History

The Strange Tale of Outer Baldonia
Avid sport fisherman Russell Arundel turned a tiny island off the coast of Nova Scotia into its own nation. What began as a lark ended up making headlines.

A Broadway Producer and the Boothbay 33
The story behind the Boothbay 33 and its Broadway theater connections.

Bohndell Sails
A new generation keeps a sailmaking business in the family and moving forward.

Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze
As Inspector General of Chinese Maritime Customs, the author’s grandfather admired the watercraft of the country he called home.

How Herman Melville Still Shapes the Gulf of Maine
Two centuries after his birth, Herman Melville’s writing about the ocean still resonates.

Back When Fat Was Fabulous
Back in the days of sail, fat was a valuable commodity.

Preserved In Stone
During Maine’s great age of sail, several prominent mariners were immortalized in larger-than-life stone sculptures. Today these impressive monuments are poignant reminders of people who helped to shape the state’s maritime economy.

Risky Business
Castine's square-rigged ships and salted fish

An Island Boatyard
An island boatyard, begun in 1920, still thrives in Penobscot Bay

Boat Launches Back in the Day
The 1903 launch of the four-masted schooner Pendleton Brothers.