Little boys on Centennial Beach, circa 1979 (Courtesy of Peaks Island Children’s Workshop) It’s a cliche to describe Maine island childhoods as “magical,” but for many who grew up on Peaks Island, it’s also the truth. Children run free on the island, and always have. …
Harriet Trefethen Skillings (1821-1903) was a remarkable and energetic woman. She managed a large family, kept boarders year-round, and developed a summer colony on her shorefront island property — all while taking an active interest in her neighbors and community affairs on Peaks Island. Harriet Trefethen Skillings was president of the …
The relationship between Casco Bay Lines (CBL) and islanders from the late 1950s through the 1970s was often turbulent. Stories about these disputes made newspaper headlines regularly. Then, as now, ferries served as lifelines for islanders and island businesses. People commuted to jobs, schools, medical appointments, and recreation on the mainland. The ferries transported …
By Jo Israelson, with Holly Hurd-Forsyth, Curator You’ve probably heard of Helen Keller (1880-1968), famous American author, educator, and disability rights activist, but did you know she spent time on Peaks Island? As a young child in Alabama, Keller was afflicted with an illness (possibly scarlet fever or meningitis) that left her blind and …
A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master, and a task for life: he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days. –Ralph Waldo Emerson The Fifth Maine Museum recently embarked on the exciting new project of creating a Historic Structure Report …
Continue reading “A Master and a Task for Life: Maintaining the Fifth Maine Regiment Memorial Hall”
Newspapers, clippings, and scrapbooks are well-represented in the collection of the Fifth Maine Museum. Until very recently people got the majority of their news from local papers and magazines. Stories from the magnificent to the mundane filled the pages, often amply illustrated with engravings (in the 19th century) and photographs (in the 20th). Bowling …
Continue reading “Newspapers and Scrapbooks – A Goldmine of Peaks Island History”