{"id":30423,"date":"2025-11-25T12:31:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T17:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/?p=30423"},"modified":"2026-02-03T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T21:00:00","slug":"discovering-van-buren-revitalizing-a-northern-maine-gem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/2025\/11\/25\/discovering-van-buren-revitalizing-a-northern-maine-gem\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovering Van Buren: Revitalizing a Northern Maine Gem"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1008\" height=\"756\" src=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30425\" style=\"width:702px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P.jpg 1008w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-105x79.jpg 105w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-317x238.jpg 317w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-423x317.jpg 423w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-634x476.jpg 634w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-846x635.jpg 846w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-951x713.jpg 951w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Commnity-gardens4P-500x375.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,1008px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>By: Madison Veilleux<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On November 8, 2025, our Undiscovered Maine team took a road trip to Van Buren, one of Maine&#8217;s northernmost towns right on the Canadian border, rich with Acadian heritage and small-town charm. I didn\u2019t quite know what to expect going into this only with information I acquired over the internet. Before our arrival I heard Van Buren had struggled over the years but was finding new energy through community-led projects. What we discovered that day was that the town is full of creativity and people who truly care about the town they call \u201chome.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our first stop set the tone perfectly, a little bakery in the heart of downtown Van Buren.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/northernmainekolache.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">N<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/northernmainekolache.com\/\">orthern Maine Kolache Company<\/a><\/strong> <\/em>is where we started our day and met with Mr. Luke Dyer, the Town Manager. The smell of fresh, savory Kolaches hit us as soon as we walked in, and behind the counter was Donita, the owner who welcomed us in like old friends. Donita told us she moved to Van Buren from Houston, Texas in 2020. Her goal was to bring a taste of home. The<em> kolache <\/em>is a soft pastry stuffed with savory fillings, the perfect lunch for comfort. Donitas bakery is more than just a local hangout: it\u2019s part of a creative effort to bring unique businesses to downtown. The Kolache Company is the first success story, and they\u2019re expanding into a bigger building down the street. Once they move, another unique business will take over the current space.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rebuilding Downtown<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image30423_5c7f28-08 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image30423_5c7f28-08 size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"907\" height=\"753\" src=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2.jpg\" alt=\"Van Buren main street\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-30705\" srcset=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2.jpg 907w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2-300x249.jpg 300w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2-768x638.jpg 768w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2-105x87.jpg 105w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2-317x263.jpg 317w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2-423x351.jpg 423w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2-634x526.jpg 634w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Main-street-Van-Buren2-846x702.jpg 846w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,907px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Over lunch, Mr. Dyer shared how Van Buren has slowly but steadily been rebuilding itself. He explained that years ago, the town owned most of the downtown businesses, but over time, many became abandoned. Now, thanks to new grants and a lot of hard work from Mr. Dyer and the community, that\u2019s changing. He\u2019s received over $2 million to renovate the fire station and another $2.6 million for the old municipal building. The historic <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mainepreservation.org\/most-endangered-2023-1\/2023\/10\/4\/gayety-theatre-building\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">G<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mainepreservation.org\/most-endangered-2023-1\/2023\/10\/4\/gayety-theatre-building\">ayety Theatre<\/a><\/strong> building, once a very popular entertainment hub, is also being restored, and we even got to peek inside during our visit. They plan to turn the theater into a museum, highlighting the significance it once had on Van Buren&#8217;s community.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image30423_609883-fc .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image30423_609883-fc size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Gayety theater Van Buren\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-30706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-105x140.jpg 105w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-317x423.jpg 317w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-634x845.jpg 634w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-846x1128.jpg 846w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2-951x1268.jpg 951w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/Gayety-theater-outside2.jpg 1071w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What really impressed me was how resourceful Van Buren is. They partner with their Amish neighbors for construction projects, such as building the greenhouses for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/p\/Van-Buren-Community-Garden-100079759622264\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">community ga<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/p\/Van-Buren-Community-Garden-100079759622264\/\">rdens<\/a>. I found this to be a true example of people coming together to make something happen, even with limited resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Secret Sauce: <\/strong><strong><em>Community Engagement&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Mr. Dyer talked, one phrase stuck with me:<em> \u201cCommunity engagement is the secret sauce\u201d.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He wasn\u2019t exaggerating. Van Buren is full of examples of how people\u2019s enthusiasm can spark real change. When locals showed interest in the pickleball courts on the old ice rink, volunteers made it happen. Just like that, three weeks later they hosted their first tournament and now you&#8217;re lucky if you can find an open court to play some afternoon pickleball, there is even talks of building another one. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-id30423_231d4e-58 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id30423_231d4e-58 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id30423_231d4e-58 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));}.kb-row-layout-id30423_231d4e-58 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id30423_231d4e-58 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id30423_231d4e-58 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id30423_231d4e-58 alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column30423_158914-ad{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column30423_158914-ad > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column30423_158914-ad\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image30423_629681-d9 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image30423_629681-d9 size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"postage stamp mural project Van Buren Maine\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-30433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-105x140.jpg 105w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-317x423.jpg 317w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-634x845.jpg 634w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-846x1128.jpg 846w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2-951x1268.jpg 951w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/527\/2025\/11\/postage-stamp-art-project2.jpg 1071w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,225px\" \/><figcaption>Postage stamp mural project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column30423_34e18a-49 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column30423_34e18a-49\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>We also visited a public art project where a local artist, is painting \u201cpostage stamp\u201d murals. Small pieces that will come together to form one big picture representing Van Buren. Children are even painting what they want to see in their town&#8217;s future. One painted scooters on Main Street, another drew the famous Muskie fishing derby. All of these small efforts, from pickleball courts to murals are building something much bigger, community connection and town pride.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before leaving Van Buren, we talked about ways we could help. One area that stood out was the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acadianvillagemaine.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acadian Villag<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acadianvillagemaine.org\/\">e<\/a><\/strong>. This living history museum will celebrate its 50th anniversary soon. In its early days, volunteers dressed in correlation with the time period and brought Acadian history to life. Over the years, interest has faded, and many of the volunteers are now in their seventies. The potential for growth and Acadian pride is still huge. Experiential tourism is growing, and people love hands-on authentic experiences, interactive tours, cooking classes, and even history walks. The Acadian Village could once again become a major draw for visitors. Van Buren has all the ingredients for success: History, community, and creativity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What Van Buren Taught Me<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leaving Van Buren, I felt inspired to say the least. This little town reminded me that revitalization isn&#8217;t just about the money or big development goals, it&#8217;s all about the people. It\u2019s about folks like Donita, turning her baking passion into a thriving business, about kids painting their dreams on a mural wall, about a group of volunteers building a pickleball court in just three weeks just because they could, and did. Van Buren&#8217;s secret sauce really is community engagement, the kind that can turn any challenge into opportunity for growth. If you ever find yourself up North, take the time to visit. Grab a kolache, meet the locals, and see for yourself what a connected, hopeful community looks like.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Plan Your Visi<\/strong>t:\ud83d\udccdVan Buren, Maine<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Don&#8217;t Miss:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/northernmainekolacheco.toast.site\/\">The Northern Ma<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/northernmainekolacheco.toast.site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ine Kolache Company<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acadianvillagemaine.org\/\">The Ac<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acadianvillagemaine.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">adian Village<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/p\/Van-Buren-Community-Garden-100079759622264\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Van Buren Community Garden<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By: Madison Veilleux On November 8, 2025, our Undiscovered Maine team took a road trip to Van Buren, one of Maine&#8217;s northernmost towns right on the Canadian border, rich with Acadian heritage and small-town charm. I didn\u2019t quite know what to expect going into this only with information I acquired over the internet. Before our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2648,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,156,86],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","category-success-stories","category-towns"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Discovering Van Buren: Revitalizing a Northern Maine Gem - Undiscovered Maine - University of Maine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/undiscoveredmaine\/2025\/11\/25\/discovering-van-buren-revitalizing-a-northern-maine-gem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Discovering Van Buren: Revitalizing a Northern Maine Gem - Undiscovered Maine - University of Maine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By: Madison Veilleux On November 8, 2025, our Undiscovered Maine team took a road trip to Van Buren, one of Maine&#8217;s northernmost towns right on the Canadian border, rich with Acadian heritage and small-town charm. 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