Articles
USS Constitution: A chip off the old block
The ‘chip’ is a piece of oak taken from the hull of USS Constitution. It is about half the size of a brick, yet it feels heavier. With timbers this solid, it is no wonder enemy cannon balls bounced off Constitution, giving the rise to her nickname “Old Ironsides”. The title of this article is
The colorful career of one of the state’s best baseball players
With the opening of the baseball season, the time has come to celebrate the career of another legendary baseball player from the state of Maine, George Gore. Nicknamed “Piano Legs” because of the enormous muscles in his calves, Gore was born in Hartland, 20 miles east of Skowhegan. George, who showed up barefoot for his
Champlain’s Dream
One of the giants of the Age of Exploration has become a relatively unknown figure in recent years. “Champlain,” the author was asked a few years ago, “why are you writing a book about a lake?” In the wave of political correctness, Champlain’s name had all but disappeared from school curriculums, the author tells us.
Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World
Random House, 2008 Hardcover, 368 pages, $30 A timely book about a horrific war Following the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Suleiman the Magnificent, sultan of the Ottoman Turks, made plans to expand his empire to the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. Standing in the way was a scattering of European outposts including Christian
Nelson writes in revolutionary waters
Remembering Mainers on board the USS Maine
On February 15, 1898 the battleship USS Maine was sunk in Havana harbor. The ship had been sent to Cuba to protect American interests during a period of intense local unrest against the Spanish government on the island. Most of the 266 men who died were crew members, sleeping or resting in the forward part
George Washington’s Secret Navy:
Fighting the Revolution at sea Following the battles of Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill in the spring of 1775, the American Revolution devolved into a stalemate. The British army withdrew to Boston where they remained for the next year surrounded by a ragtag American army led by George Washington. To keep the British from receiving
North Haven excited by opening of new school
On September 8, 2008 North Haven will open its new school for the academic year. With a population of 67 students and 14 full-time teachers, the North Haven Community School is the smallest public K-12 school in the state. As I walked around the campus recently with long-time principal Barney Hallowell, the finishing touches were
The Sloop from Bucks County, PA
Forty-five years ago Peter Sellers was a young mathematics professor with a dream. Specifically, he wanted to build a boat with the lines of a Friendship sloop. The project would combine two of Peter’s favorite activities. As a youth, he loved the small boat sailing he had done during summers spent on the New Jersey
Jack Elliot: remembering a “Swift Boater” from Thomaston, Maine
Arthur “Jack” Elliot was killed 40 years ago on Dec. 29, 1968, at the age of 35. A fifth generation native of Thomaston, Lieutenant Commander Elliot was leading a PBRs (Patrol Boat River) squadron when he was hit by a B-40 rocket, which killed him instantly. PBR’s or “Swift Boats” had a shallow draft, which