Bangor was settled in 1769 and it was known as Sunbury. During the War of 1812 it was occupied by the British. In the 19th century, Bangor was a shipbuilding center that carried on an extensive coastal and overseas trade in lumber, stone and ice. The city has a theological seminary, a conservatory of music and three colleges. Bangor International Airport, part of which was once Dow Air Force Base, has one of the longest runways in the United States.

Bangor is a port of entry to the United States. It is an important commercial center and gateway to an extensive resort and lumber region. Major industries include the production of shoes, pulp and paper, as well as wood products. There are several hotels and restaurants in town. Bangor is in the south of Maine, at the confluence of the Penobscot and Kenduskeag rivers, 95 km northeast from Augusta and 930 km northeast from Washington D.C.