From our Files: Headlines from 100 years of local news

Compiled by Karen Donato
Special to the Pioneer Times
100 Years Ago-Jan. 24, 1912
Aroostook Times
    Houlton — The largest attendance at any church supper ever given in a church dining room was that at Watson Hall when the doors opened to the public, about 350 people being present.
    Speaking Contest — The H.H.S. Speaking Contest was held and the following received prizes: girls’ first prize, Grace Stone; second prize, Ruby Harley. Boys’ first prize, Donald Putnam; second prize, Wellington Bamford.
    Hold your Horses! — Sunday was a record-breaker for runaways, three taking place in Market Square and Court Street in a very few minutes.
75 Years Ago-Jan. 28, 1937
Houlton Pioneer Times
    New position — Clayton Niles, who has been employed recently in the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company store in Van Buren, was transferred during the past week to the A&P grocery store in Fort Kent where he took up his new duties.
    Littleton — John Titcomb who was quite ill with tonsilitis this past week is gaining nicely. Mrs. Clara (Byers) Campbell, R.N. took care of him for a few days.
    Hammond — An old-fashioned straw ride was enjoyed Saturday evening to the Great Northern Paper Company camp at the Cedar Dam on B Stream. Candy was passed around and a nice lunch was served by the cookee, Verne Nason. The cook, Glen McKinnon was out, but had left a nice lunch which was enjoyed by all.
50 Years Ago- Jan. 25, 1962
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Real cool cubes — An ice-cutting operation is taking place at Nickerson Lake by Donald McKay, Inc. The job calls for cutting 5,600 tons of ice, an annual project by the McKay organization. Ice is stored at Horseback Pit and used for shipping potatoes out of Aroostook by the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. The ice is 17 inches thick.
Houlton Pioneer Times 1962 File Photo
COMPETITION — This is the Houlton Lodge of Elks Ritual team that will compete for the state title against Sanford Lodge in Waterville. Shown from left, Leighton Fortier, leading knight; James McPartland, esquire; Ralph Bishop, inner guard; Dr. Robert Goodwin, exalted ruler; Michael Clark, candidate; Lloyd Niles, lecturing knight and Richard Hawkins, chaplain.
    Grand opening — A celebration was held for the recently remodeled A&P store in Houlton. The first 1,000 adults on opening day will receive a potted plant. The manager is Cal K. Hobert.
    Wins sweepstakes — Houlton’s Ken Paradis won the Presque Isle bowling sweepstakes, rolling a 10-string total of 1,157. Larry Reece won second place.
    Local — Philip Howe recently purchased the Texaco service station on Bangor Street, formerly owned by Murray Lilley.
25 Years Ago-Jan. 28, 1987
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Littleton — Firemen battled a blaze in this town as temperatures hit 14 below zero. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Kendall Carson was totally destroyed and started in the area of the garage. The home is located next to the Littleton Baptist Church.
    Assistant principal — Joseph Feeney, a teacher in the SAD 29 system since 1971 has been selected as the new assistant principal at Houlton High School. He succeeds Arthur Greaney, who retired.
    Pen pals — Eleven years ago in Ruth Stewart’s eighth-grade English class at Hodgdon Elementary School, Lisa Quint acquired a pen pal. His name was Sandro Picchio of San Paulo, Brazil. In December Sandro came to the United States and visited Lisa for the first time at the University of Southern Maine and she brought him to Hodgdon to meet her family. He is now a mechanical engineer in Brazil.