One of the true pleasures of my job is when visitors from away stop by to look around the museum and talk about their stay here in this area. Tourism here is bigger than you think and this type of event happens pretty often, especially from spring through autumn.
The reason I enjoy it so much is from seeing our community through their eyes. Because of our differences and from just the grind of daily life, we might have a negative feeling toward where we live. Seeing such glowing thoughts from those who do not live here is refreshing and reminds me of why we fight the good fight here. The Caribou area is worth fighting for and is truly a breath of fresh air for these people who come to visit.
I have said it many times: Our past often defines who and what we are today. Celebrating that past helps us understand where we came from and why some things are like they are. My opinion is that building for the future is much harder when we don’t understand where we came from. I have spent years digging up the past and publishing what I have found. I wasn’t always correct despite as much care taken as possible, but at least it was a labor of love and focuses attention.
I think it is very important that identifying and preserving our inventory of historical locations has been included in the Comprehensive Planning being developed into Caribou’s 10-year plan. That said, I am thrilled that what was started last year with O.P. Pierson Days has been rebranded as Caribou Heritage Day and each year we will be celebrating a different person or family that helped influence what this area came to be.
This year, Caribou Heritage Day will fall on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 and this year we are celebrating Alexander Cochran. Who was he? I will be writing an article about him in next week’s paper, but as a starting point, he was the first person to build a mill in the area when he built is gristmill in 1829 (or 1828).
I hope to have a few more activities to relate to the day by this time next week. But we already have a killer lineup of fun activities. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be an antique car and tractor show in the downtown mall parking lot. Vendors will be there for your shopping perusal and Guns and Hoses will set up shop and provide some great barbecued food. Music will also be part of that venue.
At 3 p.m., there will be a sign ceremony where a new sign honoring Alexander Cochran will be dedicated near the site of Cochran’s first house and where the woolen mill that was just demolished. If you are a Cochran descendant please come and share the dedication ceremony. If you know others from away, please let them know so they could consider coming. We would like to document the occasion with a photo of as many descendants as possible.
Later that night, head up to the Caribou High School where at 6 p.m. we will have a band playing until 8:30 and the Caribou Athletic Boosters will provide food. Then at 8:30, the climax of a grand fireworks display takes place and we can guarantee it will be the best fireworks you’ve seen this year!
Caribou Heritage Day is brought to you by both the Caribou Area Chamber of Commerce and by the city of Caribou.
On the same day, which is really fitting, the Caribou Historical Society will be holding their 40th Anniversary Celebration from 1-4 p.m. at the Historical Center located at 1033 Presque Isle Rd. Tour the Museum and outlying buildings, walk the Harriet Cousins Nature Trail. Refreshments will be served. There will also be door prizes drawn. Go and enjoy the celebration.
The Caribou Area Chamber of Commerce is very proud to announce that Caribou has a new business in Picard Electric and Security and that the new company has joined the Chamber! Picard Electric and Security, LLC provides residential and commercial electrical services, certified heat pump installation, security systems with 24-hour monitoring, CCTV camera systems (small and large), fire alarm installations and inspections and badge access door control. We are thrilled to have Mario Picard’s new business on board and wish them great success! You may contact the company at 999-9717 or at picardelectric @gmail.com. The website is: www.picardelectric.com.
The event is the same day as this article will be published, but if you read it in time and have a small business or nonprofit, head to the Caribou Inn & Convention Center any time between 5 and 7 o’clock tonight to learn about how Efficiency Maine can help you greatly in reducing your lighting costs.
Have a great week!
Executive Director William Tasker may be reached in the CACC office at 498-6156 or email him at cacc@cariboumaine.net.
