Houlton area From our Files – Week of October 21, 2021

3 years ago

100 Years Ago – Oct. 20, 1921

Repairs underway at bookstore John Woodard has purchased the stock of the Wood and Pond Book Store. He plans to make extensive repairs on the interior following which he will lay in a fine new stock of goods.

Some potato picker — Mr. W.E. DeWitt, a prominent farmer in Ludlow, reports that he finished digging Friday and yielded about 1850 lbs of tubers. He also reports of a champion picker, Steve Osner from Benedicta who averages 100 barrels a day but on Friday broke his own record of 152 barrels in one day.

75 Years Ago – Oct. 16, 1946

Halloween party — Houlton’s young people of all ages are to be guests at a big Halloween celebration on Oct. 31. It is sponsored by the Houlton Lions Club.

Hospital wing groundbreaking — Ground has been broken for the new wing of the Madigan Memorial Hospital, which will cost $190,000 to erect.

50 Years Ago – Oct. 20, 1971

Contest winner — Carl McLaughlin, a Houlton service station dealer, took the first place award recently in the Maine Petroleum Association’s Service Station Beautification Contest.

Rec officials named to state committee Two members of the Houlton Parks and Recreation Department have been named to committees of the Maine Recreation and Parks Association. Wayne Hartford and Madelyn Crawford have joined the committees.

25 Years Ago – Oct. 16, 1996

Enlisted from the fields Local farmers were hired to employ their equipment including tractors to move aircraft bound for wartorn Europe. Eighty-three surplus planes and dive bombers were moved between Houlton and Woodstock N.B. in this manner.

Hall Inductee Conrad Walton, a native of Island Falls, will be inducted into the Maine Running Hall of Fame on Oct. 25. Walton, who lives in Caribou, was one of the pioneers in the development of organized road racing in Maine and is one of the top masters of running in Maine, and in New England 1978-1994.