University of Maine Yearbooks

Fogler Library has posted online University of Maine Yearbooks from 1895 to 1997.

Issues of The Prism vary in content and layout, but seniors are always highlighted. Individual photographs of seniors are arranged in alphabetical order by last name (within each college), and accompanied by information about hometown, major, and fraternity or sorority. Some books also contain photos of members of other classes. Also included are sections on the faculty and administration, campus organizations, athletic teams, Greek societies, and events.

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The Origins of Delorme

The founder of the Delorme map company was profiled this weekend in the Bangor Daily News.

More than 30 years ago, upon returning from Vietnam, a young Dave Delorme soon reverted back to his Maine roots of outdoor recreation. What soon became evident to him was a major lack of dependable and detailed mapping of highways, secondary roads and woods roads. Dave learned that the state actually published a fairly comprehensive highway atlas, and that these Pine Tree road charts were in the public domain, meaning the maps were available for use by one and all.

Dave formulated a unique idea for the state maps. He set up shop on his kitchen table, copied each page and made changes and addendums, and added a listing of boat launch sites, parks, nature preserves, campgrounds and other locations of interest to travel- and recreation-oriented readers. A new cover with a $4 tag dressed up the 1976 introductory issue, which Dave then began selling from his vehicle to markets and stores throughout the state. It wasn’t long before cartography specialists were hired and computers entered the picture to store and produce more info and yield precision maps with accuracy, detail and complexities never before available. [Link]

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The Other Granite State

Steve Haynes and wife Juanita founded The Maine Granite Industry Historical Society and Museum six years ago.

Anyone who spends more than five minutes in the museum is likely to be introduced to at least several dozen different types of Maine granite with which the curator is intimately acquainted.

To date, he has documented and sampled nearly 50 quarries on Mount Desert Island and 350 quarries statewide.

Generally each geographic region of Maine has its own specific and singular type of granite, but Mount Desert Island has an unusual variety of colors and types.

“It’s a very unique little area,” Haynes said. “We’ve got lavender, black, bright red — there is every color of the rainbow right here on Mount Desert Island.” [Link]

The Society has contributed several items to the Maine Memory Network.

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The Trickey Bible

A 1793 Bible held by the Old York Historical Society is said to have belonged to pirate William Trickey, who lived between the towns of Kittery and York.

The devil was so impressed by Trickey's misdeeds in life that he condemned him to haunt Brave Boat Harbor for eternity. He was furthermore cursed to bind and haul sand with a rope. Supposedly one can still hear the salty old pirate screaming amidst the winds of a storm, "More rope! More sand! More rope! More sand!" The looming figure of Trickey may even appear, ever growing until the storm finally abates.

The Bible itself is also purported to be cursed, refusing to open — snapping shut with great force when finally pried open by inquiring hands. [Link]

Despite the legend, the Bible reportedly opens a bit too easily, and "seems to favor the Proverbs."

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