Presque Isle area From our Files – Week of July 10, 2024

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT — President and Mrs. Richard M. Nixon stopped at Loring Air Force Base Wednesday, July 3, enroute to Key Biscayne, Florida, from their visit to the Soviet Union. They were warmly greeted by their daughter, Julie Eisenhower, Vice President Gerald Ford, Governor and Mrs. Kenneth Curtis and a large crowd waving flags and cheering. Here the President and Mrs. Nixon were walking toward the podium from which the President delivered a nationwide address. An Air Force officer handed the President a copy of his speech. Mrs. Nixon was carrying a bouquet of long stemmed yellow roses presented to her by Clark’s Florist Shop of Caribou. The Caribou and Fort Fairfield High School bands were on hand, as was an Air Force band. President and Mrs. Nixon shook hands with many members of the audience. (File photo 1974/The Star-Herald)

99 Years Ago – July 9, 1925

You can’t keep an Aroostook man from races — You can’t keep an Aroostook County man away from the horse races so long as he can draw a breath and use one leg. For instance, John Quingley, Elm Street carpenter, cut his knee so badly while working on the Madigan Hospital parade float with a draw shave that it required six stitches to close the wound and he was sent home in an ambulance. They put John to bed, but an hour later, he happened to recall that races formed a part of the town’s celebration of the holiday, hopped out of bed, dressed and beat it to the track.

50 Years Ago – July 10, 1974

FHA appointed a new committee woman — Cluny B. McPherson, county supervisor of the Presque Isle Farmers Home Administration, announced the appointment of Mrs. Edwena Whited as a county committee woman in the Presque Isle FmHa office. Mrs. Whited, the wife of Robert Whited of Bridgewater, graduated from Limestone High school and attended Ricker College in Houlton. The Farmers Home Administration, a supplemental credit agency, serving farmers and rural residents who are unable to obtain their credit needs from other sources.

New at the Fairgrounds — When the 120th Northern Maine Fair opened in Presque Isle, visitors noticed some changes in facilities. Included in the new look of the “Fair of the Future” were metal buildings containing (top) livestock offices and sanitary facilities and (bottom) lunch stands. This construction was part of a comprehensive master plan developed to update and improve the fairgrounds by the Fair Association and the Northern Maine Regional Planning Commission. 

25 Years Ago – July 14, 1999

Golf results — The Fort Kent Golf Club was the site of the second Upper St. John Valley Seniors golf tournament held Jan. 23. Elmer Pelletier and Phil Pelletier, both of Fort Kent, tied for overall gross winner with a score of 79, while net winner was Fort Kent’s Joe Barresi with a 62. Area golfers performing well included: Division II first gross: Beverly Reid, Mars Hill, 82; first net: Larry Doak, Aroostook Valley, 65. Division III first gross: Joe Olore, Presque Isle, 84; third net: Reg Clark, Aroostook Valley, 72. Division IV first gross: Dick Maynard, Presque Isle, 84; third gross: Perley Dean, Presque Isle, 90. Second net: Bob Sawyer, Portage Hills, 67 and third net: Joe Talbot, Presque Isle, 67. DivisionVI third gross: Elbridge Judkins, 99. First net: tie, Herb Andrews of Portage Hills and Merle Hughes of Mars Hill, all 65s.

Kavanaugh crowned Jr. Potato Blossom — Candace Kavanaugh of Presque Isle was crowned Jr. Miss Potato Blossom Saturday at Fort Fairfield High School in the first of three pageants during the Potato Blossom Festival. She also received the interview and talent awards and was named Miss Congeniality by the other contestants. The main role of Jr. Miss Potato Blossom winner is to help represent the Maine potato industry through public appearances across New England. Second runner-up was Jr. Miss Van Buren Megan Ouellette; first runner-up was Jr. Miss New Sweden Amber Fisher. Other contestants were Jr. Miss Mapleton Krista Sirois, Jr. Miss Mars Hill Deidre Cushman, Jr. Miss Caribou Lindsey Gagnon, Jr. Miss Fort Kent Samantha Boutot, Jr. Miss Fort Fairfield Brittney Guiou, Jr. Miss Washburn Alisha Makepeace, Jr. Miss Bridgewater Micaela Hotham and Jr. Miss Madawaska Andrea Core.