STOCKTON SPRINGS — The story of the Titanic is well known as a tragic icon in the public imagination—the ship, the iceberg, the frozen deaths of hundreds during that long, dark night of April 15, 1912. But who were these suffering individuals? Mainers on the Titanic (Down East Books) by Maine native Mac Smith takes
What once was modern is now antique
ROCKLAND — Jeremiah Pasternak hadn’t been born when the chairs he sells were standard issue in schools, churches and libraries. The 1960s and 1970s were a kind of golden age of furniture design, the 31-year-old asserts. As he shows off the ample stock of those chairs in Pasternak Antiques’ Main Street building, that argument gains
New paradigm: Environmental stewards adapt to climate change
WINTER HARBOR — Climate change is having major impacts on the natural world. At the same time, today’s youth, beguiled by electronics, appear to be tuned out of nature. This leaves older generations with two problems: how to address or at least adapt to climate change; and how to encourage children to re-engage with nature,
When natural beauty and recreation aren’t enough
The sandy, arm-shaped peninsula that is Cape Cod may seem to have little in common with Maine’s rocky coast and islands. It’s roughly the size of the Blue Hill Peninsula and Mount Desert Island combined, yet is home to some 215,000 people, and swells to double that in the summer months. But Cape Cod, a
Untangling the Bounty tragedy
ROCKLAND — New details about the disastrous sinking of the HMS Bounty, and the heroic rescue of nearly all of its crew, emerged during a lecture by author Michael Tougias at the Maine Lighthouse Museum on July 6. His recent book, Rescue of the Bounty, co-authored with Douglas Campbell, recounts the loss of the 180-foot
Homeowner’s insurance on the coast–it’s complicated
You finally buy that seasonal or year-round home of your dreams on the beautiful Maine coast or on an island. Then you learn that insuring it against storm damage, fire or burglary can not only be costly, but sometimes, downright impossible. “It’s getting a little more difficult,” admits Denise Hopkins of the J. Edward Knight
Notes from the fundraising trenches
One of my most vivid memories as an Island Fellow started out on Route 1. It was late May and my exhaust manifold had gone the way of the last snowbanks so I rode to the meeting with my neighbor Greg. I was on my way to ask the Pleasant River Fish & Game Conservation
Campobello Island back in the spotlight
This year the island of Campobello is taking a spin in the spotlight. It’s the 50th anniversary of the establishing of Roosevelt Campobello International Park. And this year Ken Burns’ documentary series about three influential Roosevelts—Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor—premieres in the fall on PBS. Campobello figures prominently in the seven-part documentary. The small Canandian island,
Homesteading renews ties to the land
Editor’s note: This series of blogs was written last year by Anneli Carter-Sundqvist about her and her husband Dennis’ adventures homesteading and running a hostel on Deer Isle. The entire year of blog posts are contained in the book A Homesteader’s Year on Deer Isle (see www.deerislehostel.com). For the first ten years after moving out of my
Why we raise our own meat
Editor’s note: This series of blogs was written last year by Anneli Carter-Sundqvist about her and her husband Dennis’ adventures homesteading and running a hostel on Deer Isle. The entire year of blog posts are contained in the book A Homesteader’s Year on Deer Isle (see www.deerislehostel.com). One of the big events of the year took place