News
State Awards $180,000 Grant for Railbed-to-Trail Conversion
The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands awards a $180,000 Recreational Trails Program grant to convert the abandoned logging railbed into the Mattawamkeag River Trail, the largest investment in Willow Creek's recreational infrastructure in decades.
newsEzra Homan, Beloved Mill Foreman and Ice-Out Institution, Dies at 79
Ezra Homan, who entered every single Ice-Out competition from its 1927 inception through 1985 — an unmatched streak of 61 consecutive entries — dies, passing his legendary prediction notebook to his son Amos.
newsHarold Winslow, Gazette Publisher Who Restored Local Ownership, Dies at 61
Harold Winslow, who purchased the Willow Creek Gazette in 1974 and returned it to local ownership after a decade of chain ownership, dies of a heart attack. His daughter Clara assumes the publisher's role.
newsChristmas Eve Fire Destroys Abandoned Mill Storage Shed; Main Building Spared
A fire of undetermined origin destroys an abandoned storage shed on the old mill property on Christmas Eve, raising questions about the future of the mill complex that has stood empty for 11 years.
newsCommunity Hall Renovated with Federal Grant; Building Gets New Lease on Life
A $40,000 federal community development grant funds a complete renovation of the Willow Creek Community Hall, modernizing the 1924 Grange hall that serves as the town's primary gathering space.
newsSnowmobile Club Proposes Multi-Use Trail on Abandoned Logging Railbed
The Aroostook Nordic Club proposes converting the abandoned Aroostook Valley Lumber railbed into a multi-use recreational trail, marking the first concrete step toward a tourism economy in post-mill Willow Creek.
newsTown Council Rejects McDonald's Franchise Proposal; Willow Creek Says No to Everytown
A fast-food franchise proposal divides Willow Creek, but the Board of Selectmen ultimately decides that the town's character is not for sale.
newsBicentennial Parade Draws 800, Showcases Town's Heritage
Willow Creek's bicentennial celebration draws the largest crowd since the mill closure, as residents turn out to celebrate 200 years of American independence — and their own resilience.
newsHarold Winslow Purchases Gazette, Returns Paper to Local Ownership
After nine years of chain ownership, the Willow Creek Gazette returns to local hands when a Bangor newspaperman buys the paper and moves his family to town.
newsTown Debates Selling Homan's Pond to Private Developer
A developer's proposal to purchase Homan's Pond for a summer camp divides the town in a four-hour town meeting that tests Willow Creek's post-mill identity.
newsUnemployment in Willow Creek Reaches 28 Percent; Town Seeks Federal Aid
Three months after the mill closure, the full economic toll becomes clear as Willow Creek applies for federal assistance and families begin leaving in large numbers.
newsWillow Creek Hardwood Flooring Company Closes After 69 Years
The mill that built the town idles its final shift, leaving 87 workers without jobs and Willow Creek without its economic anchor.
newsTown Population Dips Below 2,000 for First Time Since 1910
A special census confirms what residents have long suspected: Willow Creek is shrinking, and the exodus of young people to the cities shows no signs of stopping.
newsWillow River Floods Main Street After Rain-on-Snow Event
A December rain-on-snow weather event causes the Willow River to jump its banks, flooding lower Main Street and the Thorne's Bend area.
newsMill Lays Off 30 Workers; Southern Competition Cited
The Willow Creek Hardwood Flooring Company lays off 30 workers, the first major reduction in the mill's workforce since the Depression.
newsEzra Homan Retires from Mill After 44 Years, Never Took a Sick Day
The beloved foreman who started on the green chain at age sixteen ends his mill career with an unmatched attendance record and a legendary Ice-Out diary.
newsPendelton's Hardware & Feed Closes After 40 Years in Business
A Main Street institution shuts its doors, joining the growing list of vacant storefronts that signal Willow Creek's economic contraction.
newsState Proposes Route 11 Bypass; Main Street Merchants Organize Opposition
A proposal to divert Route 11 traffic away from Main Street threatens the commercial heart of Willow Creek, and local merchants are fighting back.
newsWalter Thorne Appointed Rural Mail Carrier; Thorne Name Continues in Public Service
The son of Ezra Thorne II is appointed as rural mail carrier for the Willow Creek route, continuing the family's long tradition of service to the community.
newsCormac O'Flaherty Taps 60 Maples, Begins Sugaring Operation
A new enterprise on Sugarhouse Road produces the first batch of O'Flaherty's Maple syrup, a business that will become a Willow Creek institution.