Main Street Calais about 1900 North Street to right, St. Croix Hotel to left The St. Croix Valley 100 years ago was a far different place than it is today. Calais, St. Stephen, Eastport and all the outlying communities had … Continue reading
If you had a nagging toothache back in 1847 you likely let it nag for as long as you could stand it, but as the pain worsened you would have scraped together 15 cents, a lot of money in 1847, … Continue reading
Airline Road Aurora 1936 Airline Road Breakneck Hill near Wesley very early Today a drive over the Airline is a breeze, the road is entirely paved, near switchbacks and 90 degree turns have been removed and there are long passing … Continue reading
Ernest Hemingway with officers of the International Brigade Spain 1937 The international news in 1937 was dominated by the civil war in Spain, with nearly daily reports of fierce battles, atrocities and political intrigue. Many Americans fought Franco’s forces in … Continue reading
This engraving depicts a nighttime scene in a nineteenth century smuggler’s headquarters near Calais. Based on a sketch by J. Becker, the engraving appeared in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper (New York City) in 1873. “SMUGGLING NEAR CALAIS, 1873! Nineteenth century … Continue reading
Billboard on Water Street St. Stephen just before the bridge, Calais in background, 1940 When Canada declared war on Germany in September of 1939, it would be over two years before the United States joined the Allies in the conflict. … Continue reading
A Deadly Explosion. Calais, Maine, 29th. The boiler of a dredger burst in the harbour here today. The explosion killed seven persons and injured several others. The bodies of the killed were horribly mutilated. Newspapers in the 1800s were highly … Continue reading
Merry Christmas from the St. Croix Historical Society. The Christmas card above was probably sold at Ryan’s Book Store on Main Street in Calais about 100 years ago when it cost only a penny to mail and the postcard was … 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
There was a time when the St. Croix Valley was famous for racehorses and its many stock farms. One of these was the Eaton Stock farm which we believe was on the Eaton property near Forest City but was officially … Continue reading