HOULTON – The Town Council found itself between a rock and a hard place on Tuesday when trying to weigh the value of a locally historic site against the town’s need for economic growth.

The Aroostook Historical and Art Museum in Houlton would like to have part of the former U.S. Army air base along the U.S.-Canada border set aside as a historic site. The site would be marked with a glacial boulder and a bronze plaque.

The area in question, however, is in the town’s industrial park and, in particular, within a 20-acre parcel that is being targeted for a $10 million project.

The industrial park and town’s airport are on land used as a military base between 1941 and 1944. From 1944 to 1946, it housed German prisoners of war.

The museum is planning a reunion next September for former POWs and others associated with the base. In preparation, volunteers have cleared space around the foundation of the former base hospital.

“I think the area where the volunteers cleaned up and want to erect a sign is really an important part of Houlton’s history,” Kay Bell, volunteer curator for the museum, told the council during its meeting. “Once these places are gone, they can’t be replaced.”

The area near the hospital consists of about eight foundations and concrete slabs that have been overgrown by a tree farm planted by the town decades ago.

Town Manager Peggy Daigle, while understanding the desire to preserve part of the town’s history, opposed the location cited by Bell because of the pending development interest in the site.

“This is slated to be a big site and to be raised and leveled,” she said. “This [historical project] in the middle of it would deter this development.

“It seems to be the wrong statement and the wrong thing to be doing, if what we want to do is have some development out there,” she said.

Though not at liberty to discuss the development project, which is being pursued in conjunction with the Southern Aroostook Development Corp., Daigle said it has to do with the town’s proximity to the border, Interstate 95 and U.S. Customs facilities.

Daigle was not opposed to the designation of a historical site at the park, but felt such an effort should be in an area that would not impede industrial growth.

Councilor Gerry Adams disagreed.

“Economic development is important, but the historical heritage of our community is as important, if not more,” he said.

“I can’t even fathom that we’d think about getting rid of that over there.”

Attempting to find a compromise, Councilor Michael Carpenter, sitting as acting chairman, suggested that perhaps the rock and plaque could be placed near the entrance to the industrial park and indicate that the whole area has significant historical value.

Along with that, he suggested that a building to house a model of the former base and other memorabilia could be built near the airport terminal building.

He subsequently asked for a motion to table the order approving the rock monument. That motion was approved 4-1.