Community Projects
Katahdin Festival of Trees | Over the past four years, we have seen community members generously support projects that create a sense of pride, clean-up a neglected gathering space, and create hope. Together, we are creating more space for ideas, hope and connectivity between neighbors, friends and visitors alike.
Ktaadn Arts Gallery | A local group of artists and artisans from throughout the state of Maine, with a special concentration in the Katahdin Region are forming an artists collective gallery in East Millinocket. Artists and galleries attract visitors. Please help the Ktaadn Arts Gallery renovate their building on Main Street in East Millinocket to create a beautiful new gallery space for local artists and artisans.
Latest News
Our Katahdin had a busy summer, and we are pleased to share what we've been up to. A few highlights include:
- Paying the back taxes owed to the Town of Millinocket for GNP West in the amount of $160,815.27 to resolve the town liens on the mill property.
- Mailing the payment check to the IRS for the remainder of the $450,000 settlement. The IRS received the check on October 15th and now has 30 days to discharge the lien on the Millinocket mill site property.
- Transporting and refurbishing electric transformers to the Millinocket mill site. These will be critical to stepping down power to distribute electricity to the existing buildings.
- Completing the Brownfield clean-up process at 230 Penobscot, which paves the way for further renovations in the spring.
Happy 4th of July! With expected temperatures in the 90's for our 4th Annual Cornhole Tournament this Friday at 4:00 pm, summer has arrived! Come join the fun and watch teams huck bean bags to support Our Katahdin at the Scootic In in downtown Millinocket. The Scootic will have a beer tent and we'll bring the koozies! Keep the downtown fun going with a street dance that starts next door at the Bandstand at 7:00 pm.
To learn more about the work we've been up to, please keep reading for updates on the mill site, the IRS lien, 230 Penobscot and more!
We hope everyone has a fun and safe time visiting with family and friends over the holiday weekend.
Millinocket, ME - Our Katahdin, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has reached a $450,000 settlement amount with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that will allow for full discharge of the $1.5 million federal lien on the 1,400-acre former Great Northern Paper mill site in Millinocket. This federal lien is a legacy debt that came with the property and has been a primary impediment to redeveloping the mill site.
Spring is finally starting to show up here in the north woods. The snow is melting rapidly, the rivers are running, bare ground is starting to green up, and the mountain is as beautiful as ever still covered in snow. Here's a snapshot of what we've been up to over the winter.
Our Katahdin has high hopes for the future of the Katahdin Region. We support three economic drivers: the forest products economy with traditional and modern applications, the digital economy with fiber broadband, and the outdoor recreation economy with potential for four-season destination development. We believe in doing this work collaboratively, which is why we staff the regional network called the Katahdin Collaborative.
Development of a downtown hub to support entrepreneurs, remote workers, and small businesses in downtown Millinocket is underway. Our Katahdin is pleased to announce that Liz Trice, the founder and owner of the co-working space PelotonLabs in Portland, ME has been awarded a contract to work with the Our Katahdin team to design a business plan and operations manual for a co-working space at 230 Penobscot Avenue in Millinocket, ME.
Our Katahdin firmly believes that supporting and growing small businesses in rural communities will lead to sustainable economic growth and more vibrant downtowns.
Four years ago, Our Katahdin was born. It was born with nothing more than a strong belief in the people and the future of the Katahdin Region. People have been stepping forward with ideas for "small wins" ever since. We've learned a lot since our first fundraiser to decorate the bandstand for Christmas back in 2014, and our optimism for the future of the region has only grown.
As our portfolio of projects continues to grow in complexity, a top priority for us moving forward is to do a better job staying connected, well-informed, and involved in our shared work of moving our region forward. We never want Our Katahdin to be a typical nonprofit organization. We want it to be a movement, driven by diversity in ideas and collective action. This is the first edition of what we intend to be a regular newsletter to highlight the latest news and notify you of upcoming events and opportunities.
MILLINOCKET, Maine – Our Katahdin has been awarded a $5.3 million grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to build critical infrastructure, including roads, water, sewer, power and broadband on the 1,400-acre former Great Northern Paper mill site in Millinocket.
The investment will leverage the site’s competitive advantages, which include access to wood fiber via the Golden Road, reliable hydroelectric power from Brookfield Renewable, rail access via CMQ Railway, wastewater discharge and clean, cold water.
