This poem, which fondly recalls former WQDY personality Ron MacKechnie, was written by local poet Alberta Farthing Owens. Alberta was born here in Calais in 1936, graduated from CMHS in 1954, married Frederick Owens in 1961, and used to write poetry for … Continue reading
1912 was an eventful year by any measure. Who can forget the sinking of the Titanic- a tragedy which has never lost its fascination for writers and media moguls. However, the Titanic was only one of the events of the … Continue reading
Built in 1847, the Hill Brick Block at the corner of North and Main Streets is both much the same today and much changed. In the photo above taken about 1900 the building was filled with businesses on the ground … Continue reading
Until very recently, the four border communities (Calais, St. Stephen, and the Milltowns) have been largely one social and economic unit. Cross border romances and marriages have always been common. The great lumber barons harvested the forests with equal voraciousness … Continue reading
Washington County has had its share of scams over the years: the Lubec “Gold from Seawater” swindle comes immediately to mind, as does the Burwash fraud of a century ago when vacation lots in Wesley were offered in the bug-infested … Continue reading
Of the many fine policemen that have served the Calais area over the years, few are better remembered than old “Bull” Powers. Bull was beloved by many community members for his service in the 1950s and 60s. What follows is a … Continue reading
Born in 1865 in Pembroke, William Pattangall married Jean M Johnson of Calais in 1884 while he was studying law with the distinguished Calais attorney Archibald MacNichol. Craving adventure, he left the study of law for a time to sail … Continue reading
We came across an interesting article recently reporting on John Trimble’s 1937 speech at the St Croix Club. The Club was a “gentleman’s” club formed the late 1800’s to provide “gentlemen” of the four towns, the Milltowns, Calais and Stephen, … Continue reading
The wagon rests in winter, the sleigh in summer, the horse never. -Yiddish Proverb A good horse cannot be a bad color. -Proverbs No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. -Winston Churchill Indeed, there is … Continue reading
In terms of important, world shattering events, 1930 was a pretty dull year, although two events in 1930 did have significant future repercussions. The first was Gandhi’s Salt March to the Sea in India, a protest of the British prohibition … Continue reading