Brownville-Brownville Junction Historical Society takes a trip back in time

BROWNVILLE — On Tuesday evening, July 30 nearly 40 people gathered at the Brownville Community Church to view home movies recorded in Brownville Junction and along both the Canadian Pacific and the Bangor & Aroostook rail lines by Sam Michaud and his son Andrew in the 1940s and 1950s. These videos first came to the Brownville-Brownville Junction Historical Society’s attention when Andrew’s son John contacted society President Susan Worcester to see if the organization would be interested in having the footage if the family separated the relevant material from the much larger content of mostly family events.

Worcester was pleased that so many people – local citizens and people from away – took the time to attend. Along with people from Brownville, Brownville Junction and Ebeemee, those attending drove from East Millinocket, Sangerville, Presque Isle and Old Orchard Beach to see the videos. People who summer in the area and live as far away as New Hampshire, New York and North Carolina also attended.

“It was very special to have John Michaud and his sister and cousin take the time to attend the presentation,” Worcester said. “A much enjoyed addition to the movies was the commentary offered by John McCormick who summers at Sebec Lake. He was able to add a great deal of information about where along the rail lines the videos were taken as those attending ‘rode along’ on the trains. Everyone attending seemed to enjoy and appreciate the look back in history.”

Due to the heat and the limitations of space at the Parish House Museum, the viewing was moved next door to the Brownville Community Church where adequate seating and air conditioning was available. Worcester thanks Barbie Shedd and Walter MacDougall for their help in opening and closing the parish hall for this gathering and to the church members for allowing the historical society to use the facility.

The videos can be viewed at YouTube.com under “Brownville Junction, Maine – Main St. scenes 1939-58”,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGmiUCzRe2s and https://youtu.be/wYCzTEHGbOQ.

The Brownville-Brownville Junction Historical Society Parish House Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, please call Worcester at 965-8070.