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

Compiled by Karen Donato
Staff Writer

    New restaurant — The Porcupine Restaurant on Bangor Street has changed hands and hereafter will be run under the name of the Cottage Hotel Café.
    Houlton — The old stable that was connected with the Town Hall building has been moved east of the present Engine House and the surrounding town property has been much improved.
    Tragic accident — Early Sunday morning, a special freight on the B & A killed two horses belonging to F.W. Titcomb. The horses in some way had broken from the pasture and made their way to the tracks.

    H.H.S grid stars — Probably no other town in Maine can boast of outstanding football stars in backfield and lines playing on four Maine college elevens. At Colby: Ralph Peabody, fullback and leading punter in the state; at Maine, Jimmy Dow, halfback sterling ground gainer and punter;  at Bowdoin, Albert Putnam, fullback and leading ground guard;  at Bates; Merle McCluskey, fullback, consistent ground gainer; and Ernie Robinson, lineman.
    R.C.I — In a popularity contest held at Ricker Paul Bubar, a senior from Linneus was voted the most popular as well as the boy who had shown the best Ricker spirit. Miss Isabel Putnam of Houlton, also a senior was voted the most popular girl.
    Grange Fair — One marveled on viewing the array of handcrafts and the amount of painstaking work it represent when these busy women on farms find time to carry on such projects, showing that the quest for beauty is ever present in this drab world of ours and an artistic urge will find expression in spite of handicaps.      

    Starch plant — Work got under way this week on the Morningstar-Paisley, Inc., project at Cary’s Mills for the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad’s spur track installation at the site.
    Linneus fire — A family of seven was left homeless by fire when flames destroyed a six-room house and shed occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Townsend and their five children, Naomi, Harmon, Gloria, Bernadine and Opal. The house was owned by Waldo Little.
    Potato winners — The J.R. Harvey Co., has announced the winners of the 23rd annual Big Potato Contest. A five dollar first prize went to Warren Britton of Monticello, with a three-and-a-half-pound entry. Second prize of three dollars was presented to Lester Eaton of New Limerick with a three-and-a-quarter-pound potato and third prize of two dollars went to Robert Watson, R.F.D. 1 with a three-pound entry.
    Parable of the Talents — The pastor of both the Monticello and Hodgdon Methodist churches, the Rev. Milton L. Smith surprised his congregation by passing out $5 bills one Sunday at the close of the service. Everyone who took one was challenged to develop a project with the money and raise more funds to turn back to the church. The two churches became very creative in their mission, not wanting to be out done by the other. Some raised a pig, had ice cream sales, suppers, gave hair cuts, home permanents, candy and tonic sales, babysat, potato picking, sold Christmas cards and more.
Houlton Pioneer Times File Photo 1959
LOOKING FOR A BID — Hal Bossie of the Rotary Auction committee inspects the new car to be auctioned off during the fourth annual Rotary Auction. It is a 1959 German Lloyd car that claims to get 35 to 40 miles per gallon. The WHOU radio station is shown in the background. It was located on the North Road where Tim Horton’s is today.

    Harvest — SAD 29 survey shows 447 students out of 1,484 were involved with the recent potato harvest. The students reported earnings of $101,181.12 this year, about $15,000 under that of a year ago, but $11,000 over the previous low of 1982.
    Hairworks Studio — Rod Herrring, owner of Hairworks Studio and a member of the Maine Hair Fashion Committee, was one of eight stylists demonstrating new winter hairstyles. At the Maine Cosmetologist convention in Lewiston, Rod demonstrated new perms and color techniques necessary to achieve the latest fashion looks. Also attending were Candy Herring and Christina London.
    Archibald honored — Justice James P. Archibald active/retired was presented an award representing 40 years of service as a member of the Masonic Fraternity.