115 Years Ago – Aug. 8 1907
Improvements being made — Tornquist Brothers have made several changes and improvements in their store, partitioning off an office and also painting the counters and shelves. Miss Albena Caughey is employed as the bookkeeper.
Work begins on new hospital — Work on the foundation for the new hospital at Van Buren is to begin immediately, the obstacles which prevented early construction having been finally removed. The building, which is to be modern in every detail, will cost approximately $75,000. And its architectural design will make it an attraction to the town, occupying as it will one of the most commanding and beautiful building sites, generously donated by the honorable Peter C. Keegan.
100 Years Ago – Aug. 10, 1922
Searching for a suitable office — C.M. White, chief of the division of markets and agricultural department, was in Caribou Tuesday looking for a suitable office where an inspector can be located.
Trip to Bangor — N.G. Chandler accompanied R.M. Farley of the Sawyer Boot & Shoe Co. to Bangor last week, returning Monday night, making the trip by automobile.
75 Years Ago – Aug. 7 1947
Distillery plant to reopen — Clarke Distilleries Ltd. will reopen their plant here Monday when the first shipment of 1560 cars of southern potatoes will arrive in Caribou to be converted into industrial and high-grade alcohol. Plant superintendent John Bernard said this morning that the southern shipment should keep the plant in operation until the start of harvest season in The county and will thus provide continuous operation through to the close of Aroostook’s shipping season, probably until next June. Last season the plant ground 3,500 carloads or approximately 103,119,000 pounds of potatoes. Clarke Distilleries, Ltd. at Caribou operates the only alcohol distilling plant in the United States that produces alcohol exclusively from potatoes and is the largest potato alcohol plant in the world. Alcohol produced at this plant is used for auto antifreeze, alcohol for the manufacture of high grade perfumes, and high grade for various other uses. A large amount is sold to the Ford Motor Company, where it is employed in the manufacture of plastics. It is also used in the manufacture of Clarkes New England Dry Gin and Belaia Vodka.
25 Years Ago – Aug. 6, 1997
Mission — 19 year-old Derek Strelka, son of Richard and Nadine Strelka, will be leaving for the first leg of what will be a two-year mission for his church in Novosibirsk, Russia. The 1996 Caribou High School graduate will go to the Missionary Training Center at the Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he will study language and doctrine for two months.
50,000 fans expected for Phish — For now, it is just one, huge grassy field near Limestone, littered with scattered piles of logs and orange metal frames, trailers and plywood. But in a week, 50,000 people will turn this stretch of grass at the Loring Commerce Centre into an arena for the rock band Phish and the last concert of their 1997 Summer Tour: The Great Went.
