YESTERDAY …
10 years ago — May 29, 2004
(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)
BANGOR — City councilors agreed to hire a local engineering company to conduct a structural survey on the grandstand at Bangor Raceway, which is more than 50 years old.
An inspector for the city’s liability insurance carrier has determined that decades of Maine weather has eroded the grandstand’s concrete, causing cracks to develop and, in some cases, exposing the steel reinforcement bars that provide structural integrity to poured concrete, according to Bass Park Director Mike Dyer, who spoke during a meeting of the Council’s business and economic development committee.
ORONO — The University of Maine has submitted a bid to host an NCAA regional baseball tournament according to athletic director Patrick Nero.
Maine submitted a bid last year, but Northeastern won the America East Tournament and earned the automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. The Bears went 1-2 in the America East tourney.
Improvements made to Mahaney Diamond should help Maine’s chances of hosting one of the 16 four team regionals.
25 years ago — May 29, 1989
BANGOR — A new name has been selected for the Symphony Women as the Bangor Symphony Orchestra heads into its 91st season and moves to a new home at the Bangor Opera House.
Members voted at the annual meeting and luncheon to change the name to Symphony Women and Friends.
The name change reflects a desire to expand membership base of the organization. Although membership has been open to anyone who wishes to join, the organization hopes the new name will sound more inclusive.
Symphony Women has for 20 years been a committee of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra board of directors. Its purpose is to provide financial and other support to the symphony.
BANGOR — Bangor firefighters tested the pumping capacity of Engine 7, the department’s oldest pumper to make sure the 1960 Mack can pump 1,000 gallons a minute for 15 minutes as required for insurance certification. Capt. Richard Courtney watched the pumper’s gauges during the test.
50 years ago — May 29, 1964
BANGOR — The city of Bangor has marked the end of an era.
Probably for the first time in its history the Bangor Police Department is without a “Paddy Wagon.”
The familiar “Black Maria” has gone the way of the trolley car and the high buttons shoe. In its place is a sleek, new station wagon equipped for efficient multipurpose duty.
It’s a hard pill for the old policeman to swallow, but it’s progress. A wagon call will never be quite the same again. No more will the lumbering wagon chug its way to the scene of an altercation or riot to take on a cargo of baffling lumberjacks.
BREWER — High school kids pass him in cars on their way to school. Middle-aged fellow employees chat about their getting too old for the company bowling team. Retired men in their 60s not to him from their flower gardens.
All this must amuse Melville L. “Bumpa” Day who walks to work daily, rain or shine, from his home at 97 Holyoke St. in Brewer, across the bridge into Bangor where he is employed.
Day turned 85 Thursday. Eyeing twin birthday cakes, he told friends, “Who’s old in a 85? Not me.”
The octogenarian, a longtime resident of the Brewer-Eddington area, is well-known and well-liked. His good morning smile en route to work each day is a mobile landmark in itself. He has a car but insists on using it only on weekends to visit relatives to make short trips.
Born in East Eddington in 1879, the year Rutherford B. Hayes was president and F.W. Woolworth opened his first dime store in Utica, N.Y., Day and attended schools there as a boy.
He has worked in various places, including W.P. Dickey’s, Rice and Miller, and R.B. Dunnings. He is employed now at the Bangor Hardware Company.
Day admits he doesn’t hunt and fish as much as he used to, substituting instead the indoor pleasures of reading and watching TV.
100 years ago — May 29, 1914
BANGOR — Miss Clarissa Dwight Eaton, one of Bangor’s oldest residents, who traced their ancestry back 10 generations of substantial New England people, and was the granddaughter of Capt. Park Holland of the colonial army in the war of the revolution, died at her home at 44 Grove St.
Ms. Eaton was born in Bangor almost 84 years ago, the daughter of Luther Eaton, and Eddington merchant, and Lucy Spooner Hall and. She had resided in her
Grove Street home since 1855, when it was one of the first houses to be built in the street. Somerset Street had not then been laid out. Miss Eaton is the last survivor of the early families who build houses on Grove Street, including the piece, Bradley and Dennett families.
She was an active member of the Unitarian church, entering into its various affairs with interest and devotion, especially the Woman’s Alliance. Gifted with a fine disposition, she was a good friend and neighbor, whose passing will be learned with sorrow by those who had the privilege of her acquaintance.
BUCKSPORT — The fact that Bucksport is to have its much-needed hospital is very welcome news to this entire section. The three physicians of the place, Dr. George H. Emerson, Dr. Horace E. Snow and Dr. R.W. Foster, have taken the house on Buck Street known as the Stover house and are having it fixed suitable for hospital. The floors are being painted and all necessary work to make it one of the best is being done. Part of the furnishings have been installed in the hospital will soon be ready for patients.
BUCKSPORT — The cemetery, known as the Lawrence cemetery, situated in District 2 on the shore road, has been greatly changed this spring owing to the efforts of William Boyle, assisted by his relatives. This cemetery is the oldest in this part of the country. William Lawrence, who was born in Scotland in 1748 and died in 1847 at the good old age of 99 years was buried there. He was a Revolutionary War veteran, and after the war was over settled on the farm known as the Lawrence farm. This land ran up from the Penobscot to Silver Lake and has since been divided up among the descendents. In this cemetery there lies four generations of Lawrences. The old fence around the cemetery has been removed, after having done service for the past 50 years, and a substantial woven wire fence has been placed there. The trees have been cleared and any growth that took from the calm and peaceful beauty of this attractive resting place has been removed and the cemetery presents a fine appearance.
Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin