Aroostook Historical and Art Museum

In 1944 a prisoner-of-war camp for captured German soldiers was established in Houlton with other satellite sites around the region. Many of the prisoners elected to work on local farms planting and harvesting potatoes, working in the woods and in a local food processing plant. Working for about a dollar a day, the same pay as a private in the German army, the POWs worked hard and were appreciated by the local residents.

Prisoners-of-war also worked in the post exchange (PX). Seated on chairs are American civilian employees and U.S. Army soldiers.

A German soldier who was a barber by trade served as the camp barber for the U.S. soldiers.

In 1945, ten Camp Houlton prisoners of war built this bridge over Cook's Brook near Houlton.

Some prisoners-of-war found relief from camp tedium through arts such as carving, jewelry making and painting which was sometimes given or sold to camp guards..