In the sort of cross-river rivalry known best perhaps to citizens of Lewiston and Auburn, there has long been ‘brewing’ an often unspoken competition between the ‘Queen of the Penobscot,’ Bangor, and the city of the ‘Witches,’ aka Brewer.
Proud of their timber capital history and various civic endowments, Bangorians have long been thought to have the upper hand in this match-up, but a recent Maine Wire man on the street survey suggests the tide may be changing.
Today, many seem to agree that while Bangor — the recent scene of public fornication and broad-daylight assaults and grocery snatchings (in front of U.S. Rep. Jared Golden’s downtown office, no less) — might be getting a little rough around the edges, while Brewer, which recently renovated its waterfront allowing pedestrians to admire Bangor from a safe distance, is experiencing something of a renaissance.
“I feel a little safer walking in downtown Brewer than I do downtown Bangor at night, let’s just leave it at that,” Dedham resident Amanda told The Maine Wire on the steps of Bangor’s City Hall on Friday.
“Bangor I don’t think is looking the cleanest these days,” twin city visitor Jackson observed several hundred feet from the park alongside Kenduskeag stream.
At the Bangor Mall, shoppers were reluctant to go on camera for fear of retribution. Speaking beneath a giant werewolf, one may simply said “Clearly something needs to be done,” before scurrying quickly to the safety of his vehicle in the parking lot.
By contrast, those strolling Brewer’s waterfront appeared to be in the lull of a late-summer bliss.
“I like Brewer,” local resident Leila said, adding “the people are incredibly friendly. I live in kind of a rough neighborhood but I’ve never had any troubles and the neighbors are incredibly helpful — it’s a great place to live.”
Listen to what people on either side of the Penobscot are now saying in response to the question: which is better, Bangor of Brewer?
