Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 14 : Fall 2012 | Page 17

from Houlton Farms Dairy. I have one ½ pint, but it is in poor condition.
It can be seen in the collection that I donated to the Fort Fairfield Historical
Society located at the blockhouse in Fort Fairfield.

On occasion I would find an out-of state bottle mixed in with a
possible buy. I became acquainted with a gentleman from Connecticut,
and we traded my out-of-state bottles for Maine ones. I never met him, but
we had some interesting phone conversations. Another interesting collector
was a man from Cherryfield. He collected many Maine bottles. My wife
and I enjoyed being with them at state meetings and also at their home.
He spent much time, effort and money getting accurate information about
milk bottles. This resulted in his publishing a comprehensive catalog on
Maine bottles. My hat goes off to Dave Fickett.

In 2002 my collection desires waned (not stopped), and I decided
to have it evaluated. There are a few Aroostook County milk bottles out
there that I never got. They are so scarce that owners will not part with
them. I don’t blame them, but I would like to continue my quest for them.
They would be added to the collection in Fort Fairfield.

Collecting was a great past time for me. At times I would hear of a
bottle for sale, and my wife and I motored down state to check it out. We
learned a lot about Maine and people!

One day I received a call from a collector in Bass Harbor. We had
never met, but I had met his father at one of the state gatherings. He
questioned me about “The County” collection that I kept at home at that
time. He asked what I intended to do with it. I told him I wanted to give
it to the Fort Fairfield Historical Society, and he asked where Fort Fairfield
was located. I told him about the center of The County as far as north and
south was. Also tried to explain the east-west dimensions.

He went on to explain that he had a “J. D. Eagles” bottle from
Fort Kent that he wanted me to have. Of course it took me a while to get
my voice back, but I finally told him that my finances were not unlimited
for a bottle like that. He assured me that it was a gift from his father to
me--more loss of words. When asked where he got the bottle, he went to
a different subject. Next he told me that his father had a “Riverside Dairy”
bottle from Fort Kent that I could have, but he had to have some dollars
for it. I told him that I would get back to him.

At meeting with the members of the Historical Society of Fort
Fairfield, they agreed to share the cost with me on the purchase of the
Riverside Dairy bottle. What a nice event when the two bottles arrived.
I found out later that the gent who donated the bottles had heard of an
Aroostook County bottle collection for sale in San Antonio, Texas. He flew
down, bought the collection and the rest is history.

And there are ninety-seven more bottles in the collection with fun
and interesting stories.
If you like to view the collection, please contact Edward “Ted” Blanchard
207.769.4181

FALL 2012

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