Working Waterfront

What World War II meant to Monhegan

The Second World War had a dramatic impact on the everyday lives of people across the country, and while far from the fighting, the residents of Maine’s remote offshore islands also were profoundly affected by the war overseas. The multimedia online exhibition World War II: On-Island and Abroad incorporates oral… SEE MORE

Maya Newsam in front of her store. PHOTO: KELLI PARK

Working Waterfront

A hometown revival in Owls Head

Maya Newsam has found her niche in Owls Head. That location isn’t coincidence. It’s where her great-great grandparents were rooted in the working waterfront. And as the new owner of Owls Head General Store, Newsam is here to stay. SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Connection, as only music can provide it

Island winters are not for the faint of heart. My first winter on Islesboro was no exception. At the beginning of my fellowship, a wise islander gave me some sage advice: the only way to make it through winter on Islesboro is to have a really good hobby. SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Downeast ‘oasis’ subdivision marketed for urban dwellers

A high-end housing development is being planned for a 1,000-acre peninsula on Howard Lake in Robbinston. Merriwood Sustainable Community is described on its website as “just beyond the edge of the paved world—a vibrant and comfortable oasis nestled within the splendor of the Maine wilderness. Completely off the beaten path… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Walking back the memories

I suppose this is a little island. I mean, look at Greenland. On the other hand, Vinalhaven is the same size as Manhattan and it is the largest island in Penobscot Bay. Still, in the scheme of things or if one lives here for eons and is in the habit… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Island life through the eyes of COVID refugees

When Andrei Pogany, his wife Deborah Gorman, and their two young daughters, Klara and Amalia came from Los Angeles to stay on Islesford last September, they planned to be here for about three months. The island internet was fast enough to work from home and Klara could start her L.A.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Food is an anchor of normalcy

It’s very close to the one-year anniversary of “quarantimes” as I write this column. On March 13, 2020, our students had their last day of in-person school for the year, although we didn’t know it at the time. We shut everything down—for two weeks, then for a month, then for… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Why paper was king, and why it was deposed

Shredding Paper: The Rise and Fall of Maine’s Mighty Paper Industry By Michael G. Hillard Understanding Maine’s once-gigantic paper industry and what happened to it is a matter of perspective. Michael Hillard, author of Shredding Paper, a well-researched look at the mills that once employed thousands in communities all over… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

On the record with… Tom Meyers of the Waterfront Alliance

Tom Meyers has spent his professional life as an active member of working waterfronts. After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard for 28 years and as the head of the Portland base, Meyers then spent 13 years as a transportation and waterfront coordinator for the city of South Portland. While… SEE MORE

A spring scene on the Peaks Island shore. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Peaks Island soliciting developers for senior facility

When asked, most say that aging at home or aging in an assisted living facility near home are the preferred options. But what if home is on an island, with limited health services, let alone an assisted living facility? A group of Peaks islanders is working to change that status.… SEE MORE