A new company offering IV therapy and medical weight loss treatments received a key to Brewer last month, making it the second business in the city to receive the honor this year.
Across the river in Bangor, however, a key to the city hasn’t been handed out since 2021.
In fact, Bangor has only given six keys to the city in the last five years, while Brewer hands out up to 10 a year.
Giving out a key to the city is purely a symbolic gesture, but the difference in what it takes to be awarded the honor in both Bangor and Brewer is another small way that the sister cities create their own identities.
Bangor will give a key to the city to someone with some notable achievement or contribution to the city. Brewer, meanwhile, will offer one to anyone who opens a business in Brewer.
The practice of awarding keys to the city dates back to medieval times when gates were guarded during the day and locked at night. If someone was given a key to the city’s gates, it symbolized their freedom to “enter and leave the city at will, as a trusted friend of city residents,” according to Brown University.
Today, cities nationwide present esteemed residents and visitors with an ornamental key, or sometimes an award called a “Freedom of the City,” as a way to honor a person for their contribution or accomplishment.
The most recent keys to the city of Bangor were given in 2021 to space archaeologist Dr. Sarah Parcak and former Bangor City Manager Cathy Conlow.
Other people who have received keys to Bangor over the last decade include the founders of the Mabel Wadsworth Center, a Bangor women’s health clinic; Lucas Richmond of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra; former University of Maine baseball coach John Winkin; and Stephen King, the renowned horror author.
There’s no reason why some city councils dole out more keys than others, according to David Warren, Bangor’s spokesperson. It’s usually a matter of whether councilors “have a preference for recognizing a person or group through a proclamation rather than the symbolic issuance of a key,” he said.
In Brewer, someone only needs to open, relocate or expand a business within city limits to be eligible for a key to the city, said Renee Doble, Brewer’s deputy economic development director.
“It’s our way of welcoming the new business to Brewer and introducing them to the city councilors,” Doble said. “We have typically awarded eight to 10 keys to the city a year.”
The business owners are usually presented a key during a ribbon cutting ceremony, Doble said, but businesses can opt out if they want a quieter soft opening to launch their enterprise.
In the last five years, Brewer has bestowed 20 keys to the city, all to local businesses upon their opening, location change or anniversary, or to mark an ownership transition.
Earlier this year, Riverlight Restorative Health and Thriving Proof, both holistic health companies, received keys to the city of Brewer. Last year’s recipients include Starfish Academy, Aerus, Compotech and Winterport Boots.
