Houlton Sector Maine

History and Background

The U.S. Border Patrol was established in Maine on May 28, 1924. The Border Patrol in Maine was under the direction of District One, located in Newport, Vermont. Houlton Sector consisted of 14 Patrol Inspectors located in Calais, Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent, Houlton, Jackman, Mars Hill, Van Buren and Vanceboro. The first Chief Patrol Inspector was Charles Grey. Except for the Chief and Houlton Inspectors, all Patrol Inspectors operated out of the Port of Entry within their location. Houlton Sector was originally located on Bangor Street; however, in 1940 it was relocated to a temporary building on Park Avenue. It remained there until a new facility was constructed in 1965 at its present location at 96 Calais Road, in Hodgdon, Maine.

Houlton Sector Patrol Inspectors enforced Immigration laws throughout the State of Maine, as well as apprehended illegal liquor smugglers during the Prohibition era. Inspectors also routinely checked logging camps in the northwest part of the state to guard against illegal loggers from Canada. During World War II, agents assisted in the capture of escaped prisoners from the detention camp established in Houlton, Maine.

In 1940, due to an increase in Border Patrol funding, Houlton Sector opened several new stations in Maine. New stations were established in Bethel, Guilford, Fryeburg, Madison, Machias and Rangeley. These stations remained open until 1949 when reorganization efforts closed the stations as well as stations in Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent, Mars Hill and Vanceboro. In 1956, Fort Fairfield was reopened and in 1957, a new station opened in Lincoln. After twenty one years, the Lincoln Station closed in 1978. In 1983 the Rangeley sub-station was reopened and was re-designated as an official Border Patrol Station in 2008.

Today, Houlton Sector maintains stations in Calais, Fort Fairfield, Houlton, Jackman, Rangeley and Van Buren.