Working Waterfront

It’s time to fix the Indian land claim act

Legislation aimed at modernizing and fixing what is broken in the 1980 Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act is working its way through the Maine Legislature. LD 1626 came through the work of a bipartisan task force that also included tribal chiefs and leaders as well as representatives from the… SEE MORE

Allen Island, with part of Benner Island visible at right. Monhegan Island is also visible at the top of the image. PHOTO: COURTESY COLBY COLLEGE

Working Waterfront

Colby takes over stewardship of Wyeth islands

Colby College in Waterville has become the new steward of two historic islands where renowned American artist Andrew Wyeth painted some of his greatest works, inspired and influenced by the landscape and architecture that were curated by his wife, Betsy Wyeth. Colby has taken ownership of Allen and Benner islands… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Maine delegation can lead to climate safety

Both my wife and I grew up in Maine, but it wasn’t until we married that I adopted her family’s tradition of buying pounds of wholesale Maine shrimp and spending New Year’s Day (my mother-in-law’s birthday) shelling and freezing them for the coming months. It was an annual ceremony straight… SEE MORE

Eastport's breakwater anchorage. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Eastport turns down Russian ship request

When a cargo ship en route to Montreal from Russia with 8,000 tons of petroleum product recently found itself in need of some short-term parking, the shippers involved contacted Washington County's Eastport Port Authority. The North Atlantic's deepest ports include Eastport's cargo terminal and downtown breakwater dock, which in June… SEE MORE

The offices of Deering Lumber in the Lafayette House today. PHOTO: COURTESY KYLE H. NOBLE

Working Waterfront

Biddeford’s Lafayette House dates to 1798

We published a 1936 photo of Biddeford’s Lafayette House, shot by Dominic Avanzato, in our December/January issue, and asked readers if the building were still standing. Here are some of the responses we received: “I can say with certainty that the Lafayette House still exists as the office for Deering… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Our readers write: Street people, pinch-hitting, and Mueller

Street people thoughts To the editor: I just wanted to thank you and all the other writers (Cranberry Report columnist Barb Fernald is a friend) for your continued hard work on The Working Waterfront. I just finished reading your Rock Bound column, "Who do we want to see on our… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A Maine island take on Candlemas

On Feb. 2, many Americans look to Pennsylvania to see if the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerges to see his shadow or not. If he does, it means there are six more weeks of winter. Folks, on Feb. 2, there will be six more weeks of winter no matter what. Some… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A wintry slice of island life

It’s the afternoon of Jan. 6 and I’m in my studio on Little Cranberry Island, wondering if I have an island tale to tell on the day before my deadline. I usually have some idea by now, but not this week. I would have started writing this morning but I… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A different kind of book in gestation

In 2014 I had a baby, and in 2019 I wrote a song about it. It’s called “Tear Me in Two,” referring not just to the physical act of childbirth, but of the feeling I had as a new parent of this second person, an extension of myself and also… SEE MORE

Children pose in front of Waterman's peace sign.

Working Waterfront

Giving North Haven the peace sign

Editor’s note: The following first appeared in Waterman’s Community Center fall newsletter, and is reproduced here, with permission, because it offers insight into how island communities negotiate change… even small changes. In the 1960s, Waterman & Co. general store was at the height of its activity. Franklin Waterman was the… SEE MORE