The Matinicus red dahlia was first brought to the island in 1906 by Marian Young to commemorate the birth of her baby daughter. Since then, the tubers have been wintered over in cellars, to be replanted the next year, and every garden on the island has flowers descending from the original. If someone has bad luck with wintering their’s over, a neighbor will be sure to share her tubers. When someone buys a home on Matinicus, they are gifted cut red dahlias and their own tubers the following spring.
“Living on a small island means you need to be creative,” says Suzanne Rankin, the keeper of local history and lore, and it certainly has birthed a wonderfully whimsical and supportive group for the ladies of Matinicus.
The Matinicus Island Ladies Literary League and Subversive Activities Committee, also known as the Red Dahlia Society, was first established in 1994 based on the need to use up some fresh strawberries. Eva Murray, after entertaining some guests with her much-praised strawberry shortcake, found that she had an abundance of strawberries left over. After scouring her mind for different available uses for this seasonal fruit, she landed on strawberry daiquiris.
Who better to share this fruity, cold, blended drink with than her fellow female community members? And what better way to drink daiquiris than in a china teapot with china teacups to keep nosy passersby from knowing too much.
And so the tradition began. Each year brought amendments to the tradition with either additional people or additional frivolity. The teacups were substituted with Betty Boop Dixie cups, or whatever else was readily available.
The Red Dahlia Society formalized itself in 1997, and henceforth minutes were kept at each meeting and read the following year. In addition, a guestbook and photo albums have been maintained to lend toward legitimacy of the organization. Kathleen Colton came up with the long-winded title of the society in good humor and tongue inserted in cheek.
Each year, the society meets on a different member’s lawn-the only requirement being that there is an available outlet for the blender. Dahlias are present either in bloom in the garden or brought in cut form from another member’s garden. Elegance is key to the event. Beautiful tablecloths cover the daiquiri table. Savory and sweet treats are laid out on the best silver and china platters available.
The women plan their outfits for months ahead of time. One year, aprons were the theme, and someone arrived in a bait apron resplendent with bait hook. Another year “garden party” was the theme, and someone came dressed in full wasp killing mode, with a bee hive hat and fly swatter. One other notable outfit was a hat made of measuring spoons and cups. Another member came dressed as Matinicus Island Temperance League president. When one of the members had to go in for breast cancer surgery, the group wore all pink to honor her. According to Suzanne Rankin, it was not the easiest task for some of the ladies to get together an all pink outfit, but through various trips to Goodwill, everyone was draped in pink on the day of the Red Dahlia Society meeting.
After the minutes of the previous meeting have been read and argued over for accuracy, a literary piece will be read before the important work of socializing ensues. A literary piece featured by the society, The Perfect Woman written in 1912, led to much hilarity, especially around the quote, “at the age of 40 all men suffer from softening of the brain”. At other meetings, tips about growing dahlias, caring for alpacas or some other amusing novelty has been read.
Over the years, members have come and gone. The event is not designated to a specific date, but rather, the hostess is allowed to choose the date. Therefore, some of the summer people may not be on the island yet or have already left, but effort is made to plan a day where the most people can attend. There are members who live year-round on the island and others who have to travel by sea or air to get to the event. Attendees include fishermen, biologists, botanists, teachers, nurses, businesswomen and homemakers. What they all have in common is a reckless disregard for fat, sugar, and calories, as well as friendship, community and a love for a small island.