In writing a letter to you about my idea of putting wind turbines on the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, I recently discovered that Portland is in competition with Rhode Island in trying to have the carrier. A funding drive in Rhode Island is starting up in May to finance the move of the
We Were an Island: The Maine Life of Art and Nan Kellam
University Press of New England, 2010 190 pages, $27.95 Their own kingdom “[A] castle that was also a kingdom, surrounded by a moat”–that was the dream of a mid-western couple transplanted to the West Coast. Engineering work at Lockheed during World War II had taken Art Kellam and his wife Nan to California, and the
New Foundation to bring back youth education on Hurricane Island
Things are changing on Hurricane Island. The Hurricane Island Foundation was formed in 2008 and recently signed a 40-year lease with the owner of the island, who wishes to remain anonymous. The foundation will hire an island manager for this summer and begin work repairing some buildings. The Hurricane Island Foundation (HIF) is not part
Memories of childhood summers on Isle au Haut
“My grandmother grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and read me The Articles of War,” says Charlie Bowen, 82, of the first time he stepped foot on Isle au Haut in 1937. Beatrice Hamilton Bowen then proceeded to list her 9-year-old grandson’s long list of duties. According to Bowen, his grandmother was one
Retired Nova Scotian teacher becomes lobster historian
Any fears Donnie Jacquard may have had about the success of his book on southwest Nova Scotia’s lobster fishery melted away when a particular fisherman he thought might not like it told him, “Donnie, that’s the most wonderful thing anybody has ever done for us. Every time I read your book, I cry.” The book
Modern technology used to save designs of old boats
Despite great interest in wood boatbuilding as a form of craftsmanship, it’s a sad fact that the number of older boats, including many built of wood, is declining as these vessels age or fall into disuse. Relatively few classic yachts, old workboats and small craft are preserved, sometimes by conversion to new uses; most older
Lubec inn combines hospitality with working waterfront
The east coast is dotted with decrepit vestiges of its once-vast industrial base, including shuttered former seafood-processing plants. Few visitors can expect cozy couches and spacious kitchens when they pick through the rubble of the industrial revolution. But the experience at the Inn at the Wharf in Lubec is different, enough so that it’s good
Mighty women abound in Washington County
Coverage of Washington County is made possible by a grant from the Eaton Foundation. Ten days before last Christmas, Rhonda French of Jonesport had a Dickensesque problem. Each year, French runs an organization that provides Christmas gifts for needy children in Washington County called “Let’s All Have a Merrier Christmas.” Normally, she would have her
Island students enthralled by Rossini’s classic opera
Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, who began attending the opera with parents at a young age, the love of opera is being passed on to island children. For more than a dozen years, the Island Institute has coordinated the logistics involved in providing the opportunity for island students, teachers and parents to attend
A snapshot of Portland’s waterfront
Mark Marchesi is a South Portland-based photographer on a mission. After spending four years studying photography at Maine College of Art, followed by a brief career as a bait seller, crab cooker and sternman, his new project is one close to his heart-documenting Portland’s working waterfront. “My plan is to take thousands of photos in