1903 was a relatively peaceful year. There were no major military conflicts and only a few political dust-ups, primarily those involving the European powers colonial land grabs, especially in Africa. Joseph Conrad, in his classic Heart of Darkness put it … Continue reading
The roar of the “Roaring Twenties” became a whimper with just two months left in the decade Few folks are around today who remember 1929. After all, a 5-year-old child in 1929 would be 97 today. Nonetheless “1929” evokes, even … Continue reading
Ned Lamb and Emma Boardman, “Dueling Cameras at Ten Feet”, Calais Waterfront, probably in the 1920s The circa 1920 photograph above is titled “Dueling Cameras At Ten Feet”. The scene is the Calais waterfront and the two photographers are Ned … Continue reading
“Go west, young man, and grow up with the country.” – Horace Greeley Doctor Cyrus Hamlin, probably about 1830 Cyrus Hamlin, Calais’s second doctor and brother of Lincoln’s Vice-President Hannibal Hamlin, would not have been familiar with Horace Greeley or … Continue reading
Buggy at the Corner of the Shattuck Road Red Beach and Route 1 In 1900, Red Beach was a busy and in many ways idyllic New England village. The scene above shows the “Main Street” now Route 1 from the … Continue reading
Wickachee in the 50s; Wickachee Guest House to the right. The Wickachee Dining Room is perhaps the oldest restaurant in the St. Croix Valley, although it is possible Carmen’s Diner in St. Stephen is also in the running. Originally, the … Continue reading
Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin The year 1927 lacked many important international events. U.S. Marines again invaded Nicaragua to protect vested U.S interests but this invasion raised hardly an eyebrow in the international community. Another event, the significance of which … Continue reading
The lady sitting at the desk above is Edith Beckett, the librarian at the Calais Free Library for over 20 years. Standing to her left is Stephanie Crockett, who lived at the end of Spring Street, and to her right … Continue reading
We have often been asked why the street running along the river from the library to the corner of Union and Main is called Hog Alley. The short answer is “Why Not?” – it’s been called “Hog Alley” forever – … Continue reading
Many will remember the stately and beautiful Post Office which Calais was graced for most of the 20th century. It is seen above in 1909 in the final stages of construction. The Post Office became the centerpiece of a thriving … Continue reading