15 Fibs to Tell Tourists in Bangor

Fib: The Friars who run Friar's Bakehouse are very strict about dresscode and it offends them to see people in pants.

Truth: The Friars are actually some of the nicest people you'll meet in Bangor and all are welcome to taste their amazing food. Pants are allowed too.

Fib: Bangor is called the Queen City of the East because we had a queen instead of a mayor until 1999. We figured new millennium, new government.

Truth: Obviously we have never had a queen. Bangor's first mayor was Allen Gilman in 1834.

Fib: The people of Bangor thought the statue needed more of a function so they decided to make it a clock of sorts. If you watch his eyes at the top of the hour every hour, his right eye will wink.

Truth: He is just a statue. He serves many purposes but a winking clock is not one of them. He is a great backdrop for Bangor photos, he is a great landmark to let people know they have made it to our great city, and he is a representative of Bangor's history.

Fib: Thai 2 Go on the corner of Broadway and State St. is the place to get a neck tie for a good price and in no time! Bow ties, ascots, straight ties, and even Bolo ties!

Truth: Great Thai food in a hurry (esp. the drunken noodles) but no neck ties. But hey what a concept! Maybe they should start selling both?!

Fib: It's pronounced pee-know-be-scott and people get really offended if you say it wrong.

Truth: It's said just like it is spelled, yet someone from away is bound to ask you how to say it, and its fun to trick them.

Fib: Everyone knows where Stephen King's big house is on W. Broadway so he also has a small house for privacy, it just happens to be right next to mine!

Truth: For privacy King has another house many states away in Florida, not just across town. But he's a private guy, so they might believe you...

Fib: Looking for the best spot to catch a big fish in Bangor?! Bass Park of course! People come from all over the world to fish at Bass Park during their annual fishing tournament.

Truth: There are no bass here. No water here really. Bass Park is named after Joseph Parker Bass. It has been a harness horse racing track for about 100 years and has been a favorite Bangor pastime.

Fib: In the lumber days the Kenduskeag was lowered to let more logs through and raised to keep enemies out. We continue to do it as a tradition and in honor of our history.

Truth: It's the tide from the Penobscot River. That's all.

Fib: The sharpest pencil in town at Webb's RV is so big because it was owned and used by Paul Bunyan. Webb's owner bought the pencil at a Paul Bunyan auction.

Truth: It's not a real pencil, we don't know where they got it, but it sure helps you find the place!

Fib: That was the secret to the delicious Coffee Pot sandwich taste, COFFEE! Sure they were a little soggy, but they were the best sandwiches in town!

Truth: The original Coffee Pot sandwich was made with something secret to make it taste so good. But it definitely was not coffee.

Fib: Dave's Movie Center on Union St. has a great selection of Disney movies, especially the movies involving romance.

Truth: Don't bring your children here. The movies here are actually the opposite of Disney movies. Although the movies are quite romantic (so we've heard).

Fib: Bangor wanted the ultimate attraction/hotel/casino so they decided to open a hotel that looks like the popular Tower of Terror ride MGM Studios. Unfortunately the amusement ride part fell through, but it is still a nice hotel and casino.

Truth: The Hollywood Hotel is nothing like the Hollywood Towers Hotel (the tower of terror hotel). There never was talk of an amusement ride, although we don't think it's a bad idea.

Fib: Charles Dickens the famed author of 'A Christmas Carol' came to Bangor in 1868 during a blizzard. Because the hotel he was staying in was so cold Bangorains living in the Charles inn (apartments at the time) took him in to their homes and he wrote a book about it.

Truth: While Charles Dickens did come to Maine in 1868, he never stayed in Bangor. In fact he travels no further than Portland and according to the Portland Press Herald he hated it!

Fib: Looking for some real Maine gems? You are sure to find them at Diamonds on Harlow St. There is no place in town with a better selection of jewelry, but you get better deals if you go after dark.

Truth: They don't sell jewelry here, that's for sure. Although jewelry may be the only thing some people here are wearing...

Fib: Bangor had some budget cuts and couldn't afford a police dog, so they got a duck. The duck, who they named Officer Quacken, was very good at going undercover, and for alerting his comrades. Unfortunately he was shot down on duty in 2005. Bangor citizens couldn't say goodbye do they had him stuffed and he continues to be Bangor's Duck of Justice.

Truth:The duck was just something Bangor PD saved from the district attorney’s trash bin several years ago. Sgt. Tim Cotton started to post the stuffed wood duck in photos on the very popular Bangor PD Facebook and now he is a local celebrity!