Presque Isle is celebrating its 150th
anniversary of being incorporated as a town in
2009. The Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee
is making this a year to be remembered with events in
every month of the year.
The actual anniversary date was April 4.
Northern Maine Community College, also celebrating
National Community College Month, hosted a huge
Birthday celebration at their Presque Isle campus.
The event featured live music by the Wednesday
Evening Fiddlers, the Maine Event Singers, and the
Presque Isle Middle School Jazz Band. In the library,
numerous artisans demonstrated how their skills have
remained unchanged for the last hundred years. The
library also featured displays of historic photographs,
antique cookbooks, antique clothing and accessories,
and antique artifacts. One of the highlights of the day
was the three-foot high star-shaped birthday cake. It
was such a work of art, it was almost a shame to cut it.
Proclamations were delivered from Governor Baldacci
(as delivered by State Representative Mike Willette),
the Maine State Legislature (delivered by State
Representative Pat Sutherland), and Presque Isle’s City
Council (delivered by Council Chairman Ed Nickerson
with many other councilors present). Video greetings
were offered by US Senators Snowe and Collins as well
as US Congressman Mike Michaud.
A secondary event commemorated the
anniversary as well. The Post Office hand cancelled
mail on April 4 with a special Sesquicentennial logo
stamp. The stamp will now be officially retired and
will become the property of the Historical Society for
display purposes.
The Presque Isle Historical Society is very
active in this year-long celebration. The Brown Bag
Lunch Lecture Series is a series of presentations on
topics of Presque Isle’s history. The Series is offered
at no charge to the public on the first Tuesday of every
month at noon at the Mark & Emily Turner Library.
In addition, the first guided walking tour of historic
downtown Presque Isle was given on Saturday, April 11
at 10 a.m. beginning at the Vera Estey House Museum
at 16 Third
Street. This tour is available by
appointment and at least on one Saturday per month for
the summer and early fall, weather permitting. On May
9, in remembrance of Vera Estey’s birthday, the Vera
Estey House Museum will feature an Open House from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information on these events,
please contact the Presque Isle Historical Society at
762-1151, or by e-mail at pihistoricalsociety