Press Releases

Maine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in Maine to highlight conservation and preservation efforts underway through the National Park Service. On Thursday, Pingree and Secretary Haaland visited the Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle, where they met with local leaders to learn about the community’s vision for the care and management of the Frances Perkins Homestead. The visit comes amid an effort to designate the homestead as a national monument, which Pingree strongly supports. The trip continued on Saturday in Millinocket, where Pingree and Secretary Haaland joined federal, state, Tribal and community members for a celebration and ribbon cutting at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument’s new Tekαkαpimək contact station. Imbued with Wabanaki artistry and knowledge, Tekαkαpimək will provide visitors with a deeply meaningful introduction to this landscape at the monument.

“It was an honor having Secretary Haaland in Maine. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service, I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Secretary Haaland to support our Tribal communities, champion environmental conservation, and ensure that our cherished lands remain accessible and protected for future generations,” said Pingree. “The opening of the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station and the preservation of the Frances Perkins Homestead serve as powerful reminders of the deep connections we share with our land, our history, and our people. These initiatives reflect the resilience and spirit of Maine’s communities, and I’m proud to continue supporting efforts that honor our cultural heritage and safeguard our environment. The partnerships that have made these achievements possible are more crucial than ever, and I’m grateful for the partnerships that make these initiatives possible.”

Background:

Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet member and longest-serving Labor Secretary, is credited as an architect of the New Deal and other programs that Americans continue to benefit from today, such as unemployment insurance and Social Security. Throughout her life, Perkins considered Newcastle and the 57-acre homestead along the Damariscotta River as her home. The Secretary’s visit responds to requests from Maine’s elected leaders for President Biden to honor Frances Perkins’ legacy by designating the homestead as a unit of the National Park Service. Pingree has also urged President Biden to designate the Frances Perkins Homestead as a National Monument. 

Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is a stunning 7,900 square-foot building and 23-acre site atop Lookout Mountain created to welcome the global public to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument that was created in close collaboration with Maine’s indigenous peoples. The monument is located within the present and traditional homeland of the Penobscot Nation. The land and waters hold special significance to the Penobscot Nation and is inextricably linked with Penobscot culture, ceremonies, oral traditions, language, history, and Indigenous stewardship which continues the respectful relationship with the land and waterways that has gone back more than 11,000 years. Katahdin is a culturally significant place to the Wabanaki people where connecting watersheds provide important travel routes for Wabanaki people of Maine, comprised of Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Nations. 

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