CARIBOU, Maine — The Old Iron Inn Bed and Breakfast in Caribou will celebrate 25 years in business on Aug. 1.
Kate and Kevin McCartney bought the old house on High Street at the time of the Loring Air Force Base closure. This is the couple’s first house, bought four years after Kevin started work teaching geology at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. They are only the third owners of the Craftsman four-square house, built in 1913.
According to the McCartneys, the Raymond family previously owned the house for almost 50 years, and members of that family often stay here when visiting northern Maine. By 1992, the house appeared rundown outside, but the interior remained in good condition and retained the original oak wainscoting and other architectural trim.
The McCartneys have done much work to bring the house up to date, including replacing the cedar shingles on the house and garage, adding three and a half bathrooms and completely remodeling the kitchen. They did the interior work with care to be consistent with the original oak. In recent years, tin ceilings and crown moldings have been added to the kitchen and living room. The driveway, parking lot, and gardens have also been enlarged and improved.
Kevin and Kate McCartney at their Old Iron Inn Bed and Breakfast in Caribou in 2002. The couple opened the inn in 1992, and are celebrating 25 years in business next month. Kevin i s a collector of antique irons and has a collection of about 250. (BDN file photo/Linda Coan O’Kresik)
According to the McCartneys, 25 years is a long tenure for a B-and-B to be run under one ownership, as the average lifespan is about five years.
The inn is open throughout the year and takes particular pride in providing a high-quality environment, freshly ironed bedding and excellent breakfasts. The name of the inn derives from an extensive collection of antique laundry irons and iron-related items that are displayed throughout the building. The house is furnished with a collection of mostly Victorian-age oak furniture. There are also extensive collections of books and magazines available for guests.
The bed and breakfast has three rooms with private bathrooms, the “Old Iron”, “Rose” and “Amoeba” rooms, the last being likely the only inn bedroom in the entire country named after a microorganism. There is also an “Abraham Lincoln” room that can share a bath with the Rose room during a visit by an extended family.
The Old Iron Inn has received guests from around the world, and the McCartneys say they take seriously their role as goodwill ambassadors to the region. The Inn has weathered the wild years of Phish concerts and assisted many families who have settled into the area. Most guests are travelling business people who prefer the homey atmosphere of a bed and breakfast.
As a state-approved vendor, the facility welcomes state employees, and has also hosted musical evenings, special business events, and supported various events at the Northern Maine Fair in Presque Isle.
The McCartneys say people frequently ask them, “Where are you from?,” to which they have long answered, “We are from northern Maine” with pride in the region that is their home of choice.
