Orono, Maine
Orono, Maine | |
|---|---|
Town | |
Mill Street business in downtown Orono | |
| Coordinates: 44°53′00″N 68°40′20″W / 44.88333°N 68.67222°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Penobscot |
| Settled | 1774 |
| Incorporated | March 12, 1806 |
| Chartered | 1969 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council/Manager |
| • Town Manager | Sophia L. Wilson |
| Area | |
• Total | 19.60 sq mi (50.76 km2) |
| • Land | 18.19 sq mi (47.11 km2) |
| • Water | 1.41 sq mi (3.65 km2) 7.19% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 11,183 |
| • Density | 615/sq mi (237.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 04473-Town, 04469-UMaine |
| Area code | 207 |
| Website | www |
Orono (/ˈɒrənoʊ/ ORR-ə-noh) is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. Located on the Penobscot and Stillwater rivers, it was first settled by American colonists in 1774. They named it in honor of Chief Joseph Orono, a sachem of the indigenous Penobscot nation who long occupied this territory.
In the 19th century, the town became a center of the lumber industry. Sawmills on the rivers were powered by the water, and logs were floated downriver on the Penobscot for shipping and export from coastal ports.
Since 1865, it has been the location of the University of Maine, established as a land-grant institution and the state's flagship educational institution. In the fall of 2018, the university enrolled 11,404 students at Orono. Not including university residents, the town's population was 11,183 at the 2020 census.