Working Waterfront

The hermit’s tale

The April issue of The Working Waterfront featured two photos from the Library of Congress depicting the self-described Maine Hermit, who lived in Freeport. Terry Sue Allen, also of Freeport, noticed the photos and interviewed her father-in-law, Nathan Allen Sr., who lived across the street from the hermit. Here is… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Letters to the Editor: History, Gulf Stream and wampum

‘A great little history’ To the editor: Thanks for writing the piece on Arthur Rothstein, (“History spills from frame of film,” April issue). I'm a great, great, granddaughter of Rabbi Israel Perlstein and Chania, and this is a treasure of little details I didn't know. (My great grandmother was Ida, the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Vinalhaven to honor World War II vets with new memorial

A local newspaper of the day told the tale: March 19, 1945, Pacific Ocean—Donald C. McLaughlin, Jr. of Vinalhaven is a seaman first class aboard the USS Franklin, also known as “Big Ben.” Operating 60 miles off the coast of Japan, the Franklin sits vulnerable, with many of her planes… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Dear, yet not-so-dear April

Have you fallen off on writing “thank you” notes? I know I have, and I’m not proud of it. I used to enjoy writing long letters to people before I became a mother. Then computers, the Internet, e-mail and Facebook also came along to lure me away from the handwritten word.… SEE MORE

Bathing suits of the modest variety dry in the sun on Peaks Island.

Working Waterfront

Just two strings attached

A few years ago I went to Florida on vacation. I’d never seen a woman in a thong before. Of course I’d seen pictures of them, but seeing them actually move around close enough to, well, study, is different. I’m glad I waited. At this stage, happily married and with… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Blair Colby is Great Cranberry’s truck guru

Great Cranberry Island’s 40 or so year-round residents know that if roads need to be plowed, trees cut, fields mowed, firewood split, land cleared, wells drilled or anything hauled, they can call Blair Colby. Colby can be relied on to bring to bear his extensive collection of hard-used Franken-trucks, assembled… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Lessons learned from bread-making extend to island work

Reflections is a monthly column written by Island Fellows, recent college grads who do community service work on Maine islands and in remote coastal communities through the Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront. Jessica Duma works on Great Cranberry Island with the historical society. I may be the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Penobscot Watershed Conference underscores region’s impact

On the map of Maine, Penobscot Bay lies at the midpoint of the coast. It resembles a fulcrum on which the northern and southern halves pivot. On the map of the Penobscot watershed, which was used throughout the venue that hosted Penobscot Watershed Conference on April 9, the image looms… SEE MORE

Harbor Watch Inn owner Colleen Hyland (right) looks on as Janice Kenyon of Southwest Harbor uses the inn’s new charging station with her all-electric 2015 Nissan Leaf.

Working Waterfront

Electric vehicle charging station installed on Swan’s Island

The Harbor Watch Inn on Swan’s Island has partnered with Tesla Motors and installed a charging station for electric cars. Tesla offers such hardware to encourage those in the hospitality industry to adopt this emerging technology. Colleen Hyland, the inn’s owner, wanted to offer charging service for guests who own electric… SEE MORE

The southern half of the Penobscot watershed.

Working Waterfront

Taking the long view means answering tough questions

“We will be the ancestors someday.” This truism came from Penobscot Nation tribal elder Butch Phillips as part of the welcome to over 300 people who attended the Penobscot Watershed Conference on April 9. The statement was a weighty one—when future generations look back, what will they learn from the… SEE MORE