PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle Historical Society was founded in 1963 to study, promote and preserve the history, culture, heritage and physical artifacts of Presque Isle for current and future residents.
The Society strives to accomplish this mission through a variety of public programs and activities, including but not limited to various educational programs, exhibits, publications, lectures, tours, maintenance and operation of the 1875 Vera Estey House Museum.
Craig Green, president of the board of directors, recently stated during the organization’s annual meeting that one thing that impressed him as he reflected over our 50-year history is the number of quality, family-oriented programs offered annually on the Society’s schedule of events, as well as the exciting new events being introduced this year. The Presque Isle Historical Society plays an important role in local heritage tourism and in educating residents and tourists alike about the history of our community.
For a relatively small, rural community, Presque Isle has an amazingly rich history with direct ties to both national and international historical events. In 1828, an altercation over a cow served as a catalyst to the Aroostook War, a “bloodless” war over the final border between Maine (the United States) and Canada (Great Britain).
The late 1950s were also an important time for the area. In 1959, Presque Isle broke barriers when it supplied the national Christmas tree for the annual Christmas Pageant and Tree Lighting held on the Ellipse behind the White House in Washington, D.C. This was the first time the tree had come from a private farm, from east of the Mississippi, and not from a national forest. Also in 1959, President Kennedy designated Presque Isle as the site of the Strategic Air Command’s first SNARK missile base. This was the nation’s first intercontinental ballistic missile, which was a direct response to the Cold War brewing between the U.S. and the USSR.
The launch of the first successful trans-Atlantic hot air balloon flight from a field along the Spragueville Road in 1978 once again put Presque Isle on the world stage. The Double Eagle II made the cover of Sports Illustrated and was written up in Reader’s Digest twice. To learn more about these stories and other interesting local events and people, the Historical Society invites you to join them on one or all of the entertaining and educational tours.
Programs include:
• Free quarterly presentations on topics of local historic interest (next presentation June 5).
• Narrated City-Wide History Tours aboard Molly the Trolley (next tour June 8).
• Guided Walking Tours of Historic Downtown Presque Isle (next tour June 29).
• Guided Tours of the 1875 Vera Estey House Museum (next tour June 29).
• Guided Walking Tours of Historic Fairmount Cemetery (next tour June 7).
• Fall Foliage Tours aboard Molly the Trolley in October.
• Haunted Lantern Tours (walking) in October.
• Annual Collectible Calendar featuring historic photographs from Presque Isle.
In addition to the many tours and programs, the Society continues to work to raise funds with which to restore the historic fire station, estimated at a cost of $2 million. Recently, the organization, in an attempt to save another local historic landmark, acquired the Maysville Grange building. This site served simultaneously as the Maysville Town Hall, the Maysville Centre School, and the Maysville Grange. Construction on this building will begin this summer with plans to have a small museum on Maysville, the Aroostook War, Presque Isle’s two Granges and its 21 one-room schoolhouses open by the fall of 2014.
“We have been asked why we would take on this project when we have not yet completed the fire station,” said Kim Smith, secretary/treasurer of the board. “The answer is easy. First, it was important to save a building with such historic significance.
“Secondly, it will cost far less than $2 million to renovate this building. Having the museum open will allow us to meet grant eligibility requirements for a major federal grant source,” she said. “We can then use those funds to help renovate the fire station.”
Right now, there is an individual with local ties who has offered to match funds raised for the Maysville project — dollar for dollar — up to $2,000. This will help us complete the Maysville project in a timely manner.
For more information on the Historical Society’s programs and events, membership, or to make a tax deductible contribution, please visit the website at www.pihistory.org, e-mail pihistoricalsociety@hotmail.com, call (207) 762-1151, or write to: P.O. Box 285, Presque Isle, Maine 04769.
