[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 22, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S3052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF PITTSFIELD, MAINE

 Mr. KING. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the town of 
Pittsfield, ME, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. 
Throughout its long history, Pittsfield has continually displayed a 
rich heritage of hard work, entrepreneurship, innovation, community, 
and family spirit. Situated along the Sebasticook River in Somerset 
County, Pittsfield is home to roughly 4,200 residents who help make it 
a thriving Maine town.
  Incorporated as Warsaw in 1819, the town became Pittsfield in 1824, 
named after one its prominent citizens, William Pitts. Early on, most 
of the town's occupants were farmers, growing so much corn and wheat 
that they used the grains to pay their taxes. Like many Maine towns, 
Pittsfield began to develop a strong mill industry that flourished 
along the Sebasticook River. This assortment of textile, saw, and grist 
mills created hundreds of new jobs and Pittsfield saw its population 
nearly double in just 40 years. Closures and relocation of many of the 
town's mills lead to some decline, but the citizens of Pittsfield 
helped reinvent the town, and today, Pittsfield is as vibrant as ever.
  Maine Central Institute, an independent high school, opened in 1866 
and continues to serve many of the town's residents and foreign 
students from such countries as South Korea, Spain, Guatemala, and many 
more. The school's Manson Essay contest continues to bring members of 
the community together every year to hear presentations by students on 
their university level research papers. Along with its high-level 
academics, MCI's impressive athletic program has produced a number of 
professional athletes, many of whom have gone on to play professional 
basketball.
  A hallmark of Pittsfield's economy, Cianbro was founded by Carl 
Cianchette in 1946. Cianchette and his brothers would go on to grow 
this company into the largest construction company in Maine, providing 
thousands of jobs throughout the State. Now nationally recognized and 
100 percent employee owned, with locations stretching into the mid-
Atlantic region, Cianbro is still headquartered in Pittsfield.
  It is an honor and a privilege to congratulate Pittsfield on this 
historic occasion. For 200 years the town and its residents have 
repeatedly demonstrated the hard work and community spirit found 
throughout Maine. I hope the residents of Pittsfield take the 
opportunity during this yearlong celebration to reflect on their rich 
history and strive to make the next 200 years as prosperous as the 
last. Happy 200th birthday, Pittsfield, and congratulations to all who 
have made this a vibrant Maine community.

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