Maine Historical Society - Programs Podcast Maine Historical Society

Recorded May 2, 2024 - What's the big deal about rock and roll concerts in Maine? Back when there were just a handful of AM radio stations and only three TV channels, this small and remote state got way more than its share of live performances by big-name rock and roll musicians. When the rock and roll stars of the day were planning tours, southern Maine was on their map- sort of "off Broadway" stops before hitting the big cities on the east coast of the United States. This was a unique dynamic and a stroke of luck for young Mainers. In this talk, Ford Reiche took a closer look at this history, including what made these performances such noteworthy local events, the hometown concert promoters and radio personalities, the community performance venues, the record shops where event tickets were sold, and the local garage bands that often served as opening acts. Audio mixing by Kevin Schinstock/Groundswell Sound

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian's Forum featured an interdisciplinary look at economic and labor history in Maine since 1973. In Part 3, Stefano Tijerina, Maine Historical Society's P.D. Merrill Research Fellow, discusses the globalized economy and its impact on local economies. Ian Saxine, Assistant Professor of History at Bridgewater State University, leads the speakers of the Historian's Forum in a discussion on Maine economic and labor history.

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian’s Forum featured an interdisciplinary look at economic and labor history in Maine since 1973. In Part 2, Cynthia Isenhour, Professor of Anthropology and Climate Change at the University of Maine, discusses re-imaging what wealth and work will look like in the future. This is a three part recording.

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian's Forum featured an interdisciplinary look at economic and labor history in Maine since 1973. In Part 1, Ian Saxine, Assistant Professor of History at Bridgewater State University, introduces the Historian's Forum, a look at economic and labor history in Maine since 1973. Michael Hillard, author of "Shredding Paper: Labor and The Rise and Fall of Maine's Mighty Paper Industry" discusses the paper industry in Maine.

Recorded October 11, 2023 - Rising seas and coastal flooding present a threat to cultural resources in historic coastal communities. Greater Portland is at considerable risk according to sea level rise projections and local communities are already experiencing recurrent flooding, erosion and increasingly intense storms—threats that are projected to increase as the Gulf of Maine warms and expands. The continued damage and destruction of local historic landmarks and sites could be detrimental to Greater Portland’s personality and sense of collective history. The panel of experts--Julie Larry, Dr. Dave Reidmiller, and Abbie Sherwin--discussed this threat, planning, the tough decisions preservationists face in this crisis, and how historic preservation can contribute to making our places more sustainable.

Genevieve LeMoine; Recorded November 16, 2023 - Robert Edwin Peary Sr. was an American explorer and officer in the United States Navy who made several expeditions to the Arctic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is perhaps best known for, in April 1909, leading an expedition that claimed to be the first to have reached the geographic North Pole. Before his famous 1909 expedition, Peary sailed to Greenland in the summer of 1897 to bring an iron meteorite back to the United States. When he returned in the fall, he brought with him six Inughuit people invited to spend to winter in New York at the American Museum of Natural History. Tragically, many of the Inughuit soon fell ill, and by winter all but one man, Uisaakassak, and one child, Minik, had died of tuberculosis. Uisaakassak returned to Greenland in the spring, but a museum staff member adopted eight-year-old Minik and raised him with their children. Minik spent the next decade living the life of an American middle-class boy until a shocking discovery in 1907 would disrupt his life once again and find him crossing paths with Peary a second time. Genevieve LeMoine discussed this fascinating story and what it can teach us about the history of race relations, climate change, the Inughuit’s significant contributions to Arctic exploration, and the impact of Western expedition activity on the Inughuit community.