Day at the bank: reflections on the square

A couple of people walk in and out of the bank in the town square. Apparently uneasy with Internet banking and ATM cards, older patrons seek comfort from the tellers who answer their questions in assured tones and pleasant smiles.

The half-empty bank belies its grand exterior, a beautiful stone structure with large columns and ornate etchings by the doors. The bank serves as a metaphor for the town of Houlton, which long ago surrendered its beautiful square to strip malls and superstores along the exit ramps of the I-95. The view from the bank’s entrance offers a half-empty parking lot, closed shops and few people.

Much like the bank, the town square is part of what once was, without quite succeeding in its attempt to remain a part of the town. The irony is never lost on me when my grandfather asks me to accompany him to the “center of town.” From the outside looking in, the center of town moved long ago. The center of town is a square replete with buildings and storefronts, however, the all-important people are absent. The people, of course, are either gone to bigger cities or different towns in search of work and opportunity, or they have retreated to their cars, driving to the superstore parking lot, shopping and then returning home. Yet, given a closer look, one realizes why this once-charming square remains the center of town in many people’s imagination.

Developed by America’s earliest pioneers, Houlton’s square is an example of an ideal. Like Boston’s Faneuil Hall, it is a place dedicated to the founding pillars of American society, both the free exchange of goods and the free exchange of ideas. The strength of character, industrious work ethic and civic patriotism synonymous with Houlton and Aroostook County is plain for all to see when sitting in the town square of faded glory.

Whether for tradesmen traveling north to peddle their wares, farmers selling fresh produce, lawyers bustling in and out of the courthouse, shopping for clothes at Greene’s or an engagement ring at Perry’s Jewelry, family dinners at the old Northland Hotel, or a card game and conversation at Kitchen’s Barber Shop, the town square was the place where people interacted, debated ideas and engaged in commerce and, not incidentally, provided cities and towns their vitality and pioneering spirit.

Unknown to many who see Houlton merely as the last exit on the I-95, it is a place rooted in the history of what is needed to build a strong and healthy political society. Situated in northern Maine’s harsh winter climate bordering on the province of New Brunswick, natives of Houlton are dedicated to a common sense approach to civic life. Wary of bold pronouncements and social programs that change as quickly as the weather on a blustery winter day, Shiretowners are cautious, measured and humble.

As I make way through the town square with my grandfather, he recalls with great clarity the conversations he had in the bustling square. As he recounts his many trips to the square, he paints a picture of a town where people cared for one another and spoke to each other about their successes and failures irrespective of their station in life.

Sadly, my trip to the bank is not like my grandfather’s, it is as an outsider, someone whose family has long since left Houlton and its square. Strangely, although much of my family has left Houlton, Houlton’s history and values have not left us. A brief trip to the square with an eye to history reminds us of Houlton’s legacy and what it can once again become. The town square is a place that people should keep firmly in their memory as an example of the civic ideal.

Trucks and cars hurtling in and out of the superstores may provide us with cheaper goods to purchase but they deprive us all of the human quality that is supposed to compliment the free market. Indeed, the free market works best when it is complimented by open debate, friendly argument and a sense of community.

As we head out of the bank, it dawns on me that the elder patrons may not be all that confused by Internet banking and ATM cards. To the contrary, they are ahead of the curve, reminding us of the value of heading for the center of town to engage in commerce and bump into old friends. The patrons walk past me and I promise myself to take Houlton’s lessons and history with me, a commitment to community and a desire to find my local bank so that I can learn the teller’s name.

Ben Archibald is a graduate of McGill University’s faculty of law and is an attorney at a Boston-based international law firm. He has spent many summers visiting his grandparents in Houlton.