In Caribou, a lumber shop and a political career

The name “Collins” is all over downtown Caribou. There is a Collins Street, a Collins pond, and most significantly the S.W. Collins Company.

The family has been in Caribou for five generations. So has the family business, a lumber, building material and hardware supplier. Established in 1844, it supplies both the area carpenters and the do-it-yourselfers.

Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins grew up in this Northern Maine town. Now she lives in Bangor. She is running for a third term in the U.S. Senate against U.S. Rep. Tom Allen.

The Collins’ are a family of lumber, potatoes and public service. Both of Collins’ parents served as mayor of Caribou, and Susan’s dad, Donald Collins, spent nine years in the Legislature. He was part of the “Gang of 13” who, in 1991, shut the state down over the Worker’s Compensation issue.

The family business is in the hands of Sam Collins, Susan’s younger brother. Gregg Collins, another brother, is vice-president and in charge of their Presque Isle store. They also have a store in Houlton.

Growing up, Susan worked at the library, served on her school’s Student Council and was class president. After high school, she interned for Margaret Chase Smith. She also spent a short time working for the family business.

Before any of that, however, “she was the favorite babysitter of the neighborhood,” Sam said.

After college, she worked for Sen. Bill Cohen and later for Gov. John McKernan, serving as commissioner of professional and financial regulation.

Her family figured she’d go into politics when she was growing up, therefore no one she was surprised when she ran for Governor in 1994. She lost to Angus King, but then was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996.

“She loves the job,” Sam said. “It’s her life. She works hard for the people of Maine.”

When campaigns get ugly, it’s upsetting for the family, but at the same time they’re used to it, Sam said.

“Personal attacks are upsetting, and something we don’t believe in,” Sam said. “It’s difficult to see negative ads and read planted Letters to the Editor, but you deal with it. It’s politics.”

Caribou has the same economic woes as the much of the state. The population is 8,000 – it used to be 10,000. The high school has 600 students – it used to be 1,200, Sam said.

There are three sports fields surrounding the high school, and a 10K cross-country skiing track snakes around the back of the property. The town is known for both its school and its outdoor recreation for youth.

Farming is still a big part of the economy, however the mechanization of the industry has decreased the number of jobs available. The Air Force base closed in the 1990s.

While commercialism hasn’t come into Northern Maine at the same scale as areas in the rest of the country, the area still has seen some development, including a Lowe’s moving into Presque Isle.

It hasn’t hurt business much, Sam said.

“We approach customers a little differently,” Sam said. “When you come into our store, you were probably asked if someone could help you.”

From Caribou, it’s 170 miles to Bangor and 300 miles to Portland. Residents and visitors rely on the state routes for 50 miles after I-95 ends in Houlton. The isolation doesn’t bother those who live there, Sam said. When people have to get up at 5 a.m. to drive to Augusta, and come back the same day, they do.

“Distance is just relative to the mindset,” Sam said.

In Caribou, people entertain themselves with outdoor sports. It’s skiing in the winter (the more snow, the better, Sam said) and tennis in the summer. The town stops for a high school basketball game.

The more snow, the better, Sam said.

Sam sees Susan about six times a year, and said she has never missed a Christmas at home.

Both of Collins’ parents are alive. Although he is retired, Donald Collins, their father, still has an office on the company’s property. Photos from both his and his daughter’s political career hang on the wall.

“I like to think she was born into it,” Donald said, of his daughter’s political career.