Aroostook County is known for its potato cultivation, and it is an emerging hub for wind power.

As well, the original inhabitants of the area, the Wolastoqiyik still remain in their country (Wolastokuk) as the Houlton Band of Metaksonekiyak Wolastoqewiyik.

[11] Named for the Wolastoq River, Aroostook's bounds fall completely within Maliseet Country, natively called Wolastokuk.

The sparsely populated North Maine Woods, roughly defined as the headwaters of the Saint John, Penobscot and Kennebec Rivers, was populated during the colonial era by refugees fleeing oppressive governments.

Native Americans, particularly Dawnlanders, (retreating from hostile European colonists, and smugglers trading with them, and between English Massachusetts and French Acadia) lived in small communities along the Atlantic coast on the disputed border between those colonies.

Although the survivors might have preferred to remain independent, surrounding governments dividing their refuge, considering Aroostook County as the west bank of the Saint John River drainage basin upstream of Canada.

Under United States control, the area was initially dominated by lumber manufacturing interests, although agriculture became important as population increased.

Transportation along the Saint John River, and early rail connections into New Brunswick, created strong business ties with Canada, until the county was connected to the United States rail network by the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad in 1894.

Aroostook County residents retain an independent cultural identity established during their history of isolation on the border frontier.

The county was also part of a route on the Underground Railroad, and was one of the last stops before entering Canada.

Aroostook County was chosen due to its strategic location as the closest point in the Continental United States to the Middle East and Europe including the Soviet Union west of the Ural Mountains.

Organizers planned a Tintamarre that was held in the town of Madawaska, Maine, as well as a giant tug of war across the Saint John River.

[23] In 2009, it voted 73% in favor of a referendum rejecting same-sex marriage and 54% against the Maine Medical Marijuana Act.

[25] As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 71,870 people, 30,961 households, and 19,578 families residing in the county.

[36] In 2010, 18.0% of the population reported speaking French at home; other than speakers of English, there were no other significant linguistic groups.