Winter 2007
click here for older issuesTraditions and Records:
Norwood Cove, Southwest Harbor, Greening Island, Manset, Seawall
Published by the Southwest Harbor Historical Society
POB 272, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
(207) 244-9264
Southwest Harbor Historical Society
Chris Rawls, President
Phil Whitney, Vice President
Rebecca Carlson, Secretary
Wayne Patton, Treasurer
Board of Directors
Bruce Komusin
Larry Howard
Sharon Howard
Janet Patton
Ralph Stanley
Can You Identify?
This photo was sent to us by Maxine Clark. If you can help us to identify any of these people, please let us know.
Looking Back
From the Bar Harbor Times archive at the Jessup Library in Bar Harbor
October 30, 1947
"All events have been suspended on Mount Desert Island for the past ten days while flames devoured the forests and devastated Bar Harbor. Schools have been closed and teachers aiding in all possible ways. The domestic science rooms have been used as relief headquarters and busy women have been preparing sandwiches, doughnuts and coffee day and night, working in relays. High school boys are working on the trench in Somesville and proving good help. The town is being patrolled for signs of fire and an airplane hovers over the western part of the island on the lookout for any signs of flames. A warship with men and equipment lies in the harbor ready for any emergency. People are asked not to use the telephone except for necessity. Much of the beauty of the eastern side of the island has been destroyed and fire is burning so deep in the ground that it will be years before anything can grow again. Many people from Northeast Harbor are staying with relatives and friends here until they are allowed to return to their homes, which is not likely to be until rain comes. A high wind could bring back the extreme danger that has threatened the villages for the past ten days. The great trench at Somesville is expected to hold back the flames from this side of the island if they should reach that far, though danger from flying cinders could start fire in unexpected places."
(collected by: Janet and Wayne Patton)
From the Archive Collections Committee:
The historical society is settling into its temporary home at the new Chamber of Commerce office at 20 Village Green Way. We will have space for display and storage.
If you have something that would help preserve the history of Southwest Harbor and can part with it, please let the Historical Society know:
Mail: P.O. Box 272 Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
Telephone: (207) 244-9264
E-Mail: swhhistory@yahoo.com
Rebecca Carlson
Recent Activities
The Historical Society was fully occupied during the Summer with the second season of the Summer Program Series. The generous donation of a high quality camcorder earlier this Spring enabled us to begin filming our presentations, to include not only the program and presenters, but also the audience with their questions and additional historical reminiscences. These contributed immeasurably to the overall presentations. Bruce Komusin, from the Great Cranberry Island Historical Society, officially joined our society this Spring, and lent his considerable technical expertise towards the videotaping of these programs.
In June, "Manset / Seawall - Old Views & Reminiscences" was presented at the American Legion Hall to an enthusiastic group, many of whom lived all or some of their lives in that area of town. So popular was this photo presentation by Janet & Wayne Patton that we were asked by several folks to repeat it again this Winter. In July, a program on "Lodging Houses / Bed & Breakfasts" was provided at the Claremont Hotel. Many current owners of lodging establishments in the area made informative presentations on their individual properties, providing numerous interesting anecdotes relating to previous owners, their guests, and the buildings themselves. In August, our next program, "The History of Greening Island", was also held at the Claremont Hotel. Longtime summer resident Robert Esty and his family provided a fascinating look at the island which most 'mainland' Southwest Harbor residents have never visited. The Estys very graciously invited attendees to visit Greening Island next summer, in coordination with the Historical Society, and offered to host a walking tour of the island. We will provide further information regarding this generous offer next year.
In September, Southwest Harbor's 'Unofficial Historian' Ralph Stanley gave a nostalgic talk on the long-vanished "Steamboat Era of SWH" at the American Legion Hall. The record-breaking crowd was treated to photos & stories of the steamboats, captains, wharves, and interesting incidents of the era, as well as the factors which contributed to the rise and eventual decline & disappearance into history of the boats and the transportation lifestyle they represented along the Maine coast. Finally, in October, Debbie Dyer of the Bar Harbor Historical Society gave a 60th anniversary slide presentation on the Bar Harbor Fire and its devastating influence on the entire Mount Desert Island area. Again hosted at the American Legion Hall, another record-breaking crowd of over 70 individuals crowded into the building to witness the slide show and offer remembrances of that devastating two weeks in October, 1947.
Thus ended a very successful season of presentations, which was reflected in the ever-increasing attendance levels and the continuing complimentary remarks of the attendees. We sincerely appreciate the support of the community as exhibited in our steadily growing membership list, and also seen through the Clarks Dairy Milk Bottle, which has been stuffed full with your donation dollars after each program. These funds continue helping us to improve and expand our programs for your knowledge & entertainment.
Phil Whitney, Vice-President
Last Issue's 'Where and When?'
Newman Store - Ward Parker, Ward Newman, Guy Cleveland, Molly Newman and Lyle Newman (the barber) taken about 1900. In the 50's it was known as Welton's store, and in the 60's it was the post office and the store.
Where and When?
The answer will be in the next issue of The Voyager
Upcoming Events:
The Historical Society will slow down its pace slightly this Winter, after the hectic program schedule of the Summer Season. We hope to spend a majority of our meetings working on proposed History Book projects, which entail putting together books of photographs on various historical topics for eventual sale. We will also intersperse these meetings with occasional re-runs of historical programs previously presented. In addition, work will be conducted on organizing our archival storage area in the Chamber of Commerce Building, and possibly interviewing historically knowledgeable citizens of the community on their remembrances.
The following is our tentative schedule of programs / meetings this Winter:
November 20 - Book Project Workshop
December 18 - Book Project Workshop
January 15 - TBA
February 19 - Book Project Workshop
March 18 - Manset / Seawall - Reminiscences
April 15 - Upper Clark Point - History
We encourage you to attend not only our programs this Winter, but also the Book Project Workshops. Contribute your ideas and potential knowledge concerning particular photographs. Your participation can significantly add to the quality & quantity of information presented in these photographic books.
Phil Whitney, Vice-President
Donations
We are most grateful to the following for donations:
Don Reed sent us a Town Baseball Team Uniform and some great photos from the 1948-1949 time period.
Dale Mills brought in three old ledgers from J.N. Mills Oil Company.
We also received some old Pemetic Yearbooks and an Annabelles cookbook from an unknown donors.
Thank you for your support!
We are saddened by the loss of several members of our community
In Memorium:
Frank "Dinky" Hodgdon resident of Tremont, October 2, 2007
Crosby Mills, member of Southwest Harbor Historical Society, October 26, 2007
Roy Everbeck, resident of Tremont, October 21, 2007
Maurice "Mo" Rich, resident of Tremont, November 9, 2007
Jack Wellington, member of Southwest Harbor Historical Society, November 19, 2007
Irving Pinchetti, resident of Tremont, November 29, 2007
Lyford Stanley, resident of Tremont, November 30, 2007
Joyce Wellington, resident of Southwest Harbor, November 29, 2007
Helen Hopkins, resident of Tremont, November 24, 2007
A reminder
This is the time to remind everyone that the membership dues for 2008 are due in January.
If you have any questions, suggestions or comments about the newsletter please let us know at swhhistory@yahoo.com