Presque Isle: The Star City

Text by Jacob and Craig, students at Presque Isle Middle School
Edited by Presque Isle Historical Society

The Presque Isle Electric Company (later known as Maine Public Service Company) was established in the 1890s. Arthur Gould later became its manager. In 1910, Gould’s long-time dream of establishing an electric railroad became a reality with the formation of the Aroostook Valley Railroad (AVRR). As the owner of the AVRR and manager of the electric company, it made sense for Gould to have both businesses in the same building. The building many of us know today as the Maine Public Service building on the corner of Second and State Streets was built by Gould in 1920 for the purpose of housing these two companies.

Sources
William, Arthur M. From Logs to Electricity. Presque Isle: Maine Public Service, 1989.