Houlton is a town in Aroostook County, incorporated on March 8, 1831 from Houlton Plantation. In 1834 it annexed land from the Williams College Grant.
The first settlers were two families who arrived about 1805; their family names were Houlton and Putman. In 1810 the proprietors of the land in the area employed Joseph Houlton to survey it into 160 acre lots, reserving two for public use.
Formed from a portion of Washington County in 1839, it is located on the Meduxnekeag Stream, a tributary of the St. John River. The shire town (county seat) of Aroostook County, Houlton hosts the County offices, including the Superior Court, and serves as a commercial and professional center for southern Aroostook County.
