Summer 2008
click here for older issuesTraditions and Records:
Norwood Cove, Southwest Harbor, Greening Island, Manset, Seawall
Published by the Southwest Harbor Historical Society
POB 272, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
(207) 244-9264
Southwest Harbor Historical Society
Chris Rawls, President
Phil Whitney, Vice President
Rebecca Carlson, Secretary
Wayne Patton, Treasurer
Board of Directors
Bruce Komusin
Sharon Howard
Janet Patton
Ralph Stanley
Can You Identify?
We have several of these named, but need help with the others. Let us know if you can help us out.
Front row-Fred _____, Wendall _____, Harry L. and Alston Beal.
2nd row-Charlotte Brown, Walter Smith, Mary _____, Harley L.
3rd row-Carlyle D., Stanwood King, Lawrence Newman, Henry Conary, Nettie Norwood, Grace Ellis, Liza _____, Oliver _____, and Joe _____.
Teacher is Mary Whitmore.
Please help us as you can. Some of the names may be wrong.
Looking Back
From the Bar Harbor Times archive at the Jessup Library in Bar Harbor
One of the projects Wayne and I have undertaken is going through old Bar Harbor Times and Ellsworth Americans and taking copies of anything pertaining to the town of Southwest Harbor. We have decided to include "tidbits" of what we have found that we feel will be of interest to you.
The one this edition was from the Bar Harbor Times, and was written by LaRue Spiker, who lived in this town, and wrote about the town that she loved. She got a chance to get a copy of "The Island Breeze", a newspaper that was published in Southwest Harbor during the late nineteenth century. This story was published in 1964 from a newspaper dated July 15, 1899. "The newspaper was published by Clarence A Moore who ran a job printing business. Tabloid in size, it came out on Saturdays during the summer months. Subscription price was 50 cents."
Under "News": Most of the local news was contained in local items under the community involves. Occasionally a longer paragraph contained information other than the fact that M. and Mrs. X visited her sister, Mrs. Y, over the weekend. For example: "What might have been a fatal accident but for the timely assistance of M. B. King and others occurred near the steamboat wharf, Friday evening, July , when Capt E H Stanley and Miss Florence Mason of Manset, upset the row boat they were in as they were about to start for home. Capt King of the Market and the officers of the Golden Rod hearing the cries and locating the same were not long in rescuing the bathers from their watery surroundings."
Under editorials: Southwest Harbor has street lamps and those lamps are upon very neat looking posts. But where are the lights. We always see one or two of them burning when lights are needed, while there are many that are hid in the darkness as useless to the public as the fences by which they stand. If there is a reason for their not being used and then find a remedy."
Street cleaning is next thought of as part of Village Improvement. It has been said and it is true that we do not live in a village large enough to carry on these enterprises with money and success. But we can have neat streets without the least bit of expense.... When you have worn the taps off from those shoes and the uppers are getting full of holes and you have decided to call upon some of the stores whose advertisements you have read in The Breeze, don't throw those old shoes out to be kicked around the streets and walks. But put them out of sight, even if you have to get a boat and take them off in the harbor and sink them with rocks..." LaRue writes "Old shoes in the harbor no less! He should have lived in an age of beer cans and disposable bottles."
There will be another article in next months issue. Hope you enjoyed this.
(collected by: Janet and Wayne Patton)
From the Archive Collections Committee:
If you have something that would help preserve the history of Southwest Harbor and can part with it, please let the Historical Society know:
Mail: P.O. Box 272 Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
Telephone: (207) 244-9264
E-Mail: swhhistory@yahoo.com
Rebecca Carlson
Recent Activities:
The Summer Program Series is well underway. In May, "World War II - SWH Overseas and Homefront", was presented (appropriately) at the American Legion Hall. Several WW II veterans reminisced about their experiences during the war, and others in the audience shared memories of their wartime experiences and life in SWH during that era.
In June, SWH Historian Ralph Stanley held center stage for a reading of the "Carroll Diaries", a fascinating look back at family life in SWH in the 1800's. The overflow crowd (caused by an unavoidable last-minute switch of venues to the less spacious Chamber of Commerce offices), enjoyed the various anecdotes derived from the diaries and presented in the old downeast style of humor & sentiment that only Ralph can provide.
The July program was a "History of Fernald Point", presented at the American Legion. A power point slide presentation by Janet & Wayne Patton, covered the length of Fernald Point, with photographic comparisons past & present. Many in the audience either lived or had ties to that area of town, and provided much additional historical information and fond reminiscences during the presentation.
Historical Society members John & Becky Burnham hosted an afternoon open house of their historic Seawall residence in June. A good turnout was treated to viewing an early 1800's house which has been preserved by the Burnhams.
The busy Burnhams also volunteered to oversee the revitalization of the Boston Post Gold Cane program. In cooperation with the SWH Selectmen, the original Gold Cane was placed on display in the Town Office, while several replicas were manufactured for permanent distribution to the Town's oldest citizens as they become identified in the future. The first presentation of a cane was made by the Burnhams and SWH Town Representatives to Elizabeth King in July.
Phil Whitney
Vice-President
Last Issue's 'Where and When?'
This is the Moorings Inn, looking from the water.
Where and When?
The answer will be in the next issue of The Voyager
Boston Post Cane
Over 700 Boston Post Canes were given to New England towns for their oldest citizens in August 1909. We have been researching information on our Boston Post Cane recipients for Southwest Harbor. The first recipient was Jacob S. Mayo (1819-1912. Others were Thomas M. Newman (1835-1942) 107+ years, Ella Bates Spurting (1877-1979) 102+ years, Laura Leonard (1884-1989) 105+ years, Ruth E. Wiberg (1894-1996) 102+ years, Elizabeth Berry (1897-1998) 100+ years and Hester Martel (1897-1998) 105+ years.
The cane was presented to Mrs. Elizabeth (Thurston) King on July 16, 2008, who was 102 on November 27, 2007. Selectman Kristen Hutchins presented the cane to her at the home of Mrs King's granddaughter, Leslie King Watson.
People who were the eldest in certain years MAY have been presented the Boston Post Cane. If you have any information about these people, knew these people, know relatives that could be contacted today, or knew their neighbors, please contact Becky Burnham at 244-3457 and share your knowledge. The cane itself will be 100 years old in 2009.
| Robert Newman 1825-1922 (96 yrs) | Rebecca Stanley 1851-1950 (99 yrs) |
| George Washington Kent 1848-1945 (97 yrs) | Vilda Knowlton 1864-1963 (99 yrs) |
| John Thomas Knowlton 1854-1954 (99 yrs) | Ethel Wedge 1891-1995 (103 yrs) |
| Frederick Coombs 1857-1958 (100 yrs) | Arthur Taylor 1875-1973 (97 yrs) |
| Elizabeth Norwood 1873-1969 (95 yrs) | Clara Phillips 1872-1964 (92 yrs) |
| Horace Edwin Stanley 1869-1964 (94 yrs) |
Southwest Harbor's original cane will soon be retired and displayed at the Southwest town office. This has been done by a large number of New England towns. A replica will be presented in the future to the oldest citizen and will be passed down to subsequent elders. The Town of Petersborough, New Hampshire has created replicas that may be purchased by towns that were given original canes by the Post. The Southwest Harbor replicas are now being engraved with the Town's name on them.
Donations
We are most grateful to the following for donations:
From Ed & Beth Reed-Southwest Harbor town reports, Gleaners Hall records, Manset library records, town reports and ice tongs from Stanley Fish wharf
From Lynn King, librarian at the Seal Harbor Library-a wooden sign reading: "Eagles Perch Tea House, Jesuit Meadows, Southwest Harbor
Thank you for your support!
We are saddened by the loss of several members of our community
In Memorium:
| Dottie Vose | Norman Closson Sr |
| Ruth Grindle | Charles Johnson |
| John Leonard | John Falchicio |
| Muriel Mitchell | Doug Beal Sr |
| Wally Klausky | Bob Tilden |
| Bena Harkins | Mac Dow |
| Minnie "Queenie" Henderson |
A reminder
If you have any questions, suggestions or comments about the newsletter please let us know at