(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – Sept. 9, 1996

BANGOR – The fact it was Paul Bunyan Festival Days came into sharp focus when Bangor native U.S. Rep. John Baldacci performed the ribbon cutting that officially kicked off the three-day bash. Baldacci used an ax to cut the ribbon at the foot of the towering statue overlooking Main Street.

Legend has it that lumbering giant Paul Bunyan once roamed these parts. Though a number of states claim the large logger as their own, Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce President Peter Daigle says he has proof that Bunyan was a Mainer. When the U.S. Postal Service released a Paul Bunyan stamp as part of its Folk Heroes commemorative series, it did so in Bangor.

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BANGOR – Paid attendance to this year’s Bangor State Fair was up 6 percent over last year, director Mike Dyer told the Bass Park committee.

The fair, which ran for 10 days in late July and early August, drew 66,641 people and made a profit of $21,653, Dyer said.

The profit was down from last year, Dyer reported, partially because of higher expenses such as bringing in popular concert acts such as John Anderson and .38 Special.

25 years ago – Sept. 9, 1981

CASTINE – A record of births in Castine for about the first 100 years after it was incorporated in 1796 has been published in book form by Virginia Koffman of Castine.

The record, which Koffman said took years to compile, is about 80 pages in length.

“There is tremendous interest in Castine history,” said the author, whose family included the Whitmores, who came to Castine in 1761 from Bath.

Two years ago, Mrs. Koffman completed a book on cemetery records of Castine.

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CASTINE – Sitting at the mouth of Castine Harbor through Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey looks like a gray plastic model glued together by a boy on a rainy day. No plaything, the Dewey was riveted and welded by workers at Bath Iron Works in the late 1950s. The Dewey arrived in Castine at the invitation of the Maine Maritime Academy Navy Reserve Officer Training unit.

Of the 366 people aboard the Dewey, four are Mainers: FTG Raymond Lemay of Bradford, OS3 Woodrow Arsenault of Rumford, BT3 Kurt A. Pease of Berwick and BT3 Dana R Perkins of Hartland.

Capt. Harlan L. Morrison said assignment to the ship is considered a combat post, therefore, the crew includes no women.

50 years ago – Sept. 9, 1956

BANGOR – Lt. Ann H. Tomlinson, the newly arrived Dependents Assistance officer at Dow Air Force Base, will conduct the SAC Dependents’ Assistance orientation and training course for Air Force wives.

The purpose of the class is to indoctrinate dependents in matters affecting their security and welfare.

Topics will include personal affairs forms, housing, overseas travel, allotments, Air Force Aid Society, Red Cross, insurance, casualty benefits, retirement, military and community facilities and techniques for volunteer workers.

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BANGOR – Autumn was the theme for the first annual Flower Show of the Bangor Garden Club at the First Methodist Church.

Club members were expected to make at least one entry in the flower show. Mrs. Everett Glidden held the record for entries with 14 contributions to the various classes.

In Class 1, Indian Summer, Mrs. Arthur Chandler’s arrangement was noted for its outstanding design of Mansur gladioli and dahlias in red so near the same color that they blended in perfect harmony. In the same class, Mrs. Clyde Lougee’s zinnias, Lilliput, and ivy arrangement were used as a setting for a miniature deer and fawn.

Class 5, First Frost, consisted of white flowers in a white container. Mrs. Earl Merriman used phlox and balloon flowers with dainty green ferns to put over her idea of frost.

Mrs. Florence Grant arranged her rambler rose display in an epergne, a container 150 years old, to give a cascading effect, in Memories Class 6.

100 years ago – Sept. 9, 1906

CASTINE – Mr. Adelbert Gott has secured the position of fireman on Steamer Sieur de Monts, a position which he expects to hold until the steamer is hauled off this fall.

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CASTINE – The Castine Grange Fair and Cattle Show will be held Sept. 25. Special cash prizes are offered for the best bread made by any girl under 16 years of age. There is to be a potato race during the day. The competitors must be boys under 16 years of age.

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BREWER – A noticeable feature of the reunion held at Green Lake by former members of the training school for teachers, when the school was in the charge of Miss Mary Snow of Bangor, was the fact that of the 25 members present, six were from Brewer.

They were: Miss Rose Farrington, Miss Lilla McLeod, Miss Alma Higgins, Mrs. Susan Swett Preble, Mrs. Dora Copeland Farrington and Mrs. Annie Dooey Bradbury.

These with the others making up the party were entertained at the Kirstein cottage. A picnic dinner was served, after which an alumni association was formed. Of the officers chosen, one was a Brewer teacher, Miss Alma Higgins, who was elected vice president.

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BREWER – The home of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith of Ayers Court was the scene of a pretty home wedding, when in the presence of a large number of relatives and friends, their daughter, Miss Belle Smith, was united in marriage to Mr. Harry Austin, formerly of Brooksville, now of Brewer. The rooms were artistically decorated in gold and green, golden rod and ferns admirably carrying out the color scheme, while masses of pink and white sweet peas furnished a pretty contrast in the dining room.

Moving to strains of Lohengrin’s bridal march played by Miss Grace Walker, the bridal party entered the parlor – the groomsman, Mr. Purdy Smith, brother of the bride; and the maid of honor, Miss Annie Smith, sister of the bride; and the bride and groom, preceded by the flower girl, Olga Dulmar. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Horace G. McLauflin, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church. The single-ring ceremony was used.

The bride was gowned in white silk with bridal veil and carried bride roses. The flower girl, little Miss Dulmar, was dressed in white, and the bridesmaid, Miss Annie Smith, was charmingly attired in champagne-colored mousseline de soie and carried asters.

Refreshments of ice cream, cake and punch were served by Misses Ethel Smith, Grace Walker, Ethel Fowler and Greta Wood.

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CASTINE – The town schools will begin Sept. 17. The high school will be in the charge of Mr. John Lock Hooper.

The grammar school will be taught by Miss Mary Shephard. Miss Carrie Perkins will teach the intermediate school on City park, while Miss Mary Hook has charge of the primary school.

The two schools outside the village will be taught by Miss Annett Robinson in the Emerson District and Mrs. Inez Grant in the Steel District. The school houses have been repaired and are in good condition.

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CASTINE – It is reported that Mrs. William Witherbee and daughter, Anna, are to spend the winter in Honolulu where they will be the guests of former governor Dole.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin