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Item Title Type Subject Creator Publisher Date Place Address Description
12981Painting of Clark's Wharf by Charles Morris Young
  • Reference
  • Structures, Transportation, Marine Landing, Wharf
  • Young - Charles Morris Young (1869-1964)
 The painting. "Clark's Wharf" (Southwest Harbor) was given to the Library by Mr. Young and hangs above the fireplace in the Holmes Reading Room in the Southwest Harbor Public Library. It was painted in October 1923.
Painting of Clark's Wharf by Charles Morris Young
Item:
  • 12981   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Transportation, Marine Landing, Wharf
Creator:
  • Young - Charles Morris Young (1869-1964)
Description:
The painting. "Clark's Wharf" (Southwest Harbor) was given to the Library by Mr. Young and hangs above the fireplace in the Holmes Reading Room in the Southwest Harbor Public Library. It was painted in October 1923.
15605Robert Malcom Carter House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Rich - Meredith Adelle (Rich) Hutchins (1939-2016)
  • Riebel - Charlotte Helen (Riebel) Morrill
  • Southwest Harbor
  • 27 Forest Avenue
Robert Malcom Carter House
Item:
  • 15605   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Creator:
  • Rich - Meredith Adelle (Rich) Hutchins (1939-2016)
  • Riebel - Charlotte Helen (Riebel) Morrill
Place:
  • Southwest Harbor
State:
  • ME
Address:
  • 27 Forest Avenue
15522Eliza S. Robbins House
Fred M. Robbins House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Rea - William H. Rea
  • 1895
  • Southwest Harbor
  • 225 Main Street
"Fred Robbins had his house built by William H. Rea. During the years that Mr, Robbins was employed as a lighthouse keeper, the house was rented and so he built the small cottage to the south of his home as a place where he and his wife could spend their annual vacations." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 143.
Eliza S. Robbins House
Fred M. Robbins House
Item:
  • 15522   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Creator:
  • Rea - William H. Rea
Date:
  • 1895
Place:
  • Southwest Harbor
State:
  • ME
Address:
  • 225 Main Street
Description:
"Fred Robbins had his house built by William H. Rea. During the years that Mr, Robbins was employed as a lighthouse keeper, the house was rented and so he built the small cottage to the south of his home as a place where he and his wife could spend their annual vacations." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 143.
15560Dorr's Oldfarm Estate - Volunteer Cleanup
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House, Cottage
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
  • 2012-10-11
Dorr's Oldfarm Estate - Volunteer Cleanup
Item:
  • 15560   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House, Cottage
Creator:
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
Date:
  • 2012-10-11
15567The Satterlee Window
  • Reference
  • Structures, Ceremonial, Church
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
  • 2013-04-15
The Satterlee Window
Item:
  • 15567   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Ceremonial, Church
Creator:
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
Date:
  • 2013-04-15
155752013-11-01 Acadia National Park's Oceanfront Cottage
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House, Cottage
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
  • 2013-11-01
2013-11-01 Acadia National Park's Oceanfront Cottage
Item:
  • 15575   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House, Cottage
Creator:
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
Date:
  • 2013-11-01
15584The Fire Lookouts of Acadia National Park
  • Reference
  • Structures, Tower
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
  • 2014-08-27
The Fire Lookouts of Acadia National Park
Item:
  • 15584   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Tower
Creator:
  • Lenahan - Donald Patrick Lenahan
Date:
  • 2014-08-27
3581Duck Brook Motor Bridge
  • Reference
  • Structures, Transportation, Bridge
  • Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service
  • Bar Harbor
The largest bridge that you've probably never seen on Mount Desert Island is the Duck Brook Motor Road Bridge. Ironically, anyone who drives the Park Loop Road, starting from the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, travels over the bridge (located here), but few people see the bridge itself. That's too bad since it is by far the longest and tallest bridge in the park. In fact, it's the largest continuous concrete arch deck bridge in the eastern United States. At 402' long (not counting the 65' approaches on each side) and having a center arch span of 95', it dwarfs every carriage road bridge in the park, the longest being Amphitheater at 245' and the tallest being Duck Brook at 43' (yes, there are two Duck Brook bridges, one for people and bikes, and this one for cars). An architectural drawing of the bridge indicates a height of 100' from the top of the 30" high parapet guardwall to the water below. So how does the largest road-related structure in Acadia National Park go unnoticed? There are three reasons. First, from above you might not realize you are driving over a bridge because the roadway and shoulders look much like other portions of the loop road. If you happen to park at the turnout located southeast of the bridge, then walk atop the bridge and look over the side, you only get a glimpse of the three stone arches. To really see them, you have to hike down to the brook, but there is no trail and the terrain is dangerously steep. Second, the only view from below is along the narrow and busy stretch of Route 3 between Sonogee and the Holiday Inn. At 40 mph, you wouldn't see the bridge even if you knew the exact instant when and where to look. Finally, from below, the bridge is almost entirely obscured in summer by deciduous trees growing in the deep ravine that the bridge spans. To see this magnificent structure which was constructed from 1950 to 1953 using granite from Hall Quarry in Somesville, you have to seek it out at the right time of year. The Duck Brook Motor Road Bridge is truly a hidden architectural and historical gem. John D. Rockefeller purchased the land for the Paradise Hill Road where the bridge is located, donated the land to to the park, and was involved in planning the road as early as 1934, but World War II and subsequent funding shortages delayed the start of construction. As many as 75 men were on the job at one time with total labor estimated at 92,000 hours. Total cost of the structure was $366,000 making it the most expensive road-related structure in the park at the time of its completion. George Soules - November 2015
Duck Brook Motor Bridge
Item:
  • 3581   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Transportation, Bridge
Creator:
  • Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service
Place:
  • Bar Harbor
State:
  • ME
Source:
  • Library of Congress www.loc.gov/pictures/item/me0254
Description:
The largest bridge that you've probably never seen on Mount Desert Island is the Duck Brook Motor Road Bridge. Ironically, anyone who drives the Park Loop Road, starting from the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, travels over the bridge (located here), but few people see the bridge itself. That's too bad since it is by far the longest and tallest bridge in the park. In fact, it's the largest continuous concrete arch deck bridge in the eastern United States. At 402' long (not counting the 65' approaches on each side) and having a center arch span of 95', it dwarfs every carriage road bridge in the park, the longest being Amphitheater at 245' and the tallest being Duck Brook at 43' (yes, there are two Duck Brook bridges, one for people and bikes, and this one for cars). An architectural drawing of the bridge indicates a height of 100' from the top of the 30" high parapet guardwall to the water below. So how does the largest road-related structure in Acadia National Park go unnoticed? There are three reasons. First, from above you might not realize you are driving over a bridge because the roadway and shoulders look much like other portions of the loop road. If you happen to park at the turnout located southeast of the bridge, then walk atop the bridge and look over the side, you only get a glimpse of the three stone arches. To really see them, you have to hike down to the brook, but there is no trail and the terrain is dangerously steep. Second, the only view from below is along the narrow and busy stretch of Route 3 between Sonogee and the Holiday Inn. At 40 mph, you wouldn't see the bridge even if you knew the exact instant when and where to look. Finally, from below, the bridge is almost entirely obscured in summer by deciduous trees growing in the deep ravine that the bridge spans. To see this magnificent structure which was constructed from 1950 to 1953 using granite from Hall Quarry in Somesville, you have to seek it out at the right time of year. The Duck Brook Motor Road Bridge is truly a hidden architectural and historical gem. John D. Rockefeller purchased the land for the Paradise Hill Road where the bridge is located, donated the land to to the park, and was involved in planning the road as early as 1934, but World War II and subsequent funding shortages delayed the start of construction. As many as 75 men were on the job at one time with total labor estimated at 92,000 hours. Total cost of the structure was $366,000 making it the most expensive road-related structure in the park at the time of its completion. George Soules - November 2015 [show more]
13017Building of Arts, Eden
  • Reference
  • Structures, Civic, Performing Arts, Theater
  • Harding, R. Brewster
  • Maine: Old Port Publishing Co., 1975
  • Bar Harbor, Eden
Building of Arts was built for the summer population of Bar Harbor. It was meant to be a place where music lovers and professional musicians from all over the country would come to entertain the summer colony. Members of the building committee included George Dorr, Mr. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Robert Abbe. Guy Lowell of Boston, Massachusetts, was chosen as architect for the building. It was finished in 1907 with a final cost of approximately $100,000. The opening concert was held on Saturday, July 13, 1907. Mme. Emma Eames and Mr. Emilio De Gogorza were soloists. Over the next 35 years the Building of Arts held concerts and shows by Ernest Schelling, Paderewski, Walter Damrosch, dancer Ted Shawn, Josef Hofmann, and many others, including celebrated stars from Hollywood and Broadway. By the end of this time period the building had fallen into disrepair and was sold in January 1943 to Earl D. and Charles A. Holt for $305.24. Just four years later in April 1947 the Holts sold the building to Consuello Sides of Boston and New York. The plan was to use it as a summer theater. In October 1947 the Building of Arts was destroyed by fire. See also: "Lost Bar Harbor," p. 110. "Bygone Bar Harbor - A Postcard Tour of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park," p. 16. "Maine Cottages: Fred L. Savage and the Architecture of Mount Desert," p. 232.
Building of Arts, Eden
Item:
  • 13017   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Civic, Performing Arts, Theater
Creator:
  • Harding, R. Brewster
Publisher:
  • Maine: Old Port Publishing Co., 1975
Place:
  • Bar Harbor, Eden
State:
  • ME
Tags:
tinted
Description:
Building of Arts was built for the summer population of Bar Harbor. It was meant to be a place where music lovers and professional musicians from all over the country would come to entertain the summer colony. Members of the building committee included George Dorr, Mr. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Robert Abbe. Guy Lowell of Boston, Massachusetts, was chosen as architect for the building. It was finished in 1907 with a final cost of approximately $100,000. The opening concert was held on Saturday, July 13, 1907. Mme. Emma Eames and Mr. Emilio De Gogorza were soloists. Over the next 35 years the Building of Arts held concerts and shows by Ernest Schelling, Paderewski, Walter Damrosch, dancer Ted Shawn, Josef Hofmann, and many others, including celebrated stars from Hollywood and Broadway. By the end of this time period the building had fallen into disrepair and was sold in January 1943 to Earl D. and Charles A. Holt for $305.24. Just four years later in April 1947 the Holts sold the building to Consuello Sides of Boston and New York. The plan was to use it as a summer theater. In October 1947 the Building of Arts was destroyed by fire. See also: "Lost Bar Harbor," p. 110. "Bygone Bar Harbor - A Postcard Tour of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park," p. 16. "Maine Cottages: Fred L. Savage and the Architecture of Mount Desert," p. 232. [show more]
3006Restoration of The Cedars
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Southwest Harbor
  • 7 Wesley Ave
This document describes items that were found in The Cedars when it was renovated in 2010.
Restoration of The Cedars
Item:
  • 3006   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Southwest Harbor
State:
  • ME
Address:
  • 7 Wesley Ave
Description:
This document describes items that were found in The Cedars when it was renovated in 2010.
15162Loring L. Marshall Cottage
Underledge
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House, Cottage
  • Southwest Harbor
  • 16 Ledge Way
Loring L. Marshall Cottage
Underledge
Item:
  • 15162   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House, Cottage
Place:
  • Southwest Harbor
State:
  • ME
Address:
  • 16 Ledge Way
15167Frank Mortimer Wakefield House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Dedham MA
  • 57 Chestnut Street
Frank Mortimer Wakefield House
Item:
  • 15167   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Dedham MA
State:
  • MA
Address:
  • 57 Chestnut Street
15171Lewis Freeman House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Tremont
In 1985, owned by Wendell S. Seavey
Lewis Freeman House
Item:
  • 15171   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Tremont
State:
  • ME
Description:
In 1985, owned by Wendell S. Seavey
15173Samuel G. Rich House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Tremont, Bernard
  • 249 Tremont Road
"This house was built for Samuel G. Rich, after he purchased the land in 1837. The exact construction date is unclear." - "The Historic Homes of the Town of Tremont…A perspective in Time," p. 25 - Published by the Tremont Historical Society, July 1998. Samuel G. Rich (c. 1808-1871)
Samuel G. Rich House
Item:
  • 15173   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Tremont, Bernard
State:
  • ME
Address:
  • 249 Tremont Road
Description:
"This house was built for Samuel G. Rich, after he purchased the land in 1837. The exact construction date is unclear." - "The Historic Homes of the Town of Tremont…A perspective in Time," p. 25 - Published by the Tremont Historical Society, July 1998. Samuel G. Rich (c. 1808-1871)
15198Ansel Lyman Harper House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Tremont
Ansel Lyman Harper House
Item:
  • 15198   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Tremont
State:
  • ME
15203Jefferson Torrey House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Jefferson Torrey House
Item:
  • 15203   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
15213The Saranac Inn
  • Reference
  • Structures, Commercial, Lodging, Inn
  • Saranac Lake NY
The Saranac Inn
Item:
  • 15213   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Commercial, Lodging, Inn
Place:
  • Saranac Lake NY
State:
  • NY
15216George Kennard Hooper House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Dedham MA
  • 57 Chestnut Street
George Kennard Hooper House
Item:
  • 15216   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Dedham MA
State:
  • MA
Address:
  • 57 Chestnut Street
15218The Fairbanks House, Dedham, Massachusetts
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Dedham MA
  • 511 East Street
"The Fairbanks House is believed to be the oldest surviving timber frame house in North America. It was built for a family of Puritan immigrants from Yorkshire in England, Jonathan and Grace Fairebanke and their six children. Dendrochonology (tree ring dating) has confirmed a construction date of the late 1630s-early 1640s. The house was passed down to succeeding generations of the family until the early twentieth century. In all, eight generations of the Fairbanks family lived in the house. Through the Fairbanks Family in America, Inc., the extended Fairbanks family still owns the property." - “The Oldest Timber Frame House,” The Fairbanks House Historical Site, Accessed online 01/02/09; http://www.fairbankshouse.org/ Visit this site for the history of the house and how to visit it.
The Fairbanks House, Dedham, Massachusetts
Item:
  • 15218   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Dedham MA
State:
  • MA
Address:
  • 511 East Street
Description:
"The Fairbanks House is believed to be the oldest surviving timber frame house in North America. It was built for a family of Puritan immigrants from Yorkshire in England, Jonathan and Grace Fairebanke and their six children. Dendrochonology (tree ring dating) has confirmed a construction date of the late 1630s-early 1640s. The house was passed down to succeeding generations of the family until the early twentieth century. In all, eight generations of the Fairbanks family lived in the house. Through the Fairbanks Family in America, Inc., the extended Fairbanks family still owns the property." - “The Oldest Timber Frame House,” The Fairbanks House Historical Site, Accessed online 01/02/09; http://www.fairbankshouse.org/ Visit this site for the history of the house and how to visit it. [show more]
15219Eastern Point Light Station, Gloucester
  • Reference
  • Structures, Transportation, Lighthouse
  • Gloucester MA
Eastern Point Light Station is located on a rocky promontory overlooking Dog Bar Reef at the eastern entrance to Gloucester Harbor in Gloucester, Massachusetts. "Eastern Point Light Station was established in 1832. Following the arrival of the railroad in Gloucester in 1847 the fishing business exploded and the importance of Eastern Point Light increased. A new light tower replaced the poorly constructed original tower in 1848. American artist Winslow Homer (1836-1910) lived at Eastern Point Light in 1880. Homer's works depicting the scenery and everyday life of this maritime community are among his most famous. The third and present tower was built in 1890 on the masonry foundation of the 1832 tower. The 36-foot tall, conical brick tower is painted white. An enclosed passageway and covered walkway connect the tower to the two-story double keepers' quarters, which was built in 1879. Eastern Point Light Station consists of the 1890 tower, keepers' quarters, walkway, oil house and bell tower. Also located on the site is a secondary keeper's dwelling (1908), a radio beacon (1931) and a foghorn (1951)." - National Park Service, Maritime History of Massachusetts, Eastern Point Light Station, Accessed online 02/05/08; http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/maritime/ept.htm
Eastern Point Light Station, Gloucester
Item:
  • 15219   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Transportation, Lighthouse
Place:
  • Gloucester MA
State:
  • MA
Description:
Eastern Point Light Station is located on a rocky promontory overlooking Dog Bar Reef at the eastern entrance to Gloucester Harbor in Gloucester, Massachusetts. "Eastern Point Light Station was established in 1832. Following the arrival of the railroad in Gloucester in 1847 the fishing business exploded and the importance of Eastern Point Light increased. A new light tower replaced the poorly constructed original tower in 1848. American artist Winslow Homer (1836-1910) lived at Eastern Point Light in 1880. Homer's works depicting the scenery and everyday life of this maritime community are among his most famous. The third and present tower was built in 1890 on the masonry foundation of the 1832 tower. The 36-foot tall, conical brick tower is painted white. An enclosed passageway and covered walkway connect the tower to the two-story double keepers' quarters, which was built in 1879. Eastern Point Light Station consists of the 1890 tower, keepers' quarters, walkway, oil house and bell tower. Also located on the site is a secondary keeper's dwelling (1908), a radio beacon (1931) and a foghorn (1951)." - National Park Service, Maritime History of Massachusetts, Eastern Point Light Station, Accessed online 02/05/08; http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/maritime/ept.htm [show more]
15221Nathaniel Southgate Shaler Cottage
Seven Gates on Martha’s Vineyard
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • North Tisbury MA
Nathaniel Southgate Shaler Cottage
Seven Gates on Martha’s Vineyard
Item:
  • 15221   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • North Tisbury MA
State:
  • MA
15259The BoatHouse, Manset, Maine
  • Reference
  • Structures, Transportation, Boathouse
  • Southwest Harbor, Manset
The BoatHouse, Manset, Maine
Item:
  • 15259   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Transportation, Boathouse
Place:
  • Southwest Harbor, Manset
State:
  • ME
15264John Morgan Gott Sr. House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Tremont
John Morgan Gott Sr. House
Item:
  • 15264   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Tremont
State:
  • ME
15280Try House at Try House Point, Bernard
  • Reference
  • Structures, Other Structures
  • Tremont, Bernard
"It is a little known fact that Mount Desert Island men participated in one of America's earliest and most storied industries - whaling. In 1776 Benjamin Benson, great grandfather of Ralph Benson of Bernard, sailed out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in the whaling vessel which he captained, He finally dropped anchor at Bass Harbor, which he selected as a base for his operations. He built a try house on a point of land at the mouth of the harbor and used his ship and crew for hunting whales in the surrounding waters, particularly near Mt. Desert Rock. The try house, a small frame structure, stood on the point behind the present home of Farrell Davisson almost directly across the harbor from the Underwood sardine plant until it was finally demolished about 1910. By the time the building was torn down the equipment used in the rendering process was gone. However, Ralph Benson owns the muzzle-loading gun for shooting, the harpoon and a whale oil lamp. The grapnel used for hauling the whale behind the ship is also in Bernard. Whalebone, which was discarded during the oil extracting process, is still occasionally dug up from the sand during, excavations along the shore of the harbor. The whale was located by the ship. When one was found, a part of the crew put out in a small boat and carefully rowed as near the prey as possible. The whale was shot with a harpoon from the muzzle-loading gun. If the carcass sank, it was raised with a four-hook grapnel weighing about 200 pounds and towed by the ship to the rendering plant. The several inch thick layer of blubber under the skin was the only part of the whale used here. The blubber was stripped off and placed in huge iron kettles to cook over a slow fire. The round-bottomed kettles, holding about 150 gallons each, were some four and a half feet in diameter at the top. A flat lip encircling the rim was supported on a brick fireplace holding the kettle off the fire beneath. The oil thus rendered was used as the fuel in whale oil lamps, which were the first development for home lighting after candles. The little lamp in Mr. Benson's possession was part of the stock of his grandfather's general store located on the same site as Benson's present wharf. The clear glass base, which held the fuel, is about eight inches across the bottom and tapering to the top. The opening is capped with metal on which there are two small spouts through which the wicks were run. There was no chimney to the lamp. The whale oil trying industry lasted until about 1860 or 1870 when the discovery and development of petroleum wrote a finis to it. Whales, some of them 80 feet in length, are still seen in the waters around here yet. Mr. Benson saw one recently when he was out fishing, and we have one or two other reports of them this season. A good-sized whale can create a hazard for a small boat. They apparently like to rise under a boat which is 1 riding without its motor running to 1 scratch their backs on the vessel's bottom, Without the least malevolence on the part of the whale, this can make for difficulties. Around here whales usually appear in June and are gone in September. They pasture on plankton, the same food as that eaten by the herring. "Plankton," says one writer, "is to the sea what grass is to the land - the basic food. All forms of plankton are very small, often microscopic...!” One authority has figured that in the food chain of the sea it would take 1 million pounds s of mackerel flesh (fragment missing). If your arithmetic is better than ours, perhaps you can figure out how many pounds it would take to support a whale from which 150 gallons of oil were rendered. The try house at Bass Harbor was run by Benson from the time it was built until the process was discontinued. At one time there were four Benjamin Bensons in the community. The original one who came from New Bedford was called “Grand Sir.” He had a son named for him who was called “Just Plain Ben.” One of Grand Sir's daughters married another Benjamin Benson who had come here from New Hampshire. He was called “Country Ben.” Just Plain Ben had a son also named Benjamin. He was called “Little Ben.” - “MDI's Short Lived Whaling Industry Began In Bass Harbor” by LaRue Spiker appeared in the Bar Harbor Times on November 3, 1960 and was reprinted in the Tremont Historical Society Newsletter - V5 #3 - July, 2001. Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus (A.K.A. - Alewife, Bunker, Pogy, Bugmouth, Fat-Back) "And lastly, there are the Menhaden. More often called “Pogies” here in Maine, they once provided a robust seine fishery that rivaled herring. The Pogies were a great source of oil. Their oil and fat content were suitable for extraction. Ground-up fish were cooked in big kettles (try-pots) much the same way that whale blubber was and the resultant oil was valuable. That was all before my time and it is legend now. But the names remain. “Try-House Point”, “Fish House Point” and “Try-Kettle Cove” are still here even though the reasons for their names have long since gone." www.fishermensvoice.com/archives/atlanticstatesnews0905.html, Accessed 2007. “The Menhaden Fishery - It is claimed by the fishermen of Surry that the menhaden fishery of the United States originated with the people of that town. For many years menhaden were abundant in all of the shore-waters of the district, being particularly so in Frenchman's and Union Bays. At first they were taken only in small numbers for use as bait in the shore-fisheries, but later, when it was discovered that marketable oil could be obtained from them, the fishery increased enormously, and hundreds of fishermen provided themselves with nets and kettles for engaging in the work. Between 1855 and 1863 it is estimated that not less than a hundred try-houses, with two to four kettles each, were in operation between Lamoine and Gouldsboro. Since 1870 the fishery has been less important, and for a number of years, owing to the absence of menhaden from these waters, it has been entirely discontinued.” - The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States by George Brown Goode, Washington Government Printing Office. Section II, p. 28 – 1887 “Since the days of Captain John Smith, 1614, no systematic attempt to capture Fin Whales on the coast of New England appears to have been made until about 1810, when according to R. E. Earll, a shore-fishery was begun and successfully prosecuted for a number of years, from Prospect Harbor, in Frenchman's Bay, Maine. This industry was undertaken by Stephen Clark and L. Hiller, of Rochester, Mass., who "came to the region, and built try-works on the shore, having their lookout station on the top of an adjoining hill. The whales usually followed the menhaden to the shore, arriving about the 1st of June, and remaining till September... Ten years later they began using small vessels in the fishery, and by this means were enabled to go farther from land. The fishery was at its height between 1835 and 1840 when an average of six or seven whales were taken yearly... The business was discontinued about 1860, since which date but one or two whales have been taken." It is probable that Humpback Whales constituted the chief part of the catch, if indeed any others were taken at all. Clark further informs us that "shore-whaling in the vicinity of Tremont, [Maine] began about 1840. Mr. Benjamin Beaver and a small crew of men caught three or more whales annually for about twenty years, but gave up the business in 1860. No more whales were taken from this time till the spring of 1880, when one was taken and brought into Bass Harbor, and yielded 1,200 gallons of oil but no bone of value.” - “The Whalebone Whales of New England” by Glover Morrill Allen, published by the Boston Society of Natural History, printed for the society with aid from the Gurdon Saltonstall Fund, 1916
Try House at Try House Point, Bernard
Item:
  • 15280   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Other Structures
Place:
  • Tremont, Bernard
State:
  • ME
Description:
"It is a little known fact that Mount Desert Island men participated in one of America's earliest and most storied industries - whaling. In 1776 Benjamin Benson, great grandfather of Ralph Benson of Bernard, sailed out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in the whaling vessel which he captained, He finally dropped anchor at Bass Harbor, which he selected as a base for his operations. He built a try house on a point of land at the mouth of the harbor and used his ship and crew for hunting whales in the surrounding waters, particularly near Mt. Desert Rock. The try house, a small frame structure, stood on the point behind the present home of Farrell Davisson almost directly across the harbor from the Underwood sardine plant until it was finally demolished about 1910. By the time the building was torn down the equipment used in the rendering process was gone. However, Ralph Benson owns the muzzle-loading gun for shooting, the harpoon and a whale oil lamp. The grapnel used for hauling the whale behind the ship is also in Bernard. Whalebone, which was discarded during the oil extracting process, is still occasionally dug up from the sand during, excavations along the shore of the harbor. The whale was located by the ship. When one was found, a part of the crew put out in a small boat and carefully rowed as near the prey as possible. The whale was shot with a harpoon from the muzzle-loading gun. If the carcass sank, it was raised with a four-hook grapnel weighing about 200 pounds and towed by the ship to the rendering plant. The several inch thick layer of blubber under the skin was the only part of the whale used here. The blubber was stripped off and placed in huge iron kettles to cook over a slow fire. The round-bottomed kettles, holding about 150 gallons each, were some four and a half feet in diameter at the top. A flat lip encircling the rim was supported on a brick fireplace holding the kettle off the fire beneath. The oil thus rendered was used as the fuel in whale oil lamps, which were the first development for home lighting after candles. The little lamp in Mr. Benson's possession was part of the stock of his grandfather's general store located on the same site as Benson's present wharf. The clear glass base, which held the fuel, is about eight inches across the bottom and tapering to the top. The opening is capped with metal on which there are two small spouts through which the wicks were run. There was no chimney to the lamp. The whale oil trying industry lasted until about 1860 or 1870 when the discovery and development of petroleum wrote a finis to it. Whales, some of them 80 feet in length, are still seen in the waters around here yet. Mr. Benson saw one recently when he was out fishing, and we have one or two other reports of them this season. A good-sized whale can create a hazard for a small boat. They apparently like to rise under a boat which is 1 riding without its motor running to 1 scratch their backs on the vessel's bottom, Without the least malevolence on the part of the whale, this can make for difficulties. Around here whales usually appear in June and are gone in September. They pasture on plankton, the same food as that eaten by the herring. "Plankton," says one writer, "is to the sea what grass is to the land - the basic food. All forms of plankton are very small, often microscopic...!” One authority has figured that in the food chain of the sea it would take 1 million pounds s of mackerel flesh (fragment missing). If your arithmetic is better than ours, perhaps you can figure out how many pounds it would take to support a whale from which 150 gallons of oil were rendered. The try house at Bass Harbor was run by Benson from the time it was built until the process was discontinued. At one time there were four Benjamin Bensons in the community. The original one who came from New Bedford was called “Grand Sir.” He had a son named for him who was called “Just Plain Ben.” One of Grand Sir's daughters married another Benjamin Benson who had come here from New Hampshire. He was called “Country Ben.” Just Plain Ben had a son also named Benjamin. He was called “Little Ben.” - “MDI's Short Lived Whaling Industry Began In Bass Harbor” by LaRue Spiker appeared in the Bar Harbor Times on November 3, 1960 and was reprinted in the Tremont Historical Society Newsletter - V5 #3 - July, 2001. Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus (A.K.A. - Alewife, Bunker, Pogy, Bugmouth, Fat-Back) "And lastly, there are the Menhaden. More often called “Pogies” here in Maine, they once provided a robust seine fishery that rivaled herring. The Pogies were a great source of oil. Their oil and fat content were suitable for extraction. Ground-up fish were cooked in big kettles (try-pots) much the same way that whale blubber was and the resultant oil was valuable. That was all before my time and it is legend now. But the names remain. “Try-House Point”, “Fish House Point” and “Try-Kettle Cove” are still here even though the reasons for their names have long since gone." www.fishermensvoice.com/archives/atlanticstatesnews0905.html, Accessed 2007. “The Menhaden Fishery - It is claimed by the fishermen of Surry that the menhaden fishery of the United States originated with the people of that town. For many years menhaden were abundant in all of the shore-waters of the district, being particularly so in Frenchman's and Union Bays. At first they were taken only in small numbers for use as bait in the shore-fisheries, but later, when it was discovered that marketable oil could be obtained from them, the fishery increased enormously, and hundreds of fishermen provided themselves with nets and kettles for engaging in the work. Between 1855 and 1863 it is estimated that not less than a hundred try-houses, with two to four kettles each, were in operation between Lamoine and Gouldsboro. Since 1870 the fishery has been less important, and for a number of years, owing to the absence of menhaden from these waters, it has been entirely discontinued.” - The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States by George Brown Goode, Washington Government Printing Office. Section II, p. 28 – 1887 “Since the days of Captain John Smith, 1614, no systematic attempt to capture Fin Whales on the coast of New England appears to have been made until about 1810, when according to R. E. Earll, a shore-fishery was begun and successfully prosecuted for a number of years, from Prospect Harbor, in Frenchman's Bay, Maine. This industry was undertaken by Stephen Clark and L. Hiller, of Rochester, Mass., who "came to the region, and built try-works on the shore, having their lookout station on the top of an adjoining hill. The whales usually followed the menhaden to the shore, arriving about the 1st of June, and remaining till September... Ten years later they began using small vessels in the fishery, and by this means were enabled to go farther from land. The fishery was at its height between 1835 and 1840 when an average of six or seven whales were taken yearly... The business was discontinued about 1860, since which date but one or two whales have been taken." It is probable that Humpback Whales constituted the chief part of the catch, if indeed any others were taken at all. Clark further informs us that "shore-whaling in the vicinity of Tremont, [Maine] began about 1840. Mr. Benjamin Beaver and a small crew of men caught three or more whales annually for about twenty years, but gave up the business in 1860. No more whales were taken from this time till the spring of 1880, when one was taken and brought into Bass Harbor, and yielded 1,200 gallons of oil but no bone of value.” - “The Whalebone Whales of New England” by Glover Morrill Allen, published by the Boston Society of Natural History, printed for the society with aid from the Gurdon Saltonstall Fund, 1916 [show more]
15285George S. and Lillian B. (Walls) Hodgdon House
  • Reference
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
  • Tremont, Seal Cove
  • Cape Road
George S. and Lillian B. (Walls) Hodgdon House
Item:
  • 15285   
Type:
  • Reference
Subject:
  • Structures, Dwellings, House
Place:
  • Tremont, Seal Cove
State:
  • ME
Address:
  • Cape Road