. Northern Maine, its points of interest and its representative business men, embracing Houlton, Presque Isle, Caribou, Ft. Fairfield, Danforth, Lincoln, Mattawamkeag, Winn and Kingman. ent was fairly entered upon an unprecedented era of prosperity. Duringthe winter of 1828-29 the work of road-making was continued, one force cutting out a way throughthe forest towards Mars Hill and another improving the road to Bangor, but experience made it clearthat the conditions were such as to render it imadvisable to attempt tiie construction of a permanent 10 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF HOULTON. turnpike road
. Northern Maine, its points of interest and its representative business men, embracing Houlton, Presque Isle, Caribou, Ft. Fairfield, Danforth, Lincoln, Mattawamkeag, Winn and Kingman. ent was fairly entered upon an unprecedented era of prosperity. Duringthe winter of 1828-29 the work of road-making was continued, one force cutting out a way throughthe forest towards Mars Hill and another improving the road to Bangor, but experience made it clearthat the conditions were such as to render it imadvisable to attempt tiie construction of a permanent 10 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF HOULTON. turnpike road by soldier labor, and the fine military road which was eventually built from the the Mattawamkeag straight through to the barracks was constructed under contract by civilianaIt was practically finished by the winter of 1832 and was regarded as a model of perfection, as indeeiiit was in comparison with other Maine roads at that time. In 1836 the soldiers began building a roacVfrom the barracks toward the Province, aided by civilians with teams, and the work was very welldone. Every spring the military roads were scientifically repaired and while controlled by the Federal. The New Grammar School. authorities they improved from year to year, but after being surrendered to the local authorities tlieywere neglected, especially after the building of the railways. The result of this short-sighted policy-is evident in the very inferior condition of the roads at present, but of late years there has been »growing tendency to improve our New England country roads and it is probable that the originat-efficiency of some of these military roads will be restored before a great while. The detachment of the Second Infantry remained at Iloulton \intil the latter part of 1838, when itwas relieved by several companies of the First Artillery under command of Major R. M. Kirby, whoarrived here just in time to become quite a prominent figure in the so-called Aroostook war which-commenced ea
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