Previous Entries
January 1, 2003 - January 29, 2003
Date: January 29, 2003 Name: Linda Smith Location: Corinna Comment: I would like to respond to Jerry Robichaud's entry. Yes Jerry you missed something. We were sitting on a toxic waste dump! The bankrupt Eastland Woolen Mill closed in 1996. The building was in disrepair with a million dollar estimate just for roof repair. No one would consider using or buying the mill because of toxic waste in and under the mill. There were 3 operating businesses on Main St., a convenience store, collectable and craft stores as well as a condemned building. Toxic waste was also under those buildings. Corinna's future looked very bleak. The mill was a fire hazard and attracted vandals. We could not find enough money to tear the mill down, say nothing of cleaning up the soil and water. The Environment Protection Agency has removed the toxic soil and has started to clean it. Chlorobenzene still exists deep in the bedrock but we have a new public water supply and once the EPA finishes their work we will have an opportunity to attract new business to our town. At least we have a future to look forward to if only green grass and flowers. We would welcome new businesses that can have a fresh start in a clean environment.
Date: January 27, 2003 Name: Marian Russell Irish Labonte Location: Corinna Email: Comment: Hello Ken.
I've just started viewing your site and think it is really nice. Think I will be forever trying to view all your daily photos. I well remember the storm of 68'. We live on Nokomis Road and I can remember being snowed in with 3 young boys for almost a week. My husband snowshoed up to Maurice Brooks place to get his car out of the snow bank so that he could go to work. Dana Doherty got the "old Walter" out, at least I think that was what it was called. He got the big old plow running and he was the one that finally was able to get this road plowed, the other town trucks could not begin to touch it. Tarzan Henderson had to come over with his big bucket in order for us to be able to get the yard cleaned out. They had a school budget meeting that week at Nokomis and if that hadn't been happening, I wonder how much longer we would have been snowed in. We think the temps have been bad, but I remember back in the winter of 60'-61' when the temps were down to 40 below for a week. My husband Gaylon Irish along with Dick Worster, Don Worster, Bert Morrill and a few more men that worked for the Fred Raye company worked in the woods cutting pulp for Lillian Raye at that time and they went everyday! Fred had passed away and the potato house that used to be across from where Phil Nye lives had burned and the men were forced into the to work. Keep up the good job and I look forward to checking in fairly often.
Date: January 25, 2003 Name: Jerry Robichaud Location: Newport Email: Comment: I have read that the work being done in Corinna is to help revitalize the town.
Have I missed something? How does forcing all the Main St. businesses to close, and ripping up Main St. revitalize the town?
The park surely will not be the type of park that would be a tourist attraction. Unless there are plans to build new businesses, I fail to see how all this work will revitalize the town.
Date: January 24 2003 Name: Don Seavey Location: Augusta Email: ddsme@msn.com Comment: I was just reading the comment that c.j. sent in about the temp in the Allagash. I go up there every
spring to fish and I gotta tell you that it doesn't get a whole lot warmer than 34 below up there, even in
June. Corinna can get pretty nippy too. I remember walking to CUA with Diana Nelson, she always
made herself look nice and lot's of times wore skirts. I always felt bad for her because she had to be
freezing. Anyway, after we got there it sometimes was 9:00 a.m. or so before my ears thawed out.
Seems funny now but not at the time. It used to get so cold that once I saw a dog chasing a cat and
they were both walking!
Date: January 22, 2003 Name: Ron Russell Location: Email: Comment: Ken,
Who do I contact to have a flag stone dedicated to my parents in the new park when it is completed? Any info on size and no of lines etc. would be appreciated.Ron- Info about the park bricks is at this link. -Ken
Date: January 22, 2003 Name: c.j. Location: Email: Comment: official temp. in allagash saturday morning was 32 dgrs below 0 f. Yipes!
Date: January 22, 2003 Name: Brian Knowles Location: Penfield, NY Email: bpknowles@aol.com Comment: To Peter Smith: please send me your e-mail address or post on the guest book. I have noticed that since we started using e-mail to post messages there are fewer e-mail addresses listed.
Ken, thanks for the site
Date: January 22, 2003 Name: Norm Location: Email: Comment: Ken, The caption on today's photo:
Jim looks worriedly towards the prairie. Ned and Tom's sleds came back to the barn without them. He wonders, did outlaws get them? As the day drew to a close, his anxiety grew.Norm- Your caption gives the picture a whole new meaning. -Ken
Date: January 22, 2003 Name: Dan Location: Email: Comment: I was wondering what is happening with the bricks for the park? I haven't heard any thing about it and I have put in some money.
DanDan- Although the plans for the park have been push into the future by perhaps two years because the cleanup will take longer that originally thought, the Park Committee is still active and will carry out the paving project. -Ken
Date: January 16, 2003 Name: Robert Hughes Location: Corinna Email: Comment: A guestbook question on Jan 10th., from Marilyn Conway asked what the distribution number is for the Corinna brochures ? (3500) have been printed, (2000) have been distributed to date. The balance is available for distribution upon request & selected locations come spring.
Robert Hughes, Pres. Corinna Economic Development AssociationRobert- Thanks for this information. I think the Corinna EDA did a great job on the brochure. Of course, I have biased opinion. Readers may notice that the photos in the brochure came from The Cattail Press. -Ken
Date: January 14, 2003 Name: Hebert Dow Location: Email: Comment: Hi Ken; Mom and I enjoyed today's entry. I am proud to say that the 1966 Flintstone float, and the 1991 Flintstone float were both prize winners in the local parades. Dad.
Date: January 13, 2003 Name: Brian Knowles Location: Penfield NY Email: bpknowles@aol.com Comment: Well Norm I guess I have to own up to the fact that I do remember the storm of '62(1962), even though I am a lot younger than you (so is Perry Brown, he is even younger than I, you might remember his older brother).
I was the local paper boy in that era. The first morning of/after the storm my father and I snowshoed (we always had to leave snowshoes and snow boots outside so as not to make a mess in the house) down the hill. He went to work in the spinning room and I to Porter's Rexall to pick up newspapers.
They hadn't delivered the papers. If my memory is correct the main street hadn't even been plowed. Actually I don't believe the paper was even printed that day, which was an amazing event in itself. There were several days after, that snowshoes were needed to get to many houses and into CUA to deliver papers. I got this paper route from Joe Perkins when he went college and later passed the route onto Ken Dow.
Ken on a different subject, I recently saw an older copy of "Paper Talks". In there is a picture of an entry in the sesquicentennial parade. It is of three local children in a Fred Flintstone float, the float was sponsored by (and I am sure made by) their father. Any idea who these "stone age" children are???? Even though they are "stone age" I think they are younger than Norman.
Thanks for all your efforts, I look forward to checking in daily. When I checked in yesterday the downtown picture looked great until I scrolled to the weather and the temperature was -1.
Thanks again
BrianBrian- The three local kids in the Flintstone float where my brother, sister and I in a float my father made from slab wood and the riding lawn mower. He did it again, 25 years later with our families. I happen to have pictures I've posted here today. -Ken
Date: January 11, 2003 Name: Norman Clarke Location: Email: Comment: Ken,
Enjoyed Perry Brown's letter in today's CTP. I was named after a Norman Brown, from New Brunswick. My mom's folks (Hartley's) were from New Brunswick. Maybe we are related? Don't remember him in school though. But, I digress. I was kidding about not many folks being left who remember the storm of 62. There at least ten. I am 58 and graduated from good old CUA in 62.
We did enjoy the dances in Brewer and Bangor. At the old Bangor City Hall too. There is a parking garage there now, where the city hall stood, at the foot of Hammond St. Across from Cadillac Mountain Sports. (It was the WT Grant Department Store then.) Saw The Four Seasons there. Dickie Lee (Patches) "Boris" Bobby Pickett (The Monster Mash) Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs (Sugar Shack and many more). We danced the Mashed Potato, the Fly, the Swim, the Twist, the Monkey and several more really strange sounding dances. Most of which today would cause severe injury to my back.
We saw many one hit wonders. And, went with the rival Newport High kids too. One of which was my cousin Shirley. Had many friends from Newport. Had a lot of friends from Dexter too. All female. Didn't like the Dexter boys and they certainly didn't like us dating their girls. One singer I remember was Gary Powers. He had a hit called "Meet Me At Midnight Mary". His only one. He was also a professional wrestler. He shook my hand and I could not use it for a week. He was a great and funny guy. And big.
I'll stop now. Have to tune into the weather channel to see what catastrophe awaits us today. I think they are forecasting light followed by scattered darkness.
Date: January 10, 2003 Name: Betty Location: Email: Comment: Hello, I just wanted to say that when Norm Clarke said he guessed there were very few people alive who remember the storm of 1962, I had to smile. I don't know how old Norm is, but a person only has to be 50 years old or so to remember that storm so I don't think too many of us have died off yet.
I'm in my 50's and remember it vividly. I was home from college at Farmington State Teachers College and couldn't get back there from Milo. My fiancé was home on leave from Germany and couldn't get to the airport to fly back so we had an extended surprise vacation. That made it the best storm I've seen yet. For once, it was nice to have to stay put. I didn't see him again for almost 2 years.
Betty, still alive and kicking
Date: January 10, 2003 Name: Wayne Brown Location: Email: rubway@earthlink.net Comment: Ken,
The photo in Cattail today is coincidental to the fact that Carl Smith and I have recently been
exchanging information on the Burrill family. Betsey's husband was Samuel Burrill, Sr; they built the
the barn on the farm that was theirs where Carl now lives. He can provide much more information on
this family and the farm. Sam, Jr was the second husband of my great-grandmother Clara Emerson
Fuller Day. Best regards and thanks for the photos. Sam Sr. and Jr. and Clara all are in photos
displayed at SLB.
Date: January 10, 2003 Name: Marilyn Conway Location: Prague, Oklahoma Email: bmconway@brightok.net Comment: Yesterday I received a letter from Marlene Pray and she enclosed a copy of Corinna's brochure. She said Paul's brother picked it up on the Maine Turnpike. I'm glad to see that our town is being advertised. How large is the distribution of these brochures?
I really get a kick out of Norman Clark's comments. Today's entry about the Maine weathermen was priceless! Oklahoma weathermen also put on their sweaters when there is a storm on the way - the difference is we only get 1 - 5 inches of snow and they make it out to be a major disaster!
Oklahoma's biggest problem is black ice.
We had about 5 inches of snow from one storm in 1985 during my first winter in Oklahoma. I proudly grabbed my New England snow shovel and hustled out early in the morning to shovel the walk and driveway. I was puzzled as to why I was the only one out shoveling. By 1 o'clock I had my answer! It started melting and there was no need for me to have shoveled. I'll bet our neighbors were laughing at me!
Date: January 10, 2003 Name: Perry Brown Location: New Brunswick, Canada Email: Comment: Just thought I'd add a bit to Norm's recollections on
Corinnatarian social excursions to Bangor in order to
sample some of that "big city-bright lights"
atmosphere that was to be had there. In the late '60's when I was a student at CUA (and later at Nokomis) I would often drive to Bangor/Brewer to take in one of the concerts that were held at the old Brewer Auditorium. Big names at the time like The Beach Boys, The Box Tops, Neil Diamond, John Fred & His Playboy Band (like whoa! where did those guys disappear to? talk about your one-hit wonders!) all appeared there during the winter months. Tickets were like 5 bucks and you could REALLY IMPRESS your little CUA Lady Cavalier while slow dancing to "Surfer Girl" as the Beach Boys played live about 10 feet away. We would make a big night of it and would, of course, stop at Pilot's Grill for dinner before the show. Norm is correct when he said that the folks at Pilot's always treated us well. When we were teenagers at that time it sure made us feel grownup to do the dinner and dance thing in Bangor. While we are concerned here with the memories of us CUA students the stuff we're talking about happened in all the surrounding towns as well at that time. I can even remember running into people at the concerts from (ugh!) Newport High School! I also recall once how I somehow misplaced my date and my winter jacket and ended up leaving with a totally different girl and some other guy's coat.
While it is a very interesting and amusing story with
a really great moral ending it is probably something
best not detailed in a public forum such as this.
Guess that's all for now, I'm off to manage another
day's chaos at the local outlet of "the world's
largest retailer".
Date: January 10, 2003 Name: Kelli Richardson Location: Corinna Email: Comment: Dear Ken
I don't' know Norman Clarke personally but I sure do appreciate his sense of humor. I get a big kick out of reading his entries.
I had to chuckle today when I see the picture of Betsy Pratt Burrill.. Years ago when I was helping coach some of the Pal League Cheerleaders we were standing in the hall way of the Town Hall with her picture above us. On a whim I said to the girls "That's a picture of the first cheerleader who ever cheered for the Royals Team". I was just joking when I said it but later on I over heard one of the girls telling her friend, "See her,? she used to cheer for the Royals".. Needless to say I had to laugh and then told her the difference.. But each time I see this picture when I am in the Town Hall I think of that....
Date: January 9, 2003 Name: Rick Wesley Location: Email: Comment: I sure enjoy reading the 'press' guestbook, even though I seldom write. It brings back some great memories of life in Maine back in the 50's and 60's. I recognize names now and again from Nokomis and Newport (my hometown) and if I don't, usually my Mom does. (Janace Tardy) Thanks again Ken, I know it must be a pain to keep up but we sure enjoy it. Rick- It's good to hear from you. The Guest Book is lots of fun. We all enjoy reading the entries. -Ken
Date: January 9, 2003 Name: Norman Clarke Location: Pittsfield, Me Email: Comment: Ken, I saw Brian's response and sent him a note. I would have thought that he had gotten the story about the storm from his great, great grandfather. I sent a letter before about the storm of 68 too (1968!) and got a better response. I would guess that there a very few folks alive who remember 1962.
Anyway, the folks I met while driving towards Exeter, a couple of days after the storm, were wearing snow shoes. Brian said he did the same thing after the storm, which reminded me. They are a practical tool but melt whenever you bring them inside, so you always have to make new ones.
Storms are not what they used to be. This "blizzard" the other day was to be a disaster. If you listened to some people and media weather forecasters. It was quite big. It took most folks almost an hour to dig out from those 8 or so inches. You can always tell when there is going to be a big "weather event". The TV news people all have sweaters on and try to look serious. The food stores all get raided for milk and bread and bottled water.
The reporters on location, stand out in the snow for some reason, and tell the talking heads back in the studio: "Well Jim, it's snowing out here now. People driving eighty miles and hour are sliding off the road. We think it may continue to fall on the ground like it's doing now and if it stays cold, it may stay pile up. Back to you in the studio."Norm- Good thing the media didn't pay that much attention to the weather in '62. We would have been snowed in for weeks and hundreds would have been killed by that storm. -Ken
Date: January 8, 2003 Name: Brian Knowles Location: Penfield NY Email: bpknowles@aol.com Comment: Norm you have to realize many of us were much to young to remember events of 1962!!!!!!!!
Date: January 7, 2003 Name: Jason Location: Email: Comment: Hi, it's Jason. just wanted to thank Mr. Smith for the info re the CUA and when it was built. Thank You
Date: January 7, 2003 Name: Norman Clarke Location: Pittsfield, Me Email: Comment: Ken, Apparently, there are no more memories of the storm of 62. I had hoped to generate some responses on this subject. So, let's try another approach. I had mentioned the closing of Pilot's Grill, in Bangor. I had been going there since 1960 and have many memories of the place. I was wondering if fellow Cattailers might also have some. Let's hear from readers with their own memories of Pilot's, or being a pilot, or lighting the pilot light on the stove, or something.
We used to attend the weekend dances in Bangor and Brewer. We would always stop at Miller's or Pilot's before or after the dances. We knew Jack Dalton, DJ for WGUY in Bangor. They (WGUY) would bring in artists for live shows each week. He would ask us to save him a seat at either restaurant after the dances and he would bring the featured "act" with him. We got to meet many celebrities that way.
Many a "one hit wonder", if you will. It was fun and exciting for all of us. I had a lot of autographs then. Names of artists no longer recording.
Anyway, that's a start. Many local bands would also perform and they were very good. More on this laterNorm- My thanks to those who did send in their memories of the snow storm. Sounds like Pilot's was more than just a restaurant, but also part of the local music scene. Must have been a good time. -Ken
Date: January 4, 2003 Name: Judi Brooks Location: Corinna Email: Comment: I remember the storm of 69. That was the first year I moved up here with Paul to work on his father's farm. We were snowed in from Tuesday till Friday. We thought we were going to have to dump some of the milk if the milk trucks couldn't get here. We couldn't get out our front door. Paul went out in the barn and there was a sliding door for the cows to go out and up to the milking parlor. He let out the longest legged cows and the rest followed. Mr. Irish's car was in the road and all you could see was the little ball on the end of his antenna. The drifts up here were terrible. I don't know many places where the wind is so bad. Luckily no one was sick so it made for an exciting initiation to Maine. Judy- I bet, up on top of that hill, you have some of the strongest winds in town. Sounds like you might see some heavy drifting today. Stay warm. -Ken
Date: January 1, 2003 Name: Alice Belgard Location: Sandston VA Email: alicebel@msn.com Comment: Ken Hope this is addressed right, I was not in Me during this storm but it was pretty much like the storm late Feb of 52. Living at my parents across from RR station the snow was really piled up on tracks. My late Husband was enroute to Corinna via RR on leave from US Navy and there was no way he could get to Corinna. His Dad was able to follow State plows to and from Plymouth to get him home til he could get to Corinna the next day .Snow was to tel /elect lines on road up hill rt of library 1 way a week later.
I came on line Nov 3 2001. This has been a great 14 mo., I found this site and some new sites in ME. I have reconnected with old friends and relatives Many or both are fans or residents of the area or previous residents. Also children or parents, siblings or friends of my old friend I lost touch with. This site has given me SO MUCH. THANKS KEN. And to You and all readers have a very special NEW YEAR .
Date: January 1, 2003 Name: Sally Mendivil Location: Corinna Email: Comment: Ken, I just want to tell you how much I've enjoyed the picture's of the 62 snow storm, the only one's I had seen were Nan's slide's except one snapshot Gramp sent of him on a huge mound of white which was his car. I was living down in hurricane country at that time but we did have one snow storm in Virginia which crippled everything, they had no equipment to move it with so just had to wait until it melted. We had quite a bad storm here in 69 I think, we lived in the house on the corner & I worked at the restaurant, Gramp went out at about 5 a.m. & shoveled a path for me to get to work then later in the day your Dad took me for my 1st. snowmobile ride, no car's were running so he took me right up the Exeter road then up & down the snow bank's until we tipped the sled, got my finger's pinched but had lot's of fun. We had big storms when I was young & dug a lot of tunnel's thru the snow. The kids now think we are nuts when we tell those stories.
Happy new year to you & all your family----Aunt Sally
Date: January 1, 2003 Name: Carl Smith Location: Corinna Email: Comment: Response to Jason's question re CUA. Dr. Jacob Elliot proposed an academy in 1850. A committee of Dr. Elliot, Dr. P.M. Fisher, Isiah Lincoln, Esq. and Horace Wentworth raised money locally to cover the cost of the building. Additionally, more money was raised for an endowment which would provide annual operating revenues. However, cost overruns caused the endowment funds to be used for completion. Occupancy was in Sept, 1851. Much more information is in Lilla Woods Brief History of Corinna, found in the Library. Also of interest there is a book by Samuel Copp Worthen, Esq which is a collection of biographical papers on prominent grads of CUA. One is on Llewellyn Powers an early principal of CUA who became Governor of Maine.
Date: January 1, 2003 Name: Nancy (Pearson) Collins Location: Anna, Texas Email: Comment: The storm of '62 is one of my few really early childhood memories. It was my 6th birthday and I just couldn't understand why my grandparents who live in town couldn't come for my birthday... I guess there really was a lot of snow. Yesterday on my birthday we had tornados down here!
Date: January 1, 2003 Name: James Lobley Location: Email: Comment: Hi Ken!
Well, I see a few people have tried to guess the identity of the man next to Ed Leavitt during the great storm of 1962. I was going to identify him as Rufus Dyer. Just a hunch, he kind of resembles Rufus but I could be wrong. Rufus was a friend of my grandparents, Julius and Leatha Moses. I remember him as a very kind man who made the most delicious donuts!
Happy New Year!
Jim
Sign the Guest Book | Cattail Press Homepage
