100 Years Ago – Aug. 25, 1921
Fort Fairfield’s new theater — Fort Fairfield will probably have in operation one of the biggest and finest theaters in Aroosk County. The new theater will have 550 seats.
New Sweden electrically lit — The people of New Sweden and Colby saw the realization of their hope and efforts Thursday night when the electric juice was turned on and about a dozen stores and homes in Colby and 25 places in New Sweden enjoyed electric lights for the first time.
75 Years Ago – Aug. 21, 1946
Giant beans — H.W. Ward brought 10 green beans into the Aroostook Republican office last week. The beans were a new variety known as “the Knife Case Bean.” Pods of these beans weighed one ounce and they measured over seven feet lined up end to end. Best of all they were stringless.
Crop has high potential — Despite dry conditions in August, New England farms are expected to produce a potato crop 20 percent larger than the 1945 crop of 62,574,000 bushels.
50 Years Ago – Aug. 25, 1971
Way is open — Merritt Thompson, a college student and summer employee of the Maine State Highway Department, and Rufus Bernard, Chief of Police, removed the barrier for the opening of the last link of the Caribou Bypass. Surfacing of the new link has been completed and landscaping was finished on the day of the opening.
Local hero — Substitute Carrier William H. Michaud has earned a Superior Accomplishment Award for an act of heroism in which he raced to a driverless car, jumped in and halted it just before it was to enter a main traffic artery. For his courageous act, he is credited with saving the lives of two young children who were in the car. Michaud was presented a check for $100 by Caribou Postmaster, A. Atwood Anderson.
25 Years Ago – Aug. 21, 1996
Fire training — Forty four firefighters from around the state were recently in Caribou learning safety techniques in one of the state’s most important and dangerous jobs. The 42 male and 2 female firefighters were students in the program conducted by the Maine Fire Academy.
Smart spud — The Electronic Potato was unveiled at the Maine Potato Board meeting last Wednesday. Vernon DeLong, executive director of the Agriculture Bargaining Council, said the potato-shaped transmitter will allow farmers to pinpoint where bruising occurs during harvest, processing and packing. The machine, made in Denmark, is the first one in the United States, according to DeLong.
