115 Years Ago: Nov. 19, 1896
• Fifty-two horses were shod at Thompson’s Blacksmith’s Shop one day this week.
• Mrs. L.N. Lowney expects to move her confectionery store about Dec. 10, into the store now occupied by N.O. Stromberg, the harness maker, on Sweden Street.
• S.W. Collins and Son will have about 22 men at work in the woods for them during the winter. A crew of 12 men started Wednesday for the headwaters of the Caribou Stream.
• Reports state that a large number of geese have been making their way south during the past week, being started by a heavy fall of snow north. This would appear to indicate an early winter.
• Potatoes are 55 to 60 cents per barrel today.
100 Years Ago: Nov. 23, 1911
• Notwithstanding the 10 inches or more of snow in the roads, the automobile of W.C. Spaulding made a run to Presque Isle Thursday, from which place it will be shipped with Hon. T.H. Phair’s automobile to Boston to be stored for the winter.
• B.O. Noyes has had carpenters busy for the past week enlarging his jewelry store made necessary by his increasing business. He has also added a large new showcase.
• G.G. Wakem has purchased the interest of his brother in the clothing and gents’ furnishing store and will hereafter conduct the business under his own name.
• Tuesday was the coldest morning of the winter so far, the thermometer registering five about zero in the morning at 6 o’clock.
• Harvey Summers and his brother Winnie, returned from a successful hunting trip to the St. Croix, bring back three deer with them. This was the first trip to the woods Winnie has ever made and he naturally feels quite elated at his success.
75 Years Ago: Nov. 19, 1936
• The first step in the national Social Security Program was carried out in Caribou last Monday when Postmaster Floyd A. Smith distributed through the post office boxes and by carrier the cards to employers, which will establish the number for each employer.
• A meeting was held at the Vaughan House Coffee Shop Wednesday evening for the purpose of organizing a Lions Club in Caribou.
• A number of fur buyers are in the vicinity buying fur. Trappers in the northern part of the county are offering large quantities of the pelts for sale. Mink, muskrat, fox, sable, bear and fisher are reported as being plentiful with otter, marten, lynx and raccoon being occasionally brought in.
• Those who make the rules and regulations regarding the legalized sale of liquor have ordered that the various brands of tonsil paint, liquid dynamite, etc., must not be put up in valuable packages for the Christmas trade. A request is also made not to have liquor cartons graced with the likeness of St. Nick — in other words, taking the Christmas spirit out of the Christmas spirits.
• Ricker Classical Institute of Houlton finished its football season unbeaten. Joseph Freme of this town played quarterback on the team.
50 Years Ago: Nov. 23, 1961
• If the Board of Trade’s “far out” negotiations with Santa Claus have the desired results, the Christmas merchandising season in Caribou will get off to a sky-reaching start on Saturday, Dec. 2. The board is requesting that Santa make his annual visit here via helicopter and that’s not all. The
“old gent” is also being asked to trap thousands of flying saucers on his way, have them inscribed with “Shop Caribou” slogans and drop them over the business section of town before he lands at the airport.
• The Sophomore Class of Caribou High School sponsored a “Twister” dance at the school Friday evening with a capacity crowd in attendance. Music was furnished by the record player and the theme for decorations was “Chubby Checker.” Linda Howe won the prize as the “best twister.”
• Reginald Hanson of the high school faculty attended the meeting of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics of Maine held in Orono.
• Keith R. Hunter, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hunter, and Philip E. Olmstead, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Woodrow Olmstead, all of Caribou, and Albert E. LaFrancois, 20, son of Mr. and Fred LaFrancois of New Sweden are among 16 area youths recently enlisted in the regular Army, according to Sgt. Gerald Soucy, Army recruiter in Presque Isle.
