Garfield Plantation

Garfield Plantation is a small rural community situated in Aroostook County, Maine, on the eastern edge of the Northwest Aroostook unorganized territory. Originally organized from Township 11, Range 6 West of the Easterly Line of the State (T11 R6 WELS), the plantation sits at an elevation of approximately 643 feet above sea level. For visitors exploring northern Maine, learning about Garfield Plantation Maine offers insight into how small rural plantations operate alongside neighboring towns.

Geography and Land

Garfield Plantation encompasses a total area of about 38.6 square miles (38.56 square miles), with 38.3 square miles (99,178,754 square meters or 99.2 square kilometers) of land and roughly 0.27 square miles (712,690 square meters or 0.7 square kilometers) of water. The plantation shares borders with several communities:

• Ashland to the east
• Masardis to the south
• Nashville Plantation to the north
• T10 R6 WELS to the southwest

Postal services for Garfield Plantation are handled by the Ashland post office under ZIP code 04732.

Waterways and Outdoors

Water resources in Garfield Plantation include the Machias River, which flows through the area. Under the Maine Land Use Planning Commission's Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the section of the Big Machias River passing through Garfield Plantation is classified as a Special River Transition Protection Subdistrict (P-RT), which establishes a 250-foot protection zone along each shore. In addition, Greenlaw Stream crosses through the plantation and offers wade fishing opportunities for brook trout along road crossings in the North Maine Woods region.

Community and Population

Garfield Plantation recorded a total population of 79 residents at the 2020 decennial census. This followed a steady shift over recent decades: the population dropped from 86 in 2000 to 81 in 2010 (a decrease of about 5.8%), and then declined to 79 in 2020 (a decrease of approximately 2.5%). At the 2000 census, the community had 37 households, including 24 family households, and a median resident age of 44.0 years. At that time, the median household income was $31,250, the median family income was $33,750, and 19.2% of the population (13.6% of families) lived below the poverty line. Across Aroostook County more broadly, the largest employment sectors are health care and social assistance, retail trade, and educational services.

Public Services and Education

Garfield Plantation maintains very few independent municipal services of its own, instead using shared regional subsidies and county infrastructure to keep tax mill rates low. Local arrangements include:

• Emergency Medical and Fire: Emergency medical and ambulance response coverage is provided through an agreement with the neighboring Town of Ashland. Fire protection is contracted from Ashland, funded by an annual subsidy assessment.
• Healthcare: Residents are served by the nonprofit Aroostook Valley Health Center / Katahdin Valley Health Center network based in Ashland.
• Library: Garfield Plantation subsidizes and uses the Ashland Library to ensure library access for residents.
• Schools: The community belongs to Maine School Administrative District #32 (MSAD 32 / RSU 32), which serves Ashland, Garfield Plantation, and Masardis. Public school students attend Ashland District School in Ashland. Garfield Plantation shares school board representation with Masardis, and MSAD 32 also provides adult education programming for the area.

Transportation

Garfield Road serves as the primary local roadway traversing Garfield Plantation, offering direct local travel and connecting eastward to neighboring Ashland, whose town center is located less than 5 miles away. In Ashland, Garfield Road connects directly to Maine State Route 11, the primary north-south arterial corridor in northern Maine. In addition, the American Realty Road network links into the plantation, providing an important route into the North Maine Woods region. Regional public transit is provided by the Aroostook Regional Transportation System (ARTS) under Region 1 scheduled demand-response transit. The nearest commercial passenger airport is Presque Isle International Airport in Presque Isle.