At 200 years old, Industry remains a “place of honor among other towns.”
By Robert Holmes
Special to the Sun Journal

INDUSTRY – Industry residents celebrated their town’s 200th birthday Friday night.

Locals, who enjoyed the Ham and Bean Supper at the town hall, remembered past summer days spent swimming in Clear Water Lake and mused over the beauty of the rolling mountains and woods that surround the small town.

“Industry has stood the tests of time and is truly something to celebrate,” said Rep. Janet Mills in her opening speech and prayer that commenced the bicentennial’s opening ceremony.

Mills, who traced her family ancestry in Industry back two generations, spoke eloquently about Industry’s beautiful lake, mountains and woods before the Rev. John Tolman Sr. from Industry’s West Mills Church said a few words and also lead guests in prayer.

Tolman prayed that Industry residents will “keep Industry a place of honor among other towns.”

Nostalgia flowed as guests, who crowded the town hall, mingled with one another as they collected their plates, beans and ham from the buffet table and reminisced of days gone by.

“I lived in the lake. I put my bathing suit on in the spring and took it off in the fall,” said second selectman Caroline Eaton, who has spent her entire 55 years living in Industry.

Eaton shared her fond memories of growing up, and raising her own family in Industry. In the future, she hopes the place she loves so much will “stay a friendly small town. A place for my kids to come home to,” she said.

United States Army Maj. Lisa Watson grew up in Industry and was home for a quick visit before shipping out to South Korea with her fiancé, Maj. Tom Rickard. Although they will be living in South Korea for a number of years, both plan to retire in Industry, a town of about 800 residents. “Although I’m in the Army, I come back every year,” Watson said.

Rickard and Watson saw the completion of their new home last week. It’s a home they don’t plan to occupy for another six to eight years. Rickard explained why he will follow his future wife back to her home town for their retirement after their Army careers end when he said, “This is a beautiful place, a nice respite.”

“Oh, there’s so much,” said longtime Industry resident Bob Burton when asked what he has enjoyed most about spending his years in Industry. After pondering a few moments, Burton decided it was the small town closeness that he enjoyed the most. “In a little small town, you know everyone,” he said.

The luxury Burton has enjoyed for numerous years is disappearing quickly as people from away move into the area, said Burton, slightly agitated at the growth he’s seen.

“There’s no more room on the lake,” he said.

Burton recalled bygone days when he attended a one-room schoolhouse.

“In a one-room school, you got to know people so much better,” he said. That was back in an era, Burton recalls, “when neighbors would just help each other.”

rholmes@sunjournal.com

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