Caribou Project Timeline –
History of the Site –
The Aroostook River has long been used for power generation for the town of Caribou. When this site was first developed in 1889, it was used as a hydroelectric plant that generated a large portion of Caribou’s energy needs. In 1949, the Diesel plant was built followed by the steam plant in 1953. The plants remained operational until the years leading up to 2012 when they were all deactivated and abandoned.
The site has been abandoned ever since. As a result, there have been incidences of vandalism and trespassing. By revitalizing this beautiful riverfront area, the site has the potential to become a fun recreational space for residents to enjoy.
Site 1 – The Diesel Plant
Located at 142 Lower Lyndon St Caribou, ME along the Aroostook River next to the Aroostook dam on parcels 5059 and 2552.
Site 2 – The Steam Plant
Located at 142 Lower Lyndon St Caribou, ME along the Aroostook River next to the Aroostook dam on parcels 5059 and 2552.
Site 3 – Birdseye
Located near the center of town at 27 Birdseye Avenue in Caribou, ME, just west of the Aroostook River and Route 1.
History of the Site 1
The Caribou Power Plant is located on the west bank of the Aroostook River near the Caribou dam. The surrounding area consists of undeveloped woodlands to the south and vacant parcels to the north.
Across the land of 8 acres, the Caribou dam and former hydroelectric plant were constructed in 1889 and operated by the Caribou Water, Light and Power Company through the 1940s. The Site was acquired by Maine Public Service Company (Emera Maine, Versant Power) in 1943 and the existing Diesel plant was constructed in 1949 and deactivated in 2011. It is currently owned by the City of Caribou and the Site has been vacant for several years and the buildings are in poor repair.
History of the Site 2
The Aroostook River has long been used for power generation for the town of Caribou. When this site was first developed in 1889, it was used as a hydroelectric plant that generated a large portion of Caribou’s energy needs. In 1953, the Steam plant was built. The plant remained operational until the years leading up to 2012 when it was deactivated and abandoned. As it reads above, the site has been abandoned ever since. Some vandalism and trespassing has occurred, but the city looks forward to revitalizing this beautiful riverfront area into a fun recreational space for residents to enjoy.
History of the Site 3
The Site 3 served as a location for food processing, packaging, and storage throughout its history and has changed hands nine times since 1943. Snider Packing Corporation initially purchased the parcel from the City of Caribou in 1943, which was sold to General Foods Corporation in 1947. General Foods Corporation held the property until 1969, when it was purchased by the Caribou Development Corporation, who operated on the parcel until it was sold in 1980. The Colby Cooperative Starch Company was the next owner until A E Staley Manufacturing Company purchased the site in 1986. Interstate Food Processing Corporation purchased the parcel in 1990 and held the deed to the property for a short two-year span and sold it to Ayer Property Number One, Inc. in 1992. Ayer possessed the parcel until February 2003, when it was sold to Banknorth, MA, who quickly flipped the property to Nasiff Land, LLC in May 2003. Birds Eye Foods operated on the parcel until the City of Caribou took control over the site in 2014.