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34-549: The Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center is the center of athletic life at Colby, and home to the Colby Mules. In addition to athletic offices, it contains: Colby Outdoor Venues: In addition to the on-campus facilities, the Mules also utilize: The Colby alpine ski team received varsity status in 1986 and won five Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) Division II titles between 1987 and 1992. That success prompted

68-611: A $ 2.3 million gift for the construction of its Akin Learning Center. Most recently in 2015, the school received a $ 3.5 million matching grant for the construction of a new dining hall. In 2007, having lived with cancer for 17 years, Alfond donated $ 7 million to a cancer care center at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta. The center is named the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care. The Alfond Scholarship Foundation introduced

102-554: A group purchasing the Boston Red Sox was looking for a Maine sportsman to join them. Alfond was the obvious choice and ever since Dexter has been a limited partner in the franchise. When Dexter was sold to Berkshire Hathaway in 1993, the Alfond family retained its stake in the team, a stake that remains in the hands of two of his sons. In the 1980s, Alfond helped sponsor Kevin Mahaney in

136-552: A marriage. Many were national retail chains that promised rapid expansion, but would emphasize foreign production and likely, a departure from Dexter's family style of running the business. Alfond eventually decided to sell to Berkshire Hathaway , with an agreement to not interfere with the family's continued management of the business. In 1993, Dexter and its affiliates, Pan Am Shoe and Ocsap Ltd., were sold for $ 433 million in stock; eight years later Warren Buffett decided to fold Dexter into another business, H.H. Brown, characterizing

170-526: A short time, he rose from odd shoe boy to factory superintendent. In 1940, Alfond and his father bought a shoe factory in Norridgewock, Maine , and founded Norrwock Shoe Company. They sold the company to Shoe Corp. of America in 1943 and Simon Alfond stayed on as president for 25 years. In 1956, Alfond left, purchased an old woolen mill in Dexter, Maine , and founded Dexter Shoe Company. There, he produced shoes for

204-410: A town in 1816, it named itself after Judge Samuel Dexter , who was then running for governor of Massachusetts (of which Maine was still a part). The town of Brooks in nearby Waldo County was incorporated the same year and named for the opposing candidate, John Brooks . Brooks won the election. The town of Dexter, however, achieved the greater prosperity. The town grew because of its location on

238-547: Is a town in Penobscot County , Maine , United States. The population was 3,803 at the 2020 census . It is part of the Bangor metropolitan statistical area . Dexter Regional High School , which serves Dexter as well as other nearby small towns, is located in the town. Dexter was settled beginning in 1801 by Ebenezer Small, David Smith, and others from New Hampshire , and was originally called Elkinstown. When incorporated as

272-605: Is also almost exactly half-way between the geographic North Pole and the Equator . As of the census of 2010, there were 3,895 people, 1,651 households, and 1,064 families living in the town. The population density was 110.9 inhabitants per square mile (42.8/km ). There were 2,141 housing units at an average density of 60.9 per square mile (23.5/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 97.2% White , 0.3% African American , 0.7% Native American , 0.5% Asian , and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of

306-739: Is the community's largest clock, named Nancy after the architect's wife. The tallest building in town is the Unitarian Universalist Church. It is also Dexter's oldest house of worship, built in 1829, but given a new steeple and vestibule by Boston architect Thomas W. Silloway in 1869. Five buildings in Dexter are listed on the National Register of Historic Places , including the Dexter Grist Mill ; Universalist Church ; Abbott Memorial Library by Boston architect J. Williams Beal ;

340-800: The Alfond Arena and Alfond Stadium at the University of Maine , the Harold and Ted Alfond Sports Center at Rollins College , the Harold Alfond Center for Health Sciences and the Alfond Forum at the University of New England , the Harold Alfond Management Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst 's Isenberg School, and the Alfond Center at Saint Joseph's College of Maine . In December 2003, five years after his $ 1.65-million donation for

374-605: The Bank Block by Bangor architect George W. Orff ; and "Zion's Hill", the Ralph Owen Brewster house by Portland architectural firm J. C. & J. H. Stevens . In 1848, the town was struck by a tornado which tore large trees out by their roots and destroyed even the strongest buildings. In 1987, parts of Dexter's downtown area were used as backdrops for the film Creepshow 2 , a horror anthology film based on stories written by Maine native Stephen King . According to

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408-761: The Bleacher Report in 2014 for their bench celebrations. The 2019–20 team finished the season ranked 21st nationally. The women's Crew team was the 2003 winner of the NCAA Division III Rowing Championship . Men and women compete in the New England Rowing Championship . The Colby-Bates-Bowdoin rivalry in gridiron football dates back to the 1870s. In 2000, the Mules won the first ever NESCAC Championship-the only time in school history this has happened. On November 28, 2017, 6 year coach Jonathan Michaeles resigned after leading

442-709: The ECAC Hockey conference (men from 1961 to 1964 and women from 1993 to 1999); now both teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference . The cross country ski teams compete in the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association . Separate from the Colby Mules, club sports are recognized but not directly supported by the college. The White Mule was adopted as Colby's mascot in 1923 when Colby Echo editor Joseph Coburn Smith '24 suggested in an editorial that

476-565: The East Branch of the Sebasticook River , which provided excellent water power for mills. In 1818, Jonathan Farrar constructed a grist mill at the falls. The Dexter Historical Society today uses the building which replaced it in 1854 as part of its museum complex. The stream would also power five woolen mills, the oldest and largest of which was established by Amos and Jeremiah Abbott in 1836. Amos Abbott & Company, which closed in 1975,

510-549: The United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 37.16 square miles (96.24 km ), of which 35.13 square miles (90.99 km ) is land and 2.03 square miles (5.26 km ) is water. Dexter is drained by the East Branch of the Sebasticook River , which flows from Lake Wassookeag and is part of the Kennebec River watershed. Dexter is almost exactly half-way between Bangor and Waterville . It

544-406: The private label catalog market, supplying stores such as Sears , JC Penney , Spiegel , and Montgomery Ward & Co. Although Dexter was successful from the beginning, Alfond tired of being controlled by a few large customers and decided to go into the "branded" business. He developed a line of shoes under the Dexter name, hired a sales force and began selling to independent shoe stores across

578-533: The "Harold Alfond College Challenge" in January 2009. Through the program, a $ 500 grant is given to every Maine resident who is enrolled before his or her first birthday; the money is intended to help Maine families plan for education beyond high school . As of July 2010, 5,500 babies have been enrolled in the program. In addition to his donations to colleges for improvements to their sports facilities, Alfond demonstrated his support of sports in other ways. In 1978,

612-467: The 1960s he opened an outlet store at Dexter's Skowhegan factory and started selling his own factory seconds. Soon, the factories weren't making enough mistakes to supply the store, so Harold decided to put in stale inventory (first grade shoes that weren't selling in the wholesale market). This worked so well that Dexter's log-cabin-style outlet stores started appearing on all the heavily traveled roads throughout New England. Other manufacturers caught on to

646-502: The Mules through a tough 1–8 season. Colby recently announced UMaine Veteran Jack Cosgrove as the new head coach. On November, 10th, 2018, during the Colby vs Bowdoin game, there was a reunion of the 2000 NESCAC Champion Mules, the only team in school history to have claimed the title. At half-time of the game, there was a ring ceremony celebrating the 18-year anniversary of the all-time greatest team. The ice hockey teams formerly competed in

680-656: The Northeast. In 1943, Alfond married Dorothy Levine, who was also Jewish; they raised four children: Ted, Susan, Bill, and Peter who grew to provide them with thirteen grandchildren. His wife died in December 2005. One of the grandsons, Justin Alfond , was elected to the Maine Senate in 2008, and was elected Senate President in 2012. Alfond died on November 16, 2007, in Belgrade, Maine . Dexter, Maine Dexter

714-789: The athletic and recreation center, Alfond contributed $ 1 million to St. Joseph's towards the $ 10 million needed to build Alfond Hall, the college's primary academic hall. Harold Alfond and the Alfond Foundation have also been major supporters of Kents Hill School in Readfield, Maine. Kents Hill opened the Alfond Athletics Center in 2001 and the Alfond Athletic Fields - the largest turf complex in New England - in 2008 after receiving substantial gifts. In 2011, Kents Hill received

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748-405: The average family size was 2.80. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males. The median income for a household in the town

782-580: The college to upgrade the program to Division I status in 1993. Abbi Lapthrop '06 captured the NCAA giant slalom title at the NCAA Skiing Championships at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in 2006. Lathrop is the first Colby athlete to compete against Division I schools and win a national title. The men's basketball team were the 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1998 Eastern College Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament champions. The Mules were featured by

816-403: The country. Alfond is often credited with the invention of the factory outlet store . Because factories make mistakes, not all shoes pass quality control; these products are called factory seconds . The practice in the industry was to sell these shoes to jobbers for about a dollar a pair, who would then resell them for five times their cost. Alfond thought that was a pretty good mark-up, so in

850-518: The idea and as Dexter put up new stores, other manufacturers would open their outlets next door. By the 1990s, the Dexter Factory Outlet chain had expanded to over 80 stores. About this time, Dexter also stopped building freestanding log cabins and began leasing stores in outlet malls . Dexter continued to grow rapidly throughout the 1970s and 1980s and from time to time, corporate suitors came calling to see whether they could entice Dexter into

884-410: The population. There were 1,615 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and

918-442: The population. There were 1,651 households, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.6% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

952-552: The purchase in 2008 as "the worst deal that I've made." In order to coordinate his charitable giving, the 36-year-old Alfond organized the first private foundation in the state of Maine, the Harold Alfond Foundation . Between 1950 and 2003, the foundation has contributed more than $ 100 million to charitable causes, and as of 2008 had over $ 106 million in assets. He has donated money to various institutions of learning to help improve their sports facilities; for example,

986-469: The sailor's effort to compete in the Olympics. Mahaney later earned a silver medal in sailing at the 1992 Summer Olympics . Along with other investors, Alfond helped create Belgrade Lakes Golf Club, a course close to his summer home. The club has been recognized as among the best public golf courses in the country. In 2002, Golf Digest recognized the course as the only five-star public golf course in

1020-500: The success of the football team had made its customary "dark horse" label obsolete. In 2002, the name was shortened to Mules. As for a mascot, currently there's a costume with a giant mule's head, known to students as "Morty". Harold Alfond Harold Alfond (March 6, 1914 – November 16, 2007) was an American businessman who founded the Dexter Shoe Company and established the first factory outlet store . Alfond

1054-436: The town. The population density was 110.6 inhabitants per square mile (42.7/km ). There were 2,054 housing units at an average density of 58.4 per square mile (22.5/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 98.56% White , 0.31% Black or African American , 0.23% Native American , 0.10% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.03% from other races , and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of

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1088-436: Was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age in the town was 44.8 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.6% were from 25 to 44; 31.3% were from 45 to 64; and 18.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.0% male and 52.0% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,890 people, 1,615 households, and 1,106 families living in

1122-625: Was born in Swampscott, Massachusetts , on March 6, 1914, the son of Jewish immigrants Simon and Rose Alfond. Harold, his brother David, and four sisters, Anne, Bertha, Gladys and Grace, grew up in Swampscott and attended Swampscott schools. In high school, Harold was an outstanding athlete and developed his passion for sports. After graduating from high school in 1934, Alfond got a job at Kesslen Shoe Company in Kennebunk, Maine , where his father worked. In

1156-597: Was the only textile mill in the United States owned by one family for such a long period. In the 1960s, the town's name became familiar throughout New England because of the pervasive log cabin style factory outlets of the Dexter Shoe Company , founded in a vacant Dexter woolen mill in 1958 by Harold Alfond . Dexter's downtown is dominated by the Memorial Building, designed by John Morrison. At its top

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