120 Years Ago – June 23, 1904
A showing of big proportions — B. A. Robinson of Woodland brought into the Republican office Saturday a mammoth hen’s egg – larger than the average big egg; this one measured six and three quarters by eight and a half inches.On Monday J. C. F. Bagley brought into the Republican office a potato leaf of extremely large proportions especially when the earliness of the season is taken into consideration. The leaf was clipped from the vine of the variety known as the Irish Cobbler and measured five and three quarters by six and a quarter inches. The seed was planted just five weeks ago and shows that in no part of the country do crops grow more quickly than they do in Aroostook.
Sewer company being organized — The Caribou Sewer company has been organized for the purpose of operating a system of sewers in Caribou with $10,000 capital stock of which $2,400 is paid in. The officers are: George W. Irving of Caribou, president; John P. Donworth of Caribou treasurer.
115 Years Ago – June 24, 1909
Busy turning out concrete blocks — The concrete factory corner of Sweden and Summer streets is busy turning out concrete blocks. A part of the machinery has been moved from the building near the dam, and a crew of men are kept constantly on the jump feeding sand and cement to the hungry mixer while others are employed in operating the machine and carrying out the blocks. The blocks are being made under the management of H. B. Pratt with Mr. Clark as foreman.
Recently purchased — Mrs. Mary M.. Wilcox of Washburn has recently purchased the big team of Harry Stevens, which he recently received from Chicago. This is the largest team that has come to this town this year. When they arrived in Caribou their weight was 3640 pounds.
100 Years Ago – June 19, 1924
New store opened — The opening of the new F. W. Woolworth store took place last Friday and was attended by hundreds of people, who not only enjoyed the fine music discoursed by a local orchestra, but the large and varied assortment of goods on display. The Woolworth store is located on Sweden Street in the building occupied for some years by J. H. Glenn as a hardware store. The buildings, more especially the first floor has undergone a wonderful change during the last few weeks, the work of renovating having been done by Roach Bros., of Fort Fairfield. The store opened for business on Saturday and crowds thronged aisles throughout the day and evening.
Winter output of pulp wood on the way down the river — The Great Northern Pulp and Lumber Company is engaged in driving their winter output of pulp wood down the Aroostook River to Washburn. New conveyors have been constructed adjacent to the American Realty Company’s landing quarters and the work of taking the vast quantity of wood from the water to the bank where they are stacking it in huge quantities is under way. This activity gives employment to a large number of workmen.
75 Years Ago – June 23, 1949
Six fire departments attend training school at local hose station — More than 100 firemen from six Aroostook companies attended the Firemanship Training school held at the local Fire station last Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The Caribou school was one of three held in Aroostook under the directorship of Maurice Varney of the State Department of Education. Units from Caribou, Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield, Limestone, Washburn and Ashland attended the sessions here. Instructors of the special unit and their courses were: Arthur Emmonds, salvage; Fred Hammond, hose wetting; Allen Payson, forcible entry; Edward Pullen, hydraulics. The schools were composed of instructions in fire fighting, rescue work and use of other equipment.
School trustees award contract for new elementary building — Trustees of the Caribou school district this week awarded a $252,920 contract for construction of the base unit of a new elementary school here to the Robert A. Verrier Construction Co. of Portland. The award was made after sealed bids from the Verrier and three other construction companies were examined Monday afternoon by the trustees, Town Manager W. B. Burns, Supt. of Schools Hayden L. V. Anderson, Dennis Cyr, and contractors’ representatives, and Eaton Tarbell, architect.
25 Years Ago – June 23, 1999
On a Midsommar’s Day — Visitors to the annual Midsommar celebration over the weekend had a chance to experience a Scandinavian tradition making and wearing their own hair wreaths. The table where the wreath-makers worked was filled with piles of bright-colored flowers. Most of the children dressed in traditional costume wore the hair wreaths as did many of the adults Kristine Bondeson of Woodland has organized the activity for the last several years. She learned of the tradition while living in Norway for three years with her sister. She and other volunteers spend a couple of days collecting wildflowers along the countryside, buy the wire to form the flowers on and set up shop at the annual festival. They help people free of charge, to learn the art and create their own wreath to wear throughout the celebration.Controlled burn used to clear the Funland site — If you were driving in Caribou on Monday night and saw heavy, black smoke, don’t worry; it was planned. Firefighters and the Bosse family took advantage of the fine, still weather Monday night to set ablaze two buildings at the former Funland Amusement Park on the Presque Isle Road. Diesel fuel was used to spark a controlled burning of the old arcade and golf shack, which began at about 7 p.m. and continued for several hours. Caribou Engine 2 and a firefighter stood by to make sure everything was safe. Embers smoldered still Tuesday morning.
