How can more tourists be brought to The County? It is a vexing question which has plagued numerous councils, commissions and politicians over the last century. While fascination with the spud has led to some interest, it will not yield bottoms on the cushions of the County diners. Nor will images of axe-wielding he-men taming the forests of the region.
Understanding this puzzle, however, does point to things that will attract eyes — and their owners — to visit.
Almost every community has some type of historical society. There are houses, farms schools and telephone exchanges to tempt the imagination.
Yet where is the consistency to the product? Some are open all year, others only a few months and some only a few days scattered in the summertime calendar. Many of the societies lack people who know and can tell the tales of daring, inspiration and devilish ingenuity that have marked the history of The County. Too often, there is a lot of stuff and not a lot of doing.
Would it be possible to train, teach and rotate staff amongst the communities? Surely a Houlton volunteer could explain a hair curler from the Valley and a Fort Kent volunteer could explain the purpose of a mail sleigh.
WAGM and Mike McNally provide some insight into how this could be done. How was butter made? Could you iron a shirt with a coal iron? Ever use a washboard or churn butter? Terrific in imagery, but where is the posting of hours, contacts and locations?
Unifying the historical offerings into one location would help bring people to The County. Perhaps offering some camp-overs or ghost hunts might help, too. A scream in the dark tends to draw a crowd.
Crowds mean people, people who are hungry for more. While it has become common to see the hospital kitchens at work, what about the restaurants and diners? Can one make a doughnut? Ice a cake? Barbecue ribs? Where can one see this done and, more importantly, where can one try the hand that feeds the mind? How about a kitchen tour for The County? Are there kitchens that would offer some sights, sounds and smells to students of all ages interested in culinary conundrums? That would make the best poutine tremble.
Arts are a major part of the entertainment menu of The County. Chainsaw brushes, tuned exhausts and ringing steel sing the praises of amateur and professional alike — when you can find them. There is not a medium to tempt the unaware about fugues and foot pedals for their listening pleasure. Could the radio stations offer an hour of time on a regular basis to showcase local talent? How many principals, wedding planners and party animals would welcome a source for notes?
Our most visible problem is visibility for all this fun. While attempts are made by individuals to present these offerings, there is not a consistent message of “We have things to do.” If The County wants tourists to come, then we have to follow the practices of the best spud farmers: Plow a straight row every time. A straight row increases the yield. And as all those eyes in the field of dreams will tell you, our eyes are always on what can be done.
Orpheus Allison is a photojournalist living in The County who graduated from UMPI and earned a master of liberal arts degree from the University of North Carolina. He began his journalism career at WAGM television later working in many different areas of the US. After 20 years of television he changed careers and taught in China and Korea.
