PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle Historical Society has left an indelible imprint on hundreds of people over the last 50 years as it strives to preserve the city’s past while at the same time looks to a promising future.
Whether it be through informative talks, exhibits, tours or events, the Historical Society has given a lot back to the local community over the last half century.
“The Presque Isle Historical Society keeps the history of Presque Isle alive through their guided walking tours of Presque Isle and Fairmount Cemetery,” said Theresa Fowler, executive director of the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce. “The development and growth of Presque Isle — and thus the surrounding communities — is explained through these tours.
“The Molly the Trolley tours cover a larger area and provide a different experience for area residents and visitors alike, while the Vera Estey House tour provides information on the life of a unique person from Presque Isle and includes much more history that is of interest to a variety of people,” she said. “The Historical Pavilion held during the Northern Maine Fair provides an opportunity for a number of historical groups to display their items of interest and share the history of their community or organization, as well.”
Fowler said all the tours provide “interesting and educational activities” for area residents and visitors alike.
“It is wonderful to have these opportunities available for visitors to the area who have available time and a desire to learn more about the area,” she said, noting that the buildings that the Society has acquired and maintain, or are improving, are important landmarks in the city and carry historical significance. “The history of any location is important information to the residents as an explanation of how the region developed and why certain names are commonly used. As we all know, knowing the history of your region is important to prevent future errors.”
Former State Rep. Michael Willette said he always looked forward to Kim Smith, secretary/treasurer for the Historical Society, and her guests bringing their show on the road and coming to the Statehouse.
“She would set up in the Hall of Flags with her beautiful displays and info on the history of Presque Isle. Kim would be dressed in late 1800s-early 1900s period dress and give anyone who came up to her a textbook-worthy lesson on the history of the Star City,” said Willette. “It was so nice seeing her inform fellow legislators on the great history of Presque Isle; she is our area’s greatest ambassador and I don’t think that the Presque Isle Historical Society would have been as successful as it is without her hard work.”
Willette said the Historical Society has also “reignited the sense of pride we all should feel being from Presque Isle.”
“We often forget the past, and the Society has done a great job reminding us of our identity as a community,” he said. “The historical walk that is set up round town has been a big hit as I have seen Kim give her tours many times, and Molly The Trolley has been a great addition to the community and gives one heck of a great tour of our great town.”
In the coming weeks, sixth-graders at Presque Isle Middle School will go on a two-hour city-wide historic tour on Molly the Trolley. This will be the second year that the Historical Society has partnered with PIMS.
“Years ago we used to do a city-wide bus tour for the fifth-graders, but that later fell by the wayside,” said Smith. “We wanted to bring that back because it’s very important for children to know their local history. It’s been shown that that could possibly help stem the terrible youth out-migration problem that we have, and it builds a sense of community pride.”
The tour included numerous sites of historic interest including the old Fire Station, Presque Isle Army Air Base, the Double Eagle II site, Henry Rolfe’s farm, which was the site of the first potato field in Aroostook County, Vera Estey House, the Northern Maine Fairgrounds and the James School.
According to English/social studies teacher Barry Wright, the information shared on the tour fits right in with the curriculum.
“The name ‘Presque Isle’ is French, and when we study Canada, we directly tie it into the French Colonial period,” he said. “There are a lot of parallels between the history of this area and the French Colonial area, so we talk about that a lot in social studies. It ties directly into the curriculum.
“We do talk about some of the historic parts in class, but most of what Kim talks about is new for them,” said Wright. “They all leave this tour with a lot of new information and a different perspective and understanding on the town they grew up in.”
Casey Johnson, a sixth-grade English/social studies teacher at PIMS, had Smith discuss a Victorian Christmas with her students in early December.
Smith shared the origins of the Christmas tree, sending Christmas cards, popular gifts of the period, and more.
“Students were shown many Christmas traditions and where these traditions came from through the Victorian Christmas program,” said Johnson. “They would not have had this hands-on, unique way to explore these traditions had it not been for the Presque Isle Historical Society and Mrs. Smith’s presentation.
“The students loved getting to open their Christmas crackers (party favors that make a popping sound when they’re opened to reveal a small prize) and coloring paper Christmas ornaments which they got to take home,” she said. “The kids were amazed at how many things we do each year at Christmas in the United States that have historical ties to Europe — both England and Germany. It’s a great partnership that we have developed with the Historical Society.”
Jason Parent, director of advancement for TAMC, said the organization is among “the most innovative and strategically focused groups I have had the pleasure to work with.”
“In both my professional roles and through volunteer work with several community organizations, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous organizations, many of which have had cultural and historic preservation as central to their mission,” he said. “The breadth and depth of work the PIHS undertakes is most impressive. As an organization they have led the way in providing community educational opportunities, incorporating technology in unique ways to help reach audiences of all ages, and in celebrating the heritage of central Aroostook County.
“They are wonderful community collaborators and their efforts are vitally important to ensuring future generations understand the rich history that make Presque Isle and surrounding communities such vibrant places to live,” said Parent.
Though not a Presque Isle native, the Historical Society has given Billie Brodsky both a sense of home and purpose.
“I moved to Presque Isle in 2005 from North Carolina and previously Miami. I worked with my daughter in our store, The Silver Basket, on Main Street for three years, and was a charter member of the Downtown Revitalization Committee and then served on the chamber board for six years,” said Brodsky. “These opportunities allowed me to meet a lot of people including Kim Smith, and I have since become involved with the Presque Isle Historical Society.
“Since my roots were elsewhere and having no family connections to this community, taking the walking tours, and hearing and learning about the history of Presque Isle provided me with a connection and feeling of belonging to a community that only a short time ago was unknown to me and to which I now call home,” she said. “History came alive while helping at the Vera Estey House, and by taking the city-wide tours, the new cemetery tour with all the interconnecting stories and events combined, they have given me a strong connection and a comforting sense of belonging to Presque Isle. I don’t feel as though I ‘am not from here’ any more.”
For more on the Presque Isle Historical Society, log onto www.pihistory.org or call 762-1151.
