120 Years Ago – Dec. 23, 1904
Improvements being made — S.E. Briggs & Son have been making improvements on the interior of their hardware store. It is the intention of the Messrs. Briggs to place in position next spring a new steel ceiling.
Roller rink has opened — The new roller rink was opened to the public Thursday night last, and was attended by a large number. The Caribou band was in attendance discoursing several selections. The rink has had a large patronage every afternoon and evening.
115 Years Ago – Dec. 22, 1909
So many changes — James O. Smith of Hollis, Me., has been making his brother, C. H. Smith, Sweden street, an extended visit. Mr. Smith notices a great many changes since he was here 37 years ago. In fact, he can hardly recognize it as the same place, so many improvements have been made.
Come and see the samples — Samples of gold which were taken from the claims of the Caribou Gold Mining Company have been placed on exhibition in the window of Scates & Co. ‘s drug store.
100 Years Ago – Dec. 18, 1924
In town on business — Ralph Pitcher, the ‘starch king of Aroostook’ was in Westfield Wednesday on business connected with his starch factory in that town.
Receives uniform — Friends in town of Miss Gladys Patten, a graduate of Caribou High School, class of 1924, who is now training for a nurse in Jefferson hospital, Philadelphia, are pleased to know that she has completed the three months’ probation and has now received her uniform.
75 Years Ago – Dec. 22, 1949
To donate 1700 bags of candy at Yule party — Caribou’s annual Christmas party for children will take place this Saturday and next Monday, with hundreds of bags of candy and peanuts being readied for distribution and with a full-length feature and cartoons being prepared for a free showing. At the Powers theater here the annual Julia M. Powers Christmas show for children will be conducted next Monday. A western, ‘ Stars over Texas,’ will star popular Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates and Shirley Patterson. Four cartoons will also be shown. These will be ‘Lazy Little Beaver,’ ‘Felix the Cat,’ ‘Part Time Pals,’ and ‘Cat Fishing.’ The Christmas shows at this theater were inaugurated some 20 years ago by Mrs. Julia Powers and have been continued annually since then. This Saturday, following a similar plan as last year, approximately 1600 to 1700 bags of candy and peanuts will be issued to children, Police Chief Frank R. Hopper said. Chief Hopper declared that the Caribou Rotary Club has donated $400 and is sponsoring the Christmas party along with the Police department.
Birds Eye employees get extra year-end pay — Employees of the Caribou Birds Eye-Snider plant, division of General Foods, received a year-end extra compensation bonus this past week. The bonus was distributed to employees of the 11 plants, located in New York, Maine, and Indiana, which make up the Eastern Division. Although the bonus is not guaranteed, it has been paid for the past several years. Frank Delaney, Caribou plant manager, announced that $3700 was distributed to 180 employees. The bonus amounts to three percent of the wages and salaries paid during the current year.
25 Years Ago – Dec. 22, 1999
Resort to reopen — Theriault’s Five Seasons on Route 1 has been leased to new owners, and the lodge will play host to everything from weddings, receptions to Saturday morning breakfast for snowmobilers. Larry and Paula DeMerchant teamed up with Jay and Shelly Thompson for a venture called ‘Hillcrest Resort.’ Local bands on weekend nights, breakfast on Saturday, and some scheduled events will get the business rolling at the start. The 47-acre plot of land on the Van Buren Road was made into a lodge for large groups by George Theriault and his family. Theriault built the two buildings in 1995 with a dream to host parties, bands, formal events and a retreat for snowmobilers. Theriault will sell the property to the DeMerchants and Thompsons after a year of leasing the land, according to Paula DeMerchant. Theriault said if the DeMerchants and Thompsons can succeed with his creation, then he’ll be happy.
Local reaction is mixed to ban on eatery smoking — At Carol’s Roadside Cafe, not much has changed since the statewide smoking ban went into effect. Inside the small diner, customers sit and chat after breakfast, nursing a cup of coffee. The morning news sounds from the TV in the far upper corner of the room. The smell of bacon wafts into the air and mingles with the smell of cigarette smoke. Carol and Marshall Adams are among many local restaurant owners and managers who have no complaints about the effects of the smoking ban on the restaurant business. One thing that is different at Carol’s is a sign on the front door that reads, ‘No one under the age of 21 allowed without a parent or a guardian.’ The establishment is now a tavern by license. Switching licenses was the measure that the owners took to adjust their business to comply with the new state law that bans smoking from restaurants. And, according to them, ‘it’s been great.’
