YESTERDAY …

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(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – June 28, 1997

BREWER – There is a trail along the Penobscot River in Brewer where many a rugged hiker would tread with care. Rocky paths, steep uphills and boulder-filled portage make the scenic path rough going. Brewer High junior Rachel Bodkin-Rubino takes it all in on her mountain bike.

Bodkin got a taste for mountain bike racing watching her brother, Gabe Rubino, race three summers ago. Last year, when Rubino upgraded his mountain bike, he encouraged his sister to buy his old racing bike and compete in the Maine Mountain Bike series. In a year, Bodkin went from spectator to participant to pioneer.

This summer, the Brewer track star again will trade her spikes for spokes as she joins a small group of women making an impact in the Maine Mountain Bike series.

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BANGOR – Standing in the pulpit of Redeemer Lutheran Church, the Rev. Elaine Hewes was greeted with applause. While the congregation was celebrating its first service with a pastor of its own since January 1995, Hewes was thrilled to have landed a job less than a month after ordination.

Nearly 100 people and two guide dogs came to hear Hewes deliver her first sermon in Bangor’s only Lutheran church, the culmination of a spiritual journey Hewes, a former elementary school teacher, began six years ago when she signed up for a course at Bangor Theological Seminary.

“I did not set out to become a minister,” Hewes said. “The journey led me.”

25 years ago – June 28, 1982

ORONO – Indian and white people were snake dancing together on Mill Street. The fifth annual Orono Summer Festival – this one in honor of Penobscot Indian Chief Joseph Orono – was rained out for much of the morning, but by noon hundreds of people had gathered. The unique event brought together Indians and white people for a cultural – and commercial – exchange.

A good place to spend the morning was the Museum of Maine Indian Culture set up in the Methodist Church on Oak Street. Ted Mitchell, a resident of Indian Island, was available to demonstrate some of the old tools, including a crooked knife and a splitter used for shaping strips of ash for baskets.

An especially impressive piece on loan from Unity College was an ornate ceremonial mace carved by the late Senabah, a Penobscot Indian craftsman. But the center of attraction was a powder horn with carvings allegedly done by Chief Orono after he made his famous trip to Boston and Newport to visit with officers in the Revolutionary Army.

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BANGOR – The 100-page final report from American City Corp. detailing a strategy for revitalization of downtown Bangor has circulated among community leaders.

The report doesn’t contain any new ideas on development and rehabilitation of the downtown that haven’t been aired previously. The report does contain financial information and a proposed schedule.

The report states that the city has some “unique environmental, historic and architectural assets that must be capitalized upon for future development.” These include the Kenduskeag Stream and Penobscot River; old, attractive buildings; buildings that are vacant or partially unused with potential for reuse; and vacant land.

50 years ago – June 28, 1957

STETSON – Fire has destroyed the L.C. Archer and Son sawmill with an estimated loss of at least $25,000.

Woodrow W. Archer, mill operator, made the preliminary estimate and said there was partial insurance coverage.

Cause of the blaze was not known. All machinery and other equipment were lost.

Archer said that the fire originated in a room housing the mill’s diesel power plant. It was discovered by several workers at 7:20 a.m., 20 minutes after the mill’s 10-man crew reported for the day’s work.

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BANGOR – Eight collegiate-type chairs have been presented to the Bangor Public Library by the Bangor Mechanics Association.

L. Felix Ranlett, librarian, announced that the chairs are the most recent of gifts the club has given to the library.

He said the chairs, located in the Bangor Room of the building, are of black satin finish with mahogany arms and are adorned with fine lines of gold leaf.

Other gifts the library has received from the 85-member club include a blue-and-white return box used by borrowers after closing hours and located at the front of the library building; and a photo-copy outfit used by the staff to replace worn pages of books by making a copy from a similar page of a duplicate book and replacing the damaged page.

Officers of the Bangor Mechanics Association are Charles F. Bragg II, president; F. Drummond Freese, vice president; Horace S. Steward Jr., secretary; and Erwin S. Anderson, treasurer.

100 years ago – June 28, 1907

ORONO – The Senior Skull Society, the new University of Maine organization, founded by the class of 1907, held its first annual banquet with the “tapped” men of 1908 and a number of prep school men as guests.

This society has for its object the perpetuation of college customs, college spirit, “missionary work” among the preparatory schools, and generally, to further the interests of the university.

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EAST EDDINGTON – Ward farm is having its share of early summer guests. Among them are Mrs. McMaster, Mrs. Daggett and Miss Ayer of Bangor. A party of 22 young men of Bangor took dinner there Sunday, three of whom were Mr. E.E. Lynott, Mr. Frank Lynott and E. Finnigan of Bangor. Sunday visitors from Orono were Mr. and Mrs. Ring and Mrs. Webb.

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EAST ORRINGTON – Augustus Lufkin leaves this week to take up residence in Charleston where he recently purchased a small farm and has disposed of his farm here to Mr. Eugene Pierce of Arlington, N.J. Mr. Lufkin has been a lifelong resident in this village and will be greatly missed. His earnest work in behalf of the schools of this town will be difficult to replace. For many years he has been a justice of the peace. His son will enter Higgins Classical Institute.

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ORONO – E.E. Webber recently completed for E.L. Barker of Orono a handsome new motor boat which was launched last week at Pushaw and will add one more to the growing motor boat fleet at this popular summer resort.

The new boat is 21 feet 6 inches in length and 5 feet wide. It is fitted with a 31/2-horsepower Knox engine, and is built along the lines expected to give both speed and comfort. The finish is white wood and oak, and the craft is a beauty.

Another power boat built in town recently is the one launched at Pushaw Saturday and owned by Arthur Smith, who built his own boat. Mr. Webber is fitting it with a 5-horsepower Stanley engine.

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OLD TOWN – In spite of weather conditions existing in this vicinity, there was a fair-sized audience turned out to see Stetson’s big production of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which was produced in a big tent back of the Maine Central Railroad station. The crowd cheered the escape of Eliza and they were much pleased to see that ice didn’t go out of the river.

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BANGOR – Carl Curran, 16, who lives on Carr Street, figured in an exciting rescue last night, saving two boys from drowning.

Ambrose Bryant and his brother Fred, ages 11 and 13, were fishing in the Penobscot on the dock above the railroad bridge. One lost his balance and fell in and in trying to save himself, pulled his brother in with him.

Neither of the youngsters could swim. Curran heard the outcry and ran to the rescue. He brought one of the boys to shore in safety and reached the second just as he was sinking for the third time.

It was heroic work on the part of young Curran, who was nearly exhausted from his brave effort which saved two lives.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin