Fifty Years of Learning
Northern Maine Community College
by Karen Gonya
Fifty years ago saw the ending of one era with the
closing of the Presque Isle Air Force Base and the beginning
of another with the creation of what is now Northern
Maine Community College. Thanks to the diligence of
several local community members and state lawmakers,
what started as an economic blow to The County turned
into a golden opportunity.
base closure. It was through their efforts that the federal
government transferred the airport runways and the missile
sheds to the City of Presque Isle for its airport use and for
industrial development purposes.
“In addition, there were buildings used to do
carpentry, electrical repairs, automotive repairs and other
things related to hand skills and manual labor,” explained
Today, with growing enrollment leading to filled Harding, credited as being one of the “founders” of the
programs, one of its largest graduating classes this May, College. “The academic schools of northern Maine were
and national, and even international, recognition of its without vocational education opportunities and our
new wind power program—the first of its kind in New committee recognized that many of our young people
England—NMCC certainly has a lot to celebrate during its skilled with their hands and interested in pursuing higher
education related to the trades did not have the opportunity
golden anniversary.
to do so in our region.”
More than a story of brick and mortar, the history
They worked with Senato