Wright-Ryan is pleased to share that the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument was unveiled during a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 17, 2024.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by the project’s collaborative group of partners, advisors, and stakeholders. Attendees were, for the first time, invited to tour the space – exploring the station’s interpretive exhibits and accompanying cultural information, artwork, and historic artifacts. The event featured a wide range of notable speakers, incorporating state representatives, community partners, and organizational leaders. Among those who addressed the audience were Vice Chief Richard Silliboy, Mi’kmaq Nation; Mark Wimmer, Superintendent, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument; Molly Ross, Board President, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters; Jennifer Neptune, Penobscot, Wabanaki Advisory Board, Lead Exhibit Writer; Will Shafroth, President and CEO, National Park Foundation; Congresswoman Chellie Pingree; U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr.; Chief Kirk Francis, Penobscot Nation; Secretary Deb Haaland, U.S. Department of the Interior; and Lucas St. Clair, President, Elliotsville Foundation.

Wright-Ryan is proud to serve as the Construction Manager for the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, which is now in the closeout stage of construction. The Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is 7,900 square feet, encompassing two levels and sitting on a 23-acre site on Lookout Mountain. Tekαkαpimək translates from the Penobscot language to “as far as one can see” and is pronounced de gah-gah bee mook. The station was created to welcome the global public to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, a U.S. national monument spanning 87,500 acres of land that was donated through the Elliotsville Foundation to mark the centennial of the National Park Service. 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.

The project utilizes leading and emerging sustainable building practices. A willingness to push boundaries led to the team maximizing an innovative use of nominal lumber. The fabrication of 165 custom-built, structural-grade Douglas Fir glulam columns was a signature innovation of the project. A one-of-a-kind process was created to ensure the wood retained a natural look and feel, with the columns laminated over a nine-month period in a former potato barn in Patten, Maine. With leadership by Wright-Ryan’s team, an exacting process unfolded over nine months, with column sections subject to the American Institute of Timber Construction Shear and Cyclic Delamination Tests to assure bond strength and durability.

The building operates as a thermal battery off the electrical power grid with mainly passive utilities – a 36.75 kW remote solar array was installed for electrical service and a propane generator for backup. Thoughtful shading and ventilation design are found throughout, with a thermal mass floor system that provides passive heating in the winter and a solar trombe wall.

“The Tekαkαpimək Contact Station will bring communities together, introducing them to the history and culture of the region and significance of the landscape,” said Alan Sparn, President of Wright-Ryan. “Tekαkαpimək is more than just a construction project – it reflects our commitment to community and our focus on building spaces for generations. It is a privilege to work on such a project and we look forward to the public experiencing it first-hand in the coming months.”

Final project activities at Tekαkαpimək are nearing completion, with normal visiting hours set to be announced by The National Park Service in the coming months. Please visit the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station project page for more information.