This was the dairy farm of Ivan and Hope Ricker on the Chapman Road in Presque Isle. This barn was quite new at the time. I remember the old barn that had stood in it's place from the fifties.

I remember visiting the farm so many years ago, as a young child. Ivan had purchsed the dairy farm just a few years earlier from my dad. Dad and my grandfather... Henry C. Akeley farmed together for many years. I remember dad telling me a war plane went down in one of the pastures. And there it stayed. The pilot parachuted out unharmed. It was on this farm that my dad purchased his first tractor, an 8N Ford. They were so pleased with its performance. How I wish I could find it today!

I lived on this farm until I was 8 while my dad, Bernard Akeley, worked for his brother and father.

I visited this farm often as a young girl. Ivan and Hope were very dear friends of my grandparents, Woodburn and Alberta McIsaac. We all attended the same church. I loved them dearly.

This was the home of my husbands grandparents and his uncle - Mr and Mrs Henry Akeley and Henry Akeley Jr - Made many visits when we were dating and after we were married in 1948. Could tell a lot of stories of our visits. My husband, Clayton Condon and his Uncle - Junior Akeley both had horses. At one point in time they rented out rides - does anyone remember this? The one thing I remember the most about Grammie Akeley - she made a fresh pie every day Monday thru Friday for lunch - so good!!! When fresh oysters were in season she made an oyster stew every Saturday and left it on the back of the stove so it would be ready for Sunday morning breakfast before they went to church!! Good memories and miss it!!!

This was a major dairy farm that was part of both my mother's & father's early years. Our mother's grandparents owned it first and later our dad's father worked here. As an adult I lived down the road and would pass the cows on my daily runs.

My Dad & Mother built a home next to this farm which belonged to dad's parents and he worked there with Grampy Akeley and his brothers. Grampy milked a lot of cows Grammy would hand seperate and bottle the milk and cream, which Grampy delivered in town with a horse and wagon, along with eggs and home made butter to his customers. I helped Gram many times washing bottles and doing what needed to be done. It was twice a day, everyday.
And yes every Sunday afternoon kids and parents would come from town and have rides on the horses, cousins would come and family it was the place on Sunday. Jr had a horse that had been in the circus and he would do tricks for everyone.

That was my Uncle Ivan and Aunt Hope, my fathers brother (Bob Ricker). We did visit them up until we moved to Corinna,Maine
I loved them very much. So many changes.