101 Years Ago ~ August 1, 1918
Re-erecting lumber — One of the Phair starch factories included in the purchase made by R. L. Pitcher was taken down carefully, and the whole plant was then transported to the potato growing section of Michigan, where it was assembled and set at work manufacturing starch. The high price of lumber warrants the cost of taking the factory down, transporting the material to the West and re-erecting it. The job will be in charge of D. L. Duncan, Washburn, who had charge of remodeling the State St. starch factory near the concrete bridge.
75 Years Ago ~ August 3, 1944
Cormier opened shop — Alfred Cormier of Bangor opened an expert radiator service shop, known as the Presque Isle Radiator Works, at the corner of Main and Academy Streets. Mr. Cormier was formerly affiliated with the Bangor Roofing and Sheet Metal Company.
Infantrymen awarded — With the Fifth Army, Italy, two Maine infantrymen were cited in orders by a regiment of the Fifth Army’s 3rd “Marne” Division and had received the Combat Infantryman Badge for actual participation in combat with the enemy. They were Private First Class Elton B. Braley, Mapleton, and Private Alfred N. Nelson, Portland. The standards for the award were high. It was authorized by the War Department as a means of giving credit to the infantry soldier who had proved his fighting ability in combat. The decoration consisted of a silver rifle against a background of infantry blue, set in a silver wreath.
50 Years Ago ~ August 30, 1969
Winner shopped Presque Isle stores — Mrs. Glenna Clark of Presque Isle won the Star-Herald’s first “Bazaar of Value” cash prize, the result of shopping with a local merchant. She was only one of the local consumers who had helped make Presque Isle one of the finest shopping centers in the region. The progressive merchants advertising in the Bazaar pages, had long been aware of local purchasers’ value. As a result, shoppers’ knowledge of merchandising kept them looking for additional values to pass on to their customers. And they took pride in their products.
Top membership — T. H. Grant, president-elect of the Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Membership Committee, announced that Thomas Lavin, Jr., a member of the Live Wire Club, had earned his lifetime membership in less than a week. To achieve the honor, Lavin secured seven new investors in the chamber including Etscovitz Garage Co., Brownies Superette, Inc., Malmarks, Hazen Moores, Joseph McBrine, Shaw-Minnko, Inc., and the Aroostook Convalescent Center, Inc. Live Wire Club Chairman R. Dale Collins said this was the quickest anyone had attained this mark in years and he said several more club members were well on their way to earning the distinction.
25 Years Ago ~ August 24, 1994
Artist featured in Chicago, Virginia — H. Anderson Giles, professor of art at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, has recently been involved in three exhibitions. The recent paintings were exhibited at the 1994 Chicago International Art Exposition, which was held May 12-16 on the Navy Pier Exhibit Hall in Chicago. Giles exhibited new paintings at the 39th Annual Virginia Beach International Boardwalk Art Show held in June.
Bicycle winners — Stephanie Holton, daughter of Cheryl and Randy Holton of Presque Isle, won a girl’s bicycle during the recent Northern Maine Fair and Robbie Johnston, son of Susan Johnston of Presque Isle, was the holder of the winning ticket for a boy’s bicycle.
