 drug store, 2 grocery stores, a 43 room hotel, and numerous other small businesses. Fort Kent is also the northern end of the famous U.S. Route 1, which runs to Key West, Florida.

The Valley is well known for being a family friendly area. S.A.D. #27 encompasses the following schools: Pre K-8 in Eagle Lake, Pre K-6 in Wallagrass, Pre K-8 in Fort Kent, Pre K-6 in St. Francis, and 9-12 in Fort Kent. S.A.D. #33 covers Frenchville and St. Agatha, has a well respected Elementary School and a High School. There is also the St. John Valley Technical Center in Frenchville which is jointly run by the Districts in Fort Kent, Frenchville/St. Agatha and Madawaska. Most of the larger towns have a Recreational Department with after-school and summer activities, ice skating rinks, swimming, and more. Some private recreational activities, for both adults and children, include 2 private gyms, the University gym, a dance school, a karate school, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and the Adult Education Department. There are also many social and service organizations, including the Rotary Club, the Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Senior Citizens Center, the Business and Professional Womens (BPW) association, the Mom’s Club, and the Masonic Lodge.

Northern Maine Medical Center
Fort Kent, Maine

Also found in Fort Kent is the Northern Maine Medical Center, a modern, fully accredited, 52-bed acute care facility offering complete obstetric, surgical, psychiatric, pediatric, and general medical services. It also provides a state-of-the-art equipped 4-bed Special Care Unit for critically ill patients. There are 40 doctors affiliated with the hospital.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent, a regional baccalaureate university within the University of Maine System serving 900+ students, is also found here. The University mission offers a broad array of undergraduate degrees with programs in liberal arts, natural and behavioral sciences, education, nursing, forestry, business, human services, environmental studies and two new programs in public safety administration and e-commerce. Two recent additions are a $7 million, 150-bed, 47,595 square foot residence hall, and a $2 million, 7,584 square foot facility that houses the University’s Acadian Archives.

10th Mountain Ski Area

In March, 2004, the first Biathlon World Cup took place at the 10th Mountain Ski Lodge in Fort Kent. The event brought worldwide attention to the area, and showcased our spirit of volunteerism. The event broke all previous records in North America for the number of spectators at a Biathlon World Cup. Biathlon is an Olympic event comprised of cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship, and is the most popular televised winter sporting event in Europe. The 10th Mountain Ski Center in Fort Kent, referred to as one of the top nordic facilities in the world by an international licensing delegation, hosted the event. The center, part of the Maine Winter Sports Center, has 12 km of trails designed by John Morton, complimented by an additional 25 km of trails, many lighted and paved, a full range with 30 shooting stations, and a state-of-the-art 5,500 sq. ft. lodge completed in June 2001.

The Can-Am Crown Sled Dog Race is another very exciting spectator event. The event has three different races, a 250 mile race, a 60 mile race, and a 30 mile race, for a total purse of $40,000. It has rapidly gained in popularity as the longest sled dog race in the eastern United States.

Can Am Crown Start

With an average snowfall of 120”+ per season, there is an abundance of winter activities. Snowmobiling is very popular, and the County’s trail system has been rated the highest in New England and the third highest in the entire North American snowbelt. More than 2,300 miles of well-groomed snowmobile trails link to the Interconnecting Trail System (ITS) and into Canada. Lonesome Pine Trails, located in downtown Fort Kent, provides a T-bar lift with 13 well groomed trails for downhill skiiing and snowboarding, a Lodge, snack bar and ski rentals. It also has access to over 20 miles of groomed Nordic trails through the Maine Winter Sports Center. Lonesome Pine recently added snowmaking capabilities to ensure the most optimum ski conditions. Other winter activities include ice fishing, snowshoeing, and skating at a few outdoor rinks or on ponds and lakes.

Fort Kent Golf Club

Spring is the time when sap starts running in area sugar maples. An exciting springtime trip, especially to those with a sweet tooth, is a visit to a local Sugar Shack. Once the ground dries, the Fort Kent Golf Club is open for business. The nine hole Golf Club sets on a hill overlooking the majestic St. John River. The club provides a clubhouse, restaurant, cart rentals and storage, and golf lessons at reasonable rates.

Summer temperatures average in the low to mid 70F, with cool nights. Air conditioning is a rarity in homes. Outdoor activities include camping, canoeing, fishing and hunting. Also popular is the use of extensive all terrain vehicle, hiking, and bicycling trails. When the summer warms up, excellent swimming can be found in area lakes and rivers. On some of the more secluded waterways, nothing is nicer than a slow boat trip to enjoy the local wildlife. Many animals call the County home, such as Moose, Deer, the elusive Black Bear, Bald Eagle, Fox, Coyote, and more. There are plenty of reasons to celebrate in the Valley, and a visit to one of the many local summer festivals is a great way to do it. These festivals include the Acadian Festival, the Ployes Festival, the Scarecrow Festival, and much more.

St. John Valley Aerial View

Many of these activities continue into Fall. Hunting is a popular fall activity. A breathtaking sign that snow is around the corner is the fall foliage. The hills become brilliant reds and vibrant yellows as the trees shed their leaves. This season attracts many tourists to enjoy the brilliance of Mother Nature.

We hope you find the St. John Valley as beautiful as we do.