Presque Isle: Beginning of a city

They had settled a short distance from the mouth of the Presque Isle Stream, which empties into the Aroostook River. In 1825, seven families inhabited the community. A survey completed by Mr. Thomas W. Beckwith identified the names of only two of the seven families living in the community, Bradley and Arnold. At that time, state wild lands were owned in common by the states of Maine and Massachusetts and the lands upon the Aroostook River and southward were surveyed into alternate townships and divided, each state taking alternate townships. On April 4, 1859, Maysville (or Letter G) was incorporated. Its population in 1860 was 665, increasing to 758 people 10 years later, and to 1,141 in 1880. A number of progressive farmers came to Maysville shortly after incorporation: Columbus Hayford, Elisha E. Parkhurst, George A, Parsons, C.P. Ferguson, Simon Smith, Silas Southard, T.M. Richardson, Thomas Harris, Daniel Duff and Samuel C. Bennett.
Records indicate that Presque Isle, or Letter F, Range 2 as it was called before 1883, was established a few years after Maysville, receiving its first permanent settlers. According to available facts, the first pioneer to settle in Presque Isle was Dennis Fairbanks in 1828. Mr. Fairbanks was from the town of Troy in Waldo County. He established a clearing on the banks of the Presque Isle Stream near where the N.W. Downing Mill was later located. Fairbanks built a home, gristmill and sawmill on the property. The machinery for his mill came from Old Town. Mr. Veranes Chandler, another early settler of Presque Isle, arrived in 1844. In 1839, the state built a road from Monticello to Presque Isle. Mr. Leonard Reed, his family and goods came by raft from Masardis to Presque Isle in 1840 on the Aroostook River. They built a home on the site of the Northeastland Hotel, and constructed the first hotel in the community, which was used primarily by lumbermen. About a year after Mr. Reed settled in Presque Isle, Captain Moses Rose, Jasper Cloudman, Benjamin Whidden and Emmons Whitcomb arrived and settled along the new road cut through from Monticello. Presque Isle was incorporated on the same date as Maysville.
It is assumed that some form of town government existed before 1859, but few facts are available prior to that time. The first town meeting in Presque Isle of which there are records occurred March 16, 1859. The first three selectmen elected were Anzie Doe, David Dewitt and F.M. Rackliff. John Trueworthy was elected the clerk.
Maysville held its first organizational meeting May 7, 1859 at the Pyle Schoolhouse. Mr. John A. Allen was elected moderator, while Joel Bean, Warren Pratt and James Nichols were elected selectmen. Allen was also elected clerk and treasurer.
Of the early representatives from Presque Isle to the state legislature included David Dudley, a man respected for his honesty and integrity and Athil Irving, who spent many years in Augusta and did an excellent job representing his constituents.
Presque Isle and Maysville had separate town governments from 1859 to 1882, when Maysville was annexed to Presque Isle Feb. 14, 1883. The first board of selectmen chosen after Presque Isle and Maysville were united as a single town were L.S. Judd and S.D. Butterfield from Presque Isle, and C.P. Ferguson of Maysville. All three had served for several years in their respective communities.
The records for 1920 list seven selectmen, a five-man board was named in 1921 and 1922. The town returned to the old system of having only three selectmen in 1923 and continued until 1932 when five selectmen were named. George Washburn served as a selectman continuously from his first election in 1920 through 1929. Roy M. Barker, E.A. Keirstead, G.W. English and N.P. Cook were other selectmen with long records of service between 1920 and the election of the first town council in 1933. Others who served on the board during this period included George Ochs, A.C.T. Wilson, Herbert W. Kitchen, Dan Gilman, J.W. Beckwith, Howard Everett, Walter Merritt, F. Parker Jacques and Frank Lancaster.
Presque Isle made a radical change in their form of government in 1933 when it adopted the town manager form of government. It is believed that Rep. Dr. F.E. Bennett, who was representing the town at that time, introduced the bill to the legislature. An initial meeting of the voters in Presque Isle was held at the Perry Theatre Tuesday, March 15, 1932 to determine if it was the citizens’ desire to adopt the Council-Manager form of government. Considerable debate ensued at the town meeting over the proposed change. By a vote of about six to one, the town voted to adopt this form of government. Harry Pipes, L.S. Bean, A.C.T. Wilson, Clayton Steele and Levi Crory spoke enthusiastically for the town manager plan, while E.A. Keirstead and Charles Hussey spoke in opposition.
The first town council was composed of A.C.T. Wilson, chairman; Herbert W. Kitchen, John E. Estey, A. Howard Smith and Horace N. Crandall. Frank Lancaster was appointed temporary manager, but on April 6, 1933, Frank T. Adams was appointed permanent town manager. Dec. 24, 1934, Adams resigned his position and Mark Trafton was appointed to fill his position. Other council members serving between 1934-1939 were F.C. Wheeler, Ralph K. Wood, Clayton Steele, Clyde P. Johnston, and Dr. R.A. Graves. Mr. Wilson served on every town council and Mr. Wood and Mr. Wheeler served continuously from their first election in 1934. All three were members of the first city council.
In 1933, the town issued scrip for obligations of the town, which was approved by the local merchants. It was issued in $1, $5 and $10 denominations. It was transferable and accepted at face value by the town in payment of taxes and other bills due to the town. Most of the town’s employees were paid with this scrip, which they used in payment of bills. This plan was not successful and was discontinued in 1934.
At the instance of the 1939 town council, Attorney Philip D. Phair was asked to draw up the charter for the city of Presque Isle. Phair began practicing law in Presque Isle in 1910. He had worked in the Library of Congress for 11 years and got to know many powerful people in Washington. The proposed change for the local government became a controversial topic for local citizens as it would make Presque Isle the first city in Aroostook County. The charter was introduced in the state legislature in February of 1939 and received legislative approval March 8, 1939. The Act to Incorporate the City of Presque Isle was signed by the Governor March 8, 1939. According to several representatives and senators, the bill attracted much favorable comment during its passage through the legislature. The town would then vote on the charter the third Monday of September 1939.
A sample poll was taken during the spring of 1939 by political science students at the then Aroostook State Normal School. The poll resulted in 75 percent favoring the city charter. Jasper Crouse was the instructor of the class that conducted the poll; they used the customary cross-section poll method. The Star-Herald requested questions from the citizenry concerning the proposed change in charter. Prior to the vote, the local paper published questions they had received plus answers to those questions in an effort to keep the electorate well informed. The polls opened at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 18, 1939 at the high school auditorium. The Sept. 21, 1939 edition of The Star-Herald headlines read, “Presque Isle to Become First City in Aroostook County.” Voters accepted the new city charter 452-131. The first city council would then be elected Dec. 13, 1939, and the new form of government would begin Jan. 1, 1940. Eight candidates ran for the five seats on the council. The two receiving the highest vote would serve three year terms, the next two, two year terms and the fifth a one-year term. The following members comprised the first Presque Isle City Council: A.C.T. Wilson, Dr. R.A. Graves, F. Clifford Wheeler, Clyde P. Johnston and Ralph K. Wood. The new councilors were sworn into office by Percy R. Winslow, dedimus justice. A business session followed at which time the councilors elected A.C.T. Wilson as council chairman for 1940. Mark Trafton who had been the town manager was elected the first manager for the new city and continued in that post through 1947.
The 1940 Bangor City Council sent greetings and wishes for success to Maine’s “Baby City” – Presque Isle. The telegram of congratulation read: “To the city council of Presque Isle, the city council of the city of Bangor now assembled, herewith sends its congratulations and best wishes to its sister council manager city of Presque Isle, the youngest city in Maine. May nothing but the best of success and prosperity attend all your efforts.”
A joint banquet and meeting of the citizens of Presque Isle and the Presque Isle Merchants Association celebrating the birth of Presque Isle as Maine’s newest city was held Feb. 19, 1940 at the Northeastland Hotel. Over 200 people assembled in the hotel to celebrate the occasion. The banquet tables were decorated with red, white and blue carnations and crepe paper in a Washington’s Birthday theme. Percy R. Winslow, song leader, led the audience in the singing of a number of favorite songs. He was accompanied on the piano by Freeman Tweedie. At 8 p.m., J.W. Tapley, president of the Merchant’s Association, called the guests to order and called on Henry C. Ruark, chairman of the entertainment program, who announced the entertainment for the evening. Following the entertainment, Allen C.T. Wilson, chairman of the Presque Isle City Council, was called on to act as chairman, and received a great ovation as he lit a candle to make 21 burning tapers on the decorated tables, and in doing so officially proclaimed Presque Isle as Maine’s 21st and youngest city. After Mr. Wilson’s remarks, he introduced Frank Fellows, Bangor attorney as the guest speaker of the evening.
The first baby born in the city of Presque Isle was announced. A son was born at the Presque Isle General Hospital, Jan. 2, 1940 at 9 a.m. to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Hemphill. Gordon Lowell Hemphill weighed five pounds at the time of birth. Dr. E.B. Griffeths was the attending physician.
In The Star-Herald special edition of Feb. 15, 1940, one article paid tribute to several individuals who had made significant contributions to the community. “Presque Isle was honored in 1926 when Honorable Arthur P. Gould was elected as U.S. Senator from the third Maine Congressional district. He served one term.
Though it is impossible to secure a complete list of all the Representatives and Senators from Presque Isle that served at Augusta, we are able to list some of them: David Dudley, Herbert Kitchen, A.C.T. Wilson, Granville Gray, Clifford McGaughey, and B.F. Cleaves.
Aroostook Senators from Presque Isle included Athil Irving, Herbert Kitchen and A.C.T. Wilson.
It was only fitting that at this time mention should be made of one man who had a large part in the affairs of the town for many years, Mr. A.C.T. Wilson. Mr. Wilson’s first entry into town affairs as a power was in 1912 when he was elected as a member of the board of selectmen along with John E. Bishop and John C. Seeley. He served four consecutive years as selectman, to 1916, and served in that capacity again in 1920. Mr. Wilson in 1933 was elected a member of Presque Isle’s first council under the town manager form of government. He served in that capacity until 1940, when he was elected one of the city’s first city councilors. Al, as he is more familiarly known, has long been prominent in Republican circles in the state, serving at two different Governor’s Executive Councils and on the State Old Age Pension Commission among other offices.
Ex-Senator Herbert Kitchen had likewise long been prominent in town affairs and politics of Presque Isle and the State.”
The following were newsworthy events during Presque Isle’s first year as a city:
• Presque Isle wins Aroostook League Championship in basketball and loses the Eastern Maine Championship to Bangor by two in overtime.
• Annual Potato Blossom Festival was held in Presque Isle July 26.
• C.O.T Weiden succeeded S.L. Merrimam as principal of Aroostook State Normal School.
• The 90th Northern Maine Fair was held.
• Presque Isle held its first major air show at the local airport.
• Over 2,200 pupils were enrolled in Presque Isle Schools.
• Air mail and passenger service resumed at Presque Isle Nov. 1.
• First 25 Aroostook men to be called into the draft was published in The Star-Herald.
• U.J. Hedrich wins first prize in ‘orange crush’ contest in New England.
• Presque Isle merchants discuss the adoption of a food stamp program.
• Prominent Presque Isle citizen, Ray Hews, was the victim of a hunting accident.
• Presque Isle High School cross-country team won the State Championship and placed third in the national cross-country meet.
• City Council approved a bond issue to develop an airport.
• Presque Isle airport was designated the choice of the U.S. Army Air Corps for development immediately as the northernmost Maine airport of military value.
• New $100,000 armory to built in Presque Isle, beginning in the spring of 1941.
• Re-construction of the Presque Isle swimming pool and playground was completed.
• Twentieth Century Bowling Alleys, Inc. was formed and opened by Ken Colbath.
The Star-Herald, in its 1950 February edition, celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Presque Isle as a city. The article stated that the first 10 years under the city form of government had seen far greater growth, increase in business, and expansions of municipal activities than any other similar period in Presque Isle’s history.
There was the establishment of the Presque Isle Air Force Base as one of the most active wartime air installations in the northeast United States. Presque Isle experienced a 50 percent growth in population. There was a tremendous increase in the number and size of the city’s business establishments and a great postwar boom in construction of municipal and commercial buildings, as well as housing. There was tremendous growth in the recreation program, active clubs and organizations.
There were also great losses to the city in this time frame. More than 30 men and women from Presque Isle gave their lives during WWII. Disastrous fires in the 40s wiped out several of the city’s principal business blocks.
I thank the folks at the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library, the Bangor Public Library, and the University of Maine at Presque Isle library for their help in acquiring information.
If you wish to contact me concerning the article, call 764-1217.