WHEREAS,  the Town of Fort Kent, situated at the confluence of the Fish and St. John Rivers, was incorporated by the Legislature on February 23, 1869; and

WHEREAS,  the first settlers of Fort Kent were Acadian French refugees who came in approximately 1829; and

WHEREAS,  the area quickly became known for its vast lumber resources, and individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit were quick to develop business interests in the region; and

WHEREAS,  this historic town played a prominent part in the tense Aroostook War and international boundary dispute that gave rise in 1840 to a fortified outpost named in honor of Governor Edward Kent; and

WHEREAS,  on February 21, 1878, Governor Selden Connor approved and signed an act that established the Madawaska Training School for teachers, which was the precursor of the University of Maine at Fort Kent; and

WHEREAS,  an economic boom occurred when the railroad came to town in 1902, providing passenger services and a means of transporting goods and services to outside markets, making the area less remote and more easily accessible; and

WHEREAS,  the Little Franciscan Sisters of Mary made significant contributions to the life of the community, staffing St. Louis School and establishing and operating a hospital that became the Northern Maine Medical Center; and

WHEREAS,  over the years Fort Kent has developed into a thriving cosmopolitan service community for the upper St. John River Valley, with a modern medical center, the University of Maine campus and extensive outdoor recreational opportunities during all 4 seasons of the year; now, therefore, be it