MONTICELLO, Maine — Downtown Monticello was the place to be for food, fun and a trip down memory lane Saturday.
Located on the northern branch of the Meduxnekeag River, Monticello covers roughly 38.24 square miles and has a population of 790 as of the 2010 census.
Originally known as Wellington Township, it was settled in 1830 by General Joel Wellington, who owned it, and incorporated in 1846. Monticello’s population zenith was in the 1930s and 40s when the town had a population of about 1,500 people, according to census data.
To commemorate the town’s 175th birthday, U.S. Route 1 was closed to through traffic for about an hour Saturday morning, which proved to be plenty of time for the nearly 30 floats and parade entries to make their way through the downtown.
“People in the community were very excited for this celebration,” said Monticello Town Manager Ginger Pryor. “I had people from away calling the town office regularly to tell us they were coming up for the weekend.”
The festivities began Friday evening with a couples game show, similar to the television program “The Newlywed Game” and also included an Ice Cream Social in the Monticello Community Building.
Saturday featured a full array of activities for the young — and the young at heart.
“We spent months and months getting together to plan this event,” said Brittani Dawn, one of the event organizers. “We have games for the kids, live music at the firehouse and history on display at the Community Center.”
Photographs and newspaper articles depicting the former Wellington School were plentiful inside the Community Center. According to Pryor, the center is not officially open to the public just yet, but the hope is to renovate the former Methodist Church on School Street and turn it into a miniature museum so that the photos and items can be displayed year round.
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — It would not be a parade in northern Maine if there were not plenty of tractors. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — Kelsey Sewell, 2021 Miss Chickdee, waves to the crowd Saturday during the Monticello 175th birthday parade. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — This massive cake was one of many floats found in Saturday’s parade in Monticello for the town’s 175th celebration. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — David Beals of Beals’ Country Store in Monticello waves to the crowd during Saturday’s 175th birthday parade. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — Tiffany and Adam Hutchinson walk in Saturday’s parade while their daughter Elena rides a pony. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — Members of the Littleton-Monticello Little League toss candy to spectators at Saturday’s parade to commemorate Monticello’s 175th birthday. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — Dixie Shaw of Catholic Charities of Maine waves to the crowd during Saturday’s parade in Monticello. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — A large crowd lined downtown Monticello Saturday for the town’s 175th birhday parade. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — “Fireman” Fred Parsons sings as song as he marches in Saturday’s parade in Monticello. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
MONTICELLO, Maine — July 31, 2021 — Litttle Rowan Wotton shows off how many fish she caught at one of several children’s games during Saturday’s 17th birthday celebration in Monticello. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
