From our Files: Headlines from 100 years of local news.

Compiled by Karen Donato
Staff Writer

    White Settlement — Hay will be a very light crop, but grain looking well. Everybody is wishing for fair weather now for haying and putting Bordeaux on the potatoes.
    Dunn Furniture Company — The store has undoubtedly the richest window display ever on exhibition in Houlton, approximately $2,000 worth of Oriental rugs.
    Baseball — Ralph Good has had an offer from one of the big leagues, but refuses to consider any proposition until after graduation.
    Crescent Park — The Maine, New Brunswick Electric Light Co. expects to turn on the electric current at the park this week.
    Receives prize — Eugene Harrigan, son of J. C. Harrigan has the honor of having sold more Saturday Evening Posts than any boy in the state and will receive a gold watch as a prize.

    Hodgdon — Somewhat widely separated for the past 25 years, the five Skofield brothers, Blinn, Frank, Ray, Perley and Don have returned to their old homestead in Hodgdon for a few days’ reunion. Having spent their boyhoods on the farm four of the brothers left it to enter the business world and not until now, 44 years after the first one went away, have the five gathered together at the site of their younger days.
    National Geographic — Dr. George Otis Smith of Skowhegan, a native of Hodgdon and former chairman of the United States Geological Survey was in Houlton accompanied by B.A. Stewart of the National Geographic Magazine and R.F. Maxcy, photographer of Portland. The purpose of the visit was to secure colored photographs of potato fields and other points of interest. They are expected to appear in either the February or March issue of 1935.

    Airplane crash — With both engines dead and out of fuel, a pilot made an emergency landing in a Houlton potato field just off the Smith Road and 2.7 miles short of the Houlton International Airport. The pilot, co-pilot and three passengers received only minor injuries. The group was returning from a salmon fishing trip on the Gaspe Peninsula and sprung a fuel leak losing an hour and a half’s worth of fuel in 10 minutes. The plane was scheduled to land at the Houlton airport to clear Customs and then proceed to the Philadelphia area.
    Miss Houlton — Miss Irene Bell was selected as Miss Houlton to represent the community at the annual Field Day in Presque Isle to compete for the Maine Potato Blossom Queen title.
    Bridgewater — Several buildings including two barns, machinery and chickens were destroyed or damaged in a fire on the Samuel Hartley farm on the Snow Settlement Road. Loss was estimated at $20,000.
    European trip — Helen K. Atchison returned to Houlton after six weeks abroad. While away, she toured by car, France, Italy and Ireland. She also visited points of interest in the British Isles and Switzerland and attended a wedding in Scotland.
    Good catch — Little Bobby Lyons, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lyons caught a three-pound salmon in front of the Lyons’ camp on Grand Lake.
Houlton Pioneer Times File Photo 1959
CHAMPS — The Little League Champions for 1959 are David King, Dana Worthley, Steven Ivey, Steven Umphrey, Dick York, Floyd Vesey, Formann Swallow, Stewart Wolhaupter, Clair Manship and Harry McGuire. Standing is Hollis Hamilton, head of the Little League Association in Houlton and Winfield Shaw, coach of the Pioneer Times. Several boys were absent.

    Peanut Carnival — Candidates for King and Queen are Daniel Rhoda, Spring Shea, Corey Cone, Angie McNutt, Heath Gentle, Gretel McNutt, Bobbie Jo Faulkner and Danny Toby.
    Acting Chief — Darrell Malone has been named acting chief of the Houlton Police Department in place of  Chief James Brown, who is on administrative leave.
    Hodgdon — The following students participated in the Hersey Track and Field competition in Orono, Bobby Morrill, Jason White, Mike Cain, Alison Putnam, P.J. Cain, Steve Foster, Adam McGary, Dean Merritt, Ebby Merritt, Mike Brennan and Marvin Foster. Ken Holck and Rick Cortis were coaches.
    Smyrna Mills — The Kris Kringle Kristmas Klub hosted a potluck dinner. Those attending were Brenda Burpee, Marian McKee, Janet Osnoe, Dorothy Malone and Yvonne Russell.