Aroostook Aerials

05/04/2025

Be glad we aren’t having another May like this one, five years ago! ⛄️ 🥶 ❄️

05/04/2025

05/02/2025

A century of history lost in minutes. The Watson Settlement Bridge, built in 1911 and once a proud symbol of Littleton, was destroyed by arson in 2021. Though the structure is gone, the memory remains — a reminder of our past and the importance of protecting what connects us.

05/01/2025

Come check out the Gateway Bridge and explore the beautiful Riverfront Park and trails this Saturday, May 3, during the Meduxnekeag River Canoe Race! It’s the perfect spot to cheer on the racers and take in some fresh spring air.

04/29/2025

Golden hour over the Houlton Post Office — a landmark that keeps the town connected, one letter and package at a time.
Even in a digital world, there’s something timeless about a handwritten note finding its way home.

04/28/2025

From right to left: the Mansur Block, the First National Bank, Temple Theatre, and Market Square Commons—each a chapter in Houlton’s evolving story.

The Mansur Block, constructed between 1905 and 1906, was commissioned by banker Walter P. Mansur. This stately brick building once housed F.W. Woolworth on the ground floor, with offices and apartments above, anchoring the corner of Market Square and Water Street.

To the left is a gem of granite columns: the First National Bank of Houlton, built in 1907. Designed by Lewiston architect George M. Coombs, it brought Greek Revival style to the heart of downtown with its stately Doric columns and iron detailing. It was one of Coombs’ final commissions before his death in 1909.

On the West end of the block, the Temple Theatre opened its doors in 1919 within the newly built Masonic Building. Designed by Boston architect Edward J. Bolan, the theater featured a large balcony and box seats, becoming a central hub for entertainment in Houlton. The building also housed business offices on the second floor and a Masonic lodge on the third floor. 

To the far left is Market Square Commons, a three-story apartment complex built in 2010. Designed for residents aged 55 and older, it stands as a testament to Houlton’s commitment to preserving its historic charm while providing modern, affordable housing for its senior residents.

Together, these buildings reflect Houlton’s rich history and its continuous adaptation through the decades.

04/27/2025

In 2020, the Meduxnekeag River in Houlton reached its lowest levels in recent memory, a stark reflection of the year’s unusually dry conditions. That year, Houlton experienced significantly reduced rainfall, with several months recording below-average precipitation.

This photograph captures the Meduxnekeag during that unprecedented low, revealing stretches of exposed riverbed that are typically submerged. It’s a vivid reminder of how intimately our local waterways are tied to seasonal weather patterns and the broader climate.

04/26/2025

Floating above Market Square’s west side, “Old Iron” carries North Street across the Meduxnekeag, with the Town & Country building—its rooftop thermometer marking every season—anchoring the corner. Just beyond, Wilfred Mansur’s red-brick block flows into the Temple Theatre’s historic marquee. In summer, Saturday farmers markets spill into the plaza, and each Fourth of July, the Independence Day parade winds past these storied facades. One glance captures a century of Houlton’s heartbeat.

04/25/2025

After months of silence, the courthouse clock chimes once more—twelve clear notes echoing across town. Let it be a reminder of what’s worth preserving.

04/25/2025

Long before “Old Iron” carried cars across the Meduxnekeag, the roar of Atlas Plywood’s massive mill engines echoed through these streets. In the early 1900s, logs floated down the river, where they were sawn into sheets that built homes, barns, and storefronts all over Houlton and beyond. Today, you can still step back into that era by paging through sepia-toned photographs online at the Maine Memory Network or Vintage Maine Images—where smokestacks, timber piles, and workers in cap and overalls bring the mill yard back to life. And if you’re ever in town, the Aroostook County Historical & Art Museum holds original glass-plate negatives of the mill in its Ransford Shaw Collection—proof that Houlton’s growth was powered by more than just bridges and roads.