Guilford, Maine

Text by: Tom Goulette
Images by: Guilford Historical Society

Following the raucous sesquicentennial celebration of 1966, the town settled back into its familiar routine, accomplishing much, losing occasional battles, and rolling along like a floating leaf borne by a babbling stream, always moving, always adapting.

Half the downtown burned in a tremendous fire during a wild snowstorm in ’69, and five businesses were wiped out, yet it seemed not a beat was skipped. The last class graduated from the “old high school” that year, and a new one was erected at the edge of the village. Fluoride was added to the water, a new sanitary district was incorporated, and a tennis court was built as was a 24-unit senior citizen’s complex, which soon expanded to 40 units.

Recession hit in ’74, but having seen this so many times before, nobody blinked. Two new bridges were built, the library was renovated, and zoning ordinances were drafted, but not accepted so the entire planning board resigned in frustration. The Town Dump closed for good and a crude transfer station was developed, a nearly new tire store was lost in a fiery spectacle, and the ’79 flood caused severe damage at Pride Manufacturing and destroyed the Chase & Kimball Oil Co. oil storage facility near the ball fields.

But bad news cohabitated with good news – it seemed nothing could discourage the machinery of progress. As the decade of the ‘70s drew to a close, there were over 1,000 jobs in a town of 1800 residents. In 1983, there was not an empty storefront in all of Guilford. The three local industries were modernizing and expanding, there was no municipal debt, several new businesses including a credit union arrived and even another great downtown fire, one which consumed a clothing store, caused little more than a hiccup, as the store rebuilt immediately.

The town’s mettle was tested on April Fool’s Day in 1987, however, when the greatest flood in our history struck, cresting at levels seven feet higher than a ever before, pushing huge ice floes ahead of the water, wiping out many buildings, damaging over 50 homes, destroying our famed covered bridge, and causing millions of dollars in losses to businesses. Spirits were not long dampened, though, and the community pulled together as always, focusing on the necessary, cleaning up the aftermath, repairing and rebuilding.

We were still in a boom despite the setback. A local restaurant rebuilt and enlarged; a furniture business expanded, a new car wash was constructed and the 16 units demolished in the flood were replaced with 24 new apartments. The mills dried themselves off and were going full tilt once again, a $20 million state-of-the-art yarn manufacturing facility was planned by Interface, the credit union erected a brand new building, the Oak Ridge Apartments complex was developed on Hudson Avenue, and a $60,000 addition was approved for the town office.

Things were growing so well statewide that comprehensive plans for towns became mandatory. Soon, Low’s Covered Bridge was replaced, Interface built a huge corporate office building, the town office project was completed and King Cummings Park was dedicated as we tried to slip quietly into the ’90s.

Just as Guilford was recognized as a “Main Street 90 Community”, recession crept up from nowhere, resulting in layoffs. The mood was dreary. So in 1991, with oil stains several feet above ground level, yet adorning the clapboards of once flooded homes, and dozens of unemployed, the town held a 175th birthday celebration anyway. And what a celebration it was, with a huge parade, contests of all types, music, dancing, speeches and remembrances, and very high spirits.

While Guilford’s downtown district was in upheaval from business closures and removals to other sites, a million dollar renovation occurred at our Primary School, the library got computers for public use, and a boat launch was installed on the Piscataquis River.

In 1992, Pride Manufacturing’s purchase of the former Ethan Allen plant in Burnham foreshadowed its diminishing presence in our town. New rules forced the closing of our local brush dump, general assistance expenditures hit an all time high of $54,000, and soon thereafter, Burt’s Bees, which had recently established its presence in town, headed south to North Carolina to escape the tax burden.

Still, hope was not lost. Instead of listening to the usual economic indicators, the resilient people of Guilford kept forging new roads and in fact paved some that had been only gravel for over a century. Throughout the '90’s, the introduction of new buildings and businesses flew in the face of conventional wisdom. The school became the first to put a laptop in the hands of each fifth grade student, a model program for the nation. The medical facility was renovated and a physician’s office added; a new middle school was constructed and the old one sold for a dollar to house a new transportation company which brought excise tax dollars and jobs; a fitness center opened; library usage increased by 56 percent; and the Saulter Facility was built as planned by Interface. Cell towers came to town.

Another downturn came in 2002 when the D.E.P threatened suit over an unpermitted transfer station, the town garage was deteriorating, and the planning board had ceased to meet, and applications for grant funds to complete water main replacement and downtown revitalization had been rejected. But optimism soon took hold again as Hardwood Products Company was named Exporter of the Year, new looms were installed at Interface, Pride’s grew and expanded its product line, the H.K. Melvin Park was created, and a new transfer station was approved.

In 2003, America went to war. Meanwhile, a new municipal garage was purchased, a large expansion was accomplished at the library, and an Economic Development Board was created. The town was awarded a $400,000 grant to spruce up downtown, Interface was awarded the E.P.A. National Merit Award, a new brick and bronze war memorial was built on Water Street, the Abaris Club won a grant to assist the town in rebuilding its playground and tennis court, and new bridges had been installed on either side of town. When Pride Manufacturing suddenly packed up and left town, a $400,000 Business Assistance grant aided a new buyer, American Pride out of New Vineyard, in purchasing the plant.

In 2004, the first Piscataquis River Festival was held; a gala event with a huge parade, musical entertainment, and games. The new playground and tennis court complex was dedicated, the town librarian was named Maine’s Most Outstanding, the town took on the Tax Collector and Treasurer duties for neighboring Willimantic, and road work was undertaken in the replacement of 26 culverts.

In 2008, the Downtown Revitalization project was completed and a whole new appearance to the south side of town was created with period lamp posts, concrete and granite sidewalks, street trees, and removal of overhead wiring. Meanwhile, the library trustees turned the property over to the town thus creating another town department, the Partnership Food Pantry was established to help feed area hungry, and a $250,000 Housing Assistance Grant was landed to make improvements for many homes in town.

In 2009, everyone was working together with renewed effort and purpose, even as layoffs again abounded and 200 jobs were lost when Interface Fabric was sold. The town was named the Lilac Capital and the Chickadee Capital of Maine and a Little Miss Lilac Pageant was held in conjunction with the ongoing annual River Festival. The Historical Society, Town Office, library, school, and economic development board sought and received a grant to establish a town historical website, thus creating unity across several lines.

While the world remains in conflict in all corners and the global economy is as scary as it’s ever been, Guilford will survive. We were born of the river, empowered and made wealthy by her awesome strength, robbed and rewarded by her capriciousness, and inspired by her tireless, unceasing example. As in each moment, when new water passes a given spot, as banks and bends imperceptibly erode and relocate, as ice forms, melts, and moves on by, so too will the fortune and history of Guilford be wrought with change. The pattern has been one of ups and downs, but we have proven over and over again, when times get hard, we get strong.

HOME