Excellent Topic to the OP! I have wanted to reply to this for a while but I wanted to wait til I visited Loring myself!
Big Hello to all since this is my first post and I wanted to come directly to this thread, sorry for waking it up.
Just got back from Loring today after a weekend trip. I have always wanted to see it for myself, just wish I could have seen it while it was in its
prime. I live in central Maine and wanted to explore a few "cold war" relics! I am very satisfied with my trip to Loring but way too short, I plan on
going back. I explored some of the base with my vehicle and some on foot. Not sure how much has changed since the OP has been there but the local
police tend to not like people too too close to buildings near the flight line, I was questioned twice by police. Once during day and once during
about 8 pm at night. They only reason they gave me for stopping me was " I was too close to a "classified flight strip" (grass was growing up through
the cracks). They told me to keep on the main roads and I would not have a problem. They took my license and my friends identification also. I did not
actually drive or go onto to the flight line.
I also drove around much of the base, most of it is a designated "National Wild Life Refuge"with a big welcome sign, vs State lands as the OP stated.
I do not know a lot about NWR's but I guess they are restricted to walk into because after the big welcome sign every other sign was "do not enter-
only authorized people-". I have to say that made me a bit curious.
I got the chance to talk to a lot of locals and a few people that were stationed there and to the ones I talked to, they really seem to think it is a
bit odd after 16 years people still get hassled when going onto what was the base. One local even told me that a few years back he was fishing in his
boat and traveled into the Refuge and was escorted out by uniformed people with arms. Could be a tall tale, not sure and not the only story I got the
chance to be told while I was there like that.
Well to get to the topic, I have to agree with the OP in that I do not believe this is a FEMA camp, but I do believe something may be going on there
that we are not privy to. The old base is used by a few institutions, a couple of them doing military things and Job Corps and garages and such.
Speed tests happen here also, I guess of course they have to get special permission.
Got the chance to take in some awesome history about the base and met some very nice people that miss their base. Got the chance also to see all the
potato and broccoli farms! Oh, the old NIKE missile sites where great too! I felt at home on base and brought back some good memories of base life
since I was in the Marine Corps at one time.
Base is now called Loring Commerce Center (in the middle of nowhere) and the whole area is called The Aroostook National Wild Life Refuge.
Just cant wait to go back!
edit on 18-9-2011 by paulyreb because: (no reason given)