BLAINE, Maine — Blaine Town Clerk Janet Bradbury long had difficulty directing people to the town office of her small community just south of Mars Hill.
That was until last week when a resident — Bob Collins — painted a new sign on the front of the office at 52 Military Road. With its burgundy background and loud white lettering, the new sign will be hard to miss
Town administrators had debated getting a sign for about a year and a half before the council voted to do so last month, Bradbury said. It cost the town about $400.
The office had previously had a sign up on the lawn, but it had decayed over the years — its once bright blue degenerated after years of use. It was never put back up because of its condition after being taken down to make way for maintenance work around the office, Bradbury said.
Blaine is a small Central Aroostook community of about 700 people. The town was named after Maine native James G. Blaine, who was speaker of the House of Representatives when it was incorporated in 1874.
Many residents reacted positively to the addition after the town posted it on Facebook last week.
For many in The County, Blaine is most well known for its spot on Route 1, part of a stretch of small towns between Houlton and Presque Isle. Others know the town for its cabins and the Riverside Wesleyan Campground.
Bradbury said Blaine’s town identity and culture is very connected to nearby Mars Hill and Bridgewater. For example, students from all three communities attend SAD 42 schools.
“We get kind of consumed by Mars Hill sometimes,” Bradbury said. “Being in between there and Bridgewater.”
