‘Branding’ Moosehead back to the future

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    I missed the Moosehead Lake Region “branding” presentation on April 10; but thanks to today’s technology, it was on YouTube a few hours after it occurred.
    And it was quite entertaining as well as informative.

    For those who aren’t familiar with the event, the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation has been working on ways to attract more tourists and businesses to the community for more than a year.
    The presentation was the grand finale, so to speak, with much of the content based on a survey of people who had strong opinions on the future of the region.
    Consultant Roger Brooks, who hosted the hour-plus presentation, is convinced that the Moosehead Lake Region is one of Maine’s best-kept secrets.
    Even today, when I mention to people that I worked in Greenville full-time from 1999-2003, they ask “You commuted all the way up there?”
    “All the way up there” was 45 miles from my home in St. Albans. By comparison, I drive 42 miles to Bangor and 50 miles to Augusta just as often.
    Still, every time I hit the crest of Indian Hill and get my first glimpse of Moosehead Lake, I feel relaxed even when I’m technically working.
    Brooks suggested that the Moosehead Lake Region be branded as “America’s Crown Jewel.” In addition to being a marketing tool for tourism interests, the “Jewel” may also attract new businesses – and most importantly – young families.
Brooks took the unique position that in a sense, Greenville should look to its past for guidance, rather than the future.
    Why? Numbers tell the story. The year-round population of Greenville has dipped to about 1,650. The entire school system has around 230 kids.
    In 1969, there were 57 students in the senior class at Greenville High School.
    This year, there’s a class of 22.
    But in the late 1960s there were also more non-seasonal jobs in the area that didn’t depend on tourism.Today, the top employers are the school system and C.A. Dean Memorial Hospital.
    While the population of the Moosehead Lake Region has been relatively stable, it’s also grayer. The scenic beauty and low crime rate attracts retirees who can afford to live here on their pensions. But chances are they’re not going to help increase the school population.
    So it’s the circular formula again. Without jobs, young families can’t afford to move to Greenville. But without a workforce already in place, would you open a business there?
    Brooks may not have all the answers, but I’m glad he asked some of the right questions.
    And taking Greenville “back to the future” may be one of the right answers.
Mike Lange is a staff writer with the Piscataquis Observer. His opinions are his own and don’t necessarily reflect those of this newspaper.