Wearing solid gold Turk’s Head jewelry dawned on me when 1 saw my son’s nylon string bracelet of the same design. Perfecting the idea, including drawingourownwiretothenecessaryspecifications,wasalongandinvolvedprocess,andbecameasuccessonlyafteraperiodofrefinement.This veryolddesigndatesbacktoillustrationsbyLeonardodaVinci,andIhavefoundcartingsinmanyforms,includingwood,ivoryandstone,butto thebestofmyknowledge,weweretirefirsttoachievetillsapparentendlessweaveinsolidgold.AUjewelryisindividuallywoven,thereforenotwo areexactlythesame.
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1Toplacejourorderortorequestacatalogue,pleasecall(800)341-0788orwriteto:A.GA.Correa,POBox401-A,Wiscasset,Maine,04578 Office and Telephone Hours: Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM (Mastercard, VISA, American Express) Showroom: 3240 Cross Point Road, Edgecomb, Maine t FAX (207)882-9744
PopartistRobertIndianawasat the Gleason-Portland opening, whichincludedartluminariesfrom alloverthestate.FoundedbyDennis andMarthaGleason,thegalleryis locatedatthesamesightthatJohn Payson used for his Hobe Sound GalleriesNorthafewyearsago.
Otherartistsrepresentedinclude EricHopkins,FredLynch,JoeNicol¬ etti,JohnnieRoss,RichardWilson, TadBeck,MarkWethli,GregParker, Tom Higgins, Sandra Quinn, and ChristopherHuntington.
Iguessitisanexplosionofsorts, moving out for miles. Gleason’s telephonenumberis879-0919.
"Waterman's paintings are notforthefaint-heartedand shallow-minded sometimes disturbing,alwayschallenging. with continuously new interpretations even after years of daily exposure Like all important pictures,theyaremorethesumoftheirpartsandrewardtheperceptiveviewerwithinsightsinto what it means to be human "
Please contact us at (207) 773-6735ifyoucanhelpuslo¬ catethesegraduates.
PattiGilbert-McCallum Portland
New Port
Inyour“NewPort”articlein yourMayissue,Cybele’sBistro wasmistakenlyrepresentedas belongingtoJoeSoley.Thisis notso.JoeSoleydoesownthe buildingweleasefrom,butthe businessisownedbymyself,my husband(ChefRickTibbetts), and Stephen Wright. We have owned the business since August1992.
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Maine's City Magazineb Established1985 VolumeVIII,NumberIV,Summerguide
Colin Sargent Editor & Publisher
Nancy D. Sargent ArtDirector
Kirk Reynolds Managing Editor
Johanna Hanaburgh Copy Editor Elizabeth Hancock Advertising
Sandy Nelson Advertising
John Bjork Controller, (207) 797-9267
Peter Davenport EditorialIntern
Michelle Dambois ArtIntern
Joshua Wilson Graphics Intern
ContributingEditor:ElizabethPeavey;Staff Photographer:FrancisDiFalco;Graphics ProductionAssistant:Colin S. Sargent.
Founders:ColinAndNancySargent
This magazine is printed on Mai ne-made paper produced by Champion International, Bucks¬ port,Maine.
Laser Cover Separations and image assembly by Champlain Color Service, (802) 658-6088.
PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is published by Colin and Nancy Sargent, 578 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101. All correspondence should be addressed to 578 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101.
AdvertisingOffice:578CongressStreet,Port¬ land, ME 04101 (207) 775-4339.
Billing Questions: If you have questions re¬ garding advertising invoicing and payments, callJohnBjork,Controller,at797-9267.
Newsstand cover date: Summerguide 1993, publ.June1993,Vol.8,No.4,copyright1993. PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is mailed at third-classmailratesinPortland,ME04101. (ISSN: 0887-5340). Opinions expressed in ar¬ ticlesarethoseofauthorsanddonotrepresent editorial positions of PORTLAND Monthly Magazine.Responsibleonlyforthatportionof any advertisement which is printed incorrect¬ ly. and as compensation we will run a correc¬ tion in (he following issue. Nothing in this issue may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publish¬ ers. Submissions welcome, but we take no responsibilityforunsolicitedmaterials.
PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is published 10 timesannuallybyColinandNancySargent.578 Congress Street. Portland, with newsstand coverdatesofWinterguide.Feb./March,April, May, Summerguide. July/Aug., September, October. November, and December.
heOldPortseemslesslike asectionofacityInow inhabitandmorelikea placeIoncelivedinand moved away from. Ex¬ changeStreetwasmybailiwick intheearlyeighties;Iworkedina numberofitsshopsandrestau¬ rantsanddidmostofmysocial¬ izingthere,too.Iwasjustoutof college. My roommate and I workedacrossthestreetfrom eachother,andatfivewe’dlock upshop(wehadkeys,discounts andslavewages—lifewasgood) and charge home to our third floor,$250-per-monthgarretto changeandheadbackout.
Thesethoughtsflickerthrough thewindowsofRack‘N’Rollon ForeStreetasmyfriendJoyce thrashesmeforthethirdgamein arowatpool.Theradioplaysan insidious stream of Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Heart, and SteveMiller.(Didn’twehate these bands back then? Can’t they go away?) I watch shops close.Arethosewomenrushing hometosometwo-bitroomina bad part of town so they can hurrybacktoDewey’sorGran¬ ny’s or Gritty’s? That once might’vebeenme,butnotto¬ night.Instead,wehieonoverto KatahdinwhereGloriaFrostwill pouryouthedriest,iciestmartini served with jumbo olives and enoughsardonicwittosnapyou back into the present. ■ —ElizabethPeavey
Inasmuch as the King’s Highway, withitsstone markers,FactoryOutlets,curiousDrive-InMovies, homemade doughnuts, Laudholm Farms, Antique Malls,historicalsocieties,SummerTheaters,secret societies,Dunkin’Donuts,crazyspellings,coastal towns,steamingtar,rugosaroses,bluedungeonfog& especiallyitsTendersweetFriedClamsistheattraction thatexcitesnofewerthan 7 million cars visiting Maine each summer.
StoryByPeterDavenport
One summer morning about 250 yearsago,atraveleronthe King’s Highway saw a golden sparkintheliftingmistonthe MainesideofthePiscataqua River.Hebroughthishorsetocanter andscannedthewater.Suddenly,a gildedbargeemergedfromthefog, catchingthelowsunrisingfromthe
east.Twelveblackslavesrowedthe barge.Ondeck,awhitemanshaded hiseyeswithhishand,searchingthe waterswhilethebargepushedtoward the sea and was gone. The King’s Highway was nearly a century old when Sir William Pepperell glided alongthePiscataqua,inhisbarge poweredby12Nubianoarsmen.
Naturally,Maine'ssectionofthe King’sHighwayhasevolvedsinceit wasconceivedin1653.Ithasbeen straightenedintheensuingyears,and thedeep,mud-filledrutshavebeen polished with asphalt. “With the comingoftheautomobilemancould travel beyond what he knew,” says PeterBachelor,whoiswritingahistory ofthehighway.“Itwasthefirstroadin thestatetogetpeoplefromoneplace toanother.”Fromthat,Bachelorcon¬ tinues,stagelinesgrew,restaurants and hotels appeared, along with a wholeseriesofotherservices.Mostof thestructuresthatlinedtheoriginal highwayhavefallen,replacedbystrip mallsandotherbuildings.
Inall,thereare115outletstoresin Kittery.Withinthemalls,youwillfind storeslikeBrooksBrothers,LizClaiborn, Lennox China, Timberland, Guess,Levis,Converse,RalphLauren, Bass, Dexter Shoe, and 100+ more shops. New Englanders come by the busloads,pulledbythegeneticurgeto buygoodthingscheaply.
Ifyoudon’tplantoventureasfaras L.L.BeaninFreeport,checkoutthe KitteryTradingPost.Forover50years, the Trading Post has sold outdoor sportinggoods.Youwillfindguns, archery equipment, fishing gear, canoes, and snowshoes, along with men’sandwomen’sclothing,jewelry, Maine-made gifts and dog-training equipment.Theyalsosellscentsto attractjustaboutanygameyouwantto shoot.Justsprinklealittleinyourfront yard and enjoy the hunt without leavingthebreakfasttable.
York
WWTThat’stheoldestcharteredcity ■■/' n America?Ifyouanswered ■ New York, you’re half-right. WW York, Maine, was chartered in fl 1641.
AlFossLure&Tin;FisahermanCellPocketMise.StuffedPheasant;(2)WinchesterPosters;2ndPrint1860Colt44;TennisTrophyMug;HuntingMags;WinchesterBulletMold,DaisyAirRifle;Early IndianSplintCreel(notop);Ex.Chil'sPackbasket,Snowshoes&Skies;CarvedTroutonMaineMap;SevDecoys;GolfClubsinc.WalterHagen;EarlyEvinrude21/2HPOutboard;EarlyFishing Photos;EarlyFishingBooks;FishReels,inc.ThomasH.I.Alcock;WatchFobs;FishLures&Flies;Creels;BambooFlyRods.TackleBoxes;GamePrints;BassMountMoose&DeerAntlrs;Knives; etc.
Theperfectplaceforlunchisthe GoldenrodontheroadtoYork Beach (Route 1A), where you cansipalimerickeyinafrosted glassinametalholderwhileyou watchtaffybeingpulledinthewindow anddevourfoodyoujustcan’tfixat home.Thetaffyisfreshandoddly hypnoticasitstretchesfromsideto side, and the atmosphere of deep varnishandfireplacerecallsMaine summersofold.Justuptheway,atthe YorkWildAnimalKingdom,seearare whitetigerandotherfellowcreatures intheparkandthentravelthiscoastal road a spell. The grey fieldstone churchesalongthisroadlookoutto theseaandbearaneerieresemblance totheancient,windsweptoutpostson remotepartsoftheBritishIsles.
CapeNeddick
Afewyearsback,thestorethatnow housestheBarnatCapeNeddickwasa “collectibles”carnival,brimmingwith busted matchbox cars and grinning AuntJemimadolls.StephenLeblanc boughtthebarnin1989andimmedi¬ atelysetabouttochangeitin“abig way.” Although Leblanc caters to decorators,theantiquelaypersonand theaficionadowillalsobeenthralled. Therearefineexamplesofearlycoin silverware,exportchina,Staffordshire figurines,andothermiscellanylaidout neatlyinglasscases.
Thebiggeritemswindthroughout the store—mint condition Biedermeyerchairs(circa1840s),aCuissinet cupboard, Sheraton tables, and printsbyOgunquitartcolonyfounder CharlesWoodburyarejustafewofthe Barn’sfinepieces.
Ogunquit
The only foot-drawbridge in the UnitedStatesisinOgunquit.Itspans Perkins Cove and then follows the Marginal Way. Marginal Way has no
peerasanoceanicwalkway.Ithas benchesatstrategicspotswithwild rosesandexotic,importedhardwoods growingintherockycragsalongthe walk. Ogunquit means “Beautiful placebythesea”inAlgonquin,butin thiscaseitisanunderstatement.
BarnacleBilly’sistheshellfish lovers’paradisehere,withlovelyviews ofthetunaandlobsterfishingfleets and the happy sound of raucous shucking as lobster carcasses and clamsheadouttothedumpsterunder thestars.
Back on Route 1, check out the OgunquitPlayhouse.It’sbeenthere since1933,andhasdrawnmanyofthe greatestnamesinmoviesandtheater toperform,fromBetteDavistoShirley Booth.Itstillputsonfiveshowsa summer,andtheimmaculatelymani¬ curedgroundsandtopiaryshrubsare worthalookevenifyoucan’tstayfor theshow.
aby,ifit’scampyouwant,try dinner at Nacho Mama’s, a dream-colored Mexican disco hiddenhighonahilltotheleft, somewherebetweenrealityand Mt.Agamenticus.
BIt’sthatthrobbingsoundpeople have been wondering about, a res¬ taurantnovelistMartinAmismightas wellhavelaunched.Greatchips.Then givetheLeavittMovieTheaterago. Thistheaterislikesomethingoutof wartimeBritain,completewithits foldingchairs.There’savisceral feelingofsummercolonyhere,es¬ pecially when you talk to Jocelyn SearlesofFoxholeAntiqueshere,who specializesinexportchinaandun¬ earthsawonderfulnewcollectionof RoseMedallioneverysummer.
Shetellsawhaleofayarnabouthow Celadonexportchina(thebirdand butterflychinawiththestrikingblue¬ green back glaze, which appeared chieflybetween1820and1860)gotits name.
Wellshassevenmilesofbeaches. YoumightbeintheCaribbean,with coolbreezeswaftingoverhotwhite sandbeaches,lappedbytheocean’s gentle waves. You might be in the Caribbean—exceptthatthewateris coldenoughtokillapenguin.
Hitthebrakesifyou’redrivingpast theMilestoneMotelrightnow.Jeff Desjardinsfromthefrontdeskisabout totellyouwhereyoucanfindareal King’sHighwaymarkerlabelled“B89 1769.”TheletterBdenotesBoston,89 themilestothatcity,and1769thedate ofthemarker.“Justbeforethemotelis theCaptainThomasRoad.Takealeft andfollowittothenextintersection andtakearightonthatroad.There’san oldtarstreet,abandoned.Drivealittle way down that and you’ll see the markerobscuredbyovergrowthjust beforetheroadturnstodirt.It’sslate andshapedroughlylikeadiamond,” Jeffsays.
Next is the Antique Mart Group Shop,whichboastsover100dealers. Don’tstrainyourselflookingforperiod furniture.Hereyouwillfindearly radios—builtbig,likeamoderntele¬ vision,sothefamdammlycouldgather ’roundtolistenwiththelivestock—old dolls,ephemera,clotheswringers, glassobjects,kitchenthings,anda formidablemassofcollectiblesfrom the1880stothepresent.
WearenowenteringtheGoldCoast ofantiquestoresandfleamarketsthat has transformed the Wells to Ken¬ nebunkstretchofRoute1.Afunstop hereisWellsAntiqueUnion,which featuresatotalofsevenstores.In Grammy’s,forexample,youcanfind originalprintsbyartist-cartoonist Percy Crosby depicting the 1924 OlympicGames.It’slikegoingintothe atticofamillionrelativesandfinding secret caches of items, clothes smellingofcloves,diaries,hatboxes, andotherwonders.Anecdoteslikethe New England grandmother who hid raw meat under spare mattresses. “Why?"Iask.“Shewantedmeatforthe war,”Ihearsomeonechuckle.
Tradition Since 1988
hfamilyownedbusinessformore than50years,weknowwhatittakesto make your outdoor adventures more enjoyable.
Next,ifyouareinthemarketfor anantiquefull-sizedbuggyor sleigh,thensteerforElaine’s. Shewillnotdisclosehowmany she owns or where she finds them,butshewillbequitehappyto
The Maine Sailing School
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Ifyouwanttogetawayfromthe antiquescircuitforawhile,turnright offRoute1ontoLaudholmFarmRoad. Thefarmisnowhometoa1600-acre estuarialresearchreserve.Thereare sevenmilesoftrailsforhiking,anda largedeerherdgrazesfreelyinthe fieldsaboutthesanctuary.Thefarm wasoneofthefirstsettlementsin Wells, and a building from 1717 housesavisitor’scenterandcurrent exhibitsconcerningtheecological importanceofestuaries.Laudholm’s groundsareopen9-5everyday,vis¬ itor’scenterfrom10-4,witha$5 parkingfee.
BackafewmilesincentralWells, enjoyapileofhomemadedoughnuts atCongdon’s.Thesearefamousfor decadesandtrulyhomemade.Further uptheline,onthesideofLitchfield’s Restaurant(whichservesthefinest friedfisherman’splatterinthestate, withexquisitescallops,friedclams, andfriedfish,andisrecognizedas such),BigDaddy’susesaforty-yearoldmachinetomake24flavorsofthe richest ice cream around. They’ve beendoingitfor14yearsandhave quiteafollowing.Whenyou’vegulped down enough at these two Route 1 favorites, wobble back to the odd privatetenniscourtsbesideCongdon’s forareasonably-pricedlessonwitha localpro.
Country House Antiques in Wells specializesinfinecountryfurniture
andaccessories.Mostofthemerchan¬ disecomesfromup-stateNewYork, New Hampshire, and the Amish countryofPennsylvania.Mostisthen refinished,repaired,andregluedon thepremises.Thestore’sfinerworks includeadeftlycarvedchestnutcup¬ boardfromLancasterCo.(PA),circa 1860withtheoriginalglasswindows, andapinewoodchestofdrawersfrom Biddeford, circa 1875, that feels smoothandcoollikevelvet.
“WE DO NOT HAVE depression glass,goldenoak,newcollectibles andetc.ofthatgenre,”MacDougallGionetAntiques&Associatesstates.It isaveryselectivemulti-dealerstore thatpurveysobjetsd’artfromthe16th19thcenturies.Hereonefindsalate 18thcenturyPortsmouthchest,agen¬ uine Shaker sewing desk, an 1810 Chineseexporttureen,whaletooth scrimshawfromMelville’sday,17th centuryEnglishpewter.Thereisalsoa veryoldpaintedchild’ssled,initialed J.H.Itsitsaloneinaquietacorneron thesecondfloorandremindsmeofthe sledCitizenKanecriedforwhenhe died—Rosebud.
We’vemissedtoomuchalready! TurnaroundandvisitJorgen¬ sen’sAntiques,insouthern Wells, known all over New Englandforitstop-endFederal furniture, like MacDougall-Gionet heavyinSalem,Boston,andNewYork styles.Jorgensen’shasahugein¬ ventoryaswellasawonderfulColonial garden.Thegardenisbehindtheold farmhouseandincludesabeautiful trellis.
Honey who? Honey-do. Back when antiqueswerejustfurniture,tweren’t nothin’ to hack up a useless old ChippendalechestorSheratontable. “You’ddoittooifyourwifesaid, ‘Honey,DOsomethingwiththis,”’says theownerofChocolateTreeAntiques. They’ve sold a few honeydos at ChocolateTree,reallyfinepieces,too. Most,though,areperiodpieceslikean early1800sbird’s-eyemaplebutler’s deskwithsecretdrawers,adarkoak agent’s desk (1830) from central
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Rt.27,Boothbay,Maine04537 (207) 633-4727
GreenvilleJim
77te small romantic hotel with a European flavor at the gateway to the Maine wilderness.
Elegant dinning rooms with view of Moosehead Dike and mountains, ornate wood carvings, fireplaces, fresh flowers. Menu includes fresh Maine seafood, veal, lamb, duck and steak. Extensivewinelistandfullbar.Enjoy cocktails and spectacular sunsets from the porch or lounge.
P.O. Box 1194, Norris St. Greenville, ME 04441 (207) 695-2206
At one time there were 200 ShakersinMaine.Nowthereare eight.Formanyyears,Renee BowenhasvisitedtheShaker community up at Sabbath Day Lake. The Shakers permit Bowen to sketchandcopyplansoftheirworks. Shethenhand-craftsminiaturerep¬ licasofShakerpieces,madeprecisely toone-twelfthscale.Scatteredamong these innumerable miniatures in Renee Bowen Antiques and Fine Furniture,onemightfindacopperhot dogsteamerfromtum-of-the-century ConeyIsland,agiantfoundrybellows turnedcoffeetable,andsmalloak panelsfroma14thcenturycofferalong withothernotables.
Come early on Sunday morning to theFirstParishChurch,Unitarian,abig whiteclapboardhouseo’worship,to hearthebelltoll.Thechurchsportsthe state’sthirdoldestpublicbell,andif thatisn’tenough,PaulReverecastitin 1803.
Whenthewindblowshotanddusty downRoute1,Kennebunk,theBrick StoreMuseumtakesonthecomforting lookofawhite-washeddwellingina Saharantown.Itwasbuiltin1825by WilliamLordasadry-goodsstore. Edith Barry bought it in 1936 and dubbeditmuseum.TheBrickStoreisa well-springforlocalhistoryandan exhibitearlythissummerfocuseson shipbuilding on Kennebunk Landing duringthe19thcentury.Comeoutof theheatandintothecool.
TheWellsHistoricalSocietyrep¬ rimandedBillyJohnsonforputtingan opthamologist’s eyeball below the historicBarnard’sTavernsigninfront ofhishouse.Itmakessense—hiswife is an opthamologist “1 told them, 'Luckyshe’sanopthamologistandnot aproctologist,”’Johnsonsays."They haven’tsaidanythingrecently.”
Johnsonalsogetsflakfortheold railwaystations(includingKenne¬ bunkBeach’stinystation,incredibly untouchedsinceitslastusewithits interiorintact)hecollectsnearhis Johnson & Johnson auction-house, alsoonRoute1.Theysitonblocks presently,awaitinganuncertainfuture. TheauctionhallitselfusedtobeElsie Libby’sTeaRoomfromthe1920s-40s. “Itwasimpossibletogetinwithouta
chauffeur-driven Packard,” says Johnson. FDR complained about the priceofElsie’scoffeehere,andRudy Valledinedherewiththerestofthe starsvisitingOgunquit.Comeenjoythe cateredrefreshmentsatBilly’ssummer auctionsandcheckoutthetearoom andallofBillyJohnson’sstuff.
accommodate crashed U.F.O.s, inside of Antiques USA shoots notion.“Wesubletspaceonly,” plainsTonyCohutt,whoopened
the the exthe storewithRonLawrenceonApril1. "Wedon’tchargecommissionfees.”
Asaresult,AntiquesUSAisableto attractdealersfromacrosstheWest Coastandtherestofthenationwho are looking to enter a new market regionatareasonableprice.“Ifyou turnonewayhere,youmightseeitems fromthemid-West,”saysCohutt.“Turn another,andeverythingmightbefrom theSouth.”
ruisingtheaisleswithCohutt,he pointstoseveralcasescon¬ tainingantiqueslikeearlyStaf¬ fordshire,leadchildren’stoys, andnauticalequipment.“Here wehaveoneofthebest-knowndealers inexportchina,”hesays.“Overhere wehavetheforemostdealerinrailroad memorabilia,” he continues, in¬ dicatingacabinettastefullybrimming withchinaandothercuriositiesfrom diningcarsoflong-forgottenrailroad lines. Against huge pine-panelled
Exciting and educational ...ailrides NARRATED and ROBBED by a notorious band of OUTLAWS,theWaldoStationGang!Maine'sgreatest familyentertainmentisa2'/z-hourjourneyon1920 vintagepullmancoachesthatincludesahalf-hourlay¬ overatourantiquerestoredtrainstationinBrooks. TrainsrunRAINORSHINEbutreservationsare recommended.
MAINE'S LARGEST H IJ. SERVICE KITE STORE dowcarriesauniquecollectionoffunandgames. Wlierctlx?spiritofplaycomesalive,forKxidlersand seniorsalike.Activitiestoenhanceyourday,come rainorshitw.Seeforyourself,playwithourdisplays. Windsocksandbannersforalloccasions.
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You’vebeendrivingpastitforyears. And anyone who continues to wear blinderswhiledrivingthroughBidde¬ ford,trainingtheireyessolelyon pointsnorth,willsurelymissthis Route1enigma—theancienthouseon Route1thatcallsitself ClubVoltiguer. The downstairs windows are black¬ ened,andabovethefrontdoorafaded coatofarmsrests.Themottounder¬ neathreads: EtPourquoiPas?Fondeen 1926. We don’t know much about it, exceptthatthosecrossedthingsinside thecoatofarmsarenottunafinsor lacrossesticks.Theyaresnowshoes, and snowshoeing is the Club’s de¬ claredpurpose.Curiously,it’sopen year-round:“Fordancing,’’theysay, andwemusttaketheVoltiguers’word andleavetheresttoimagination.
Asearlyas1759,therewasamillon FactoryIsland.Whenitwentbankrupt in1829,YorkManufacturingacquired thetextilemillandbulkedituptoa 1,000-workeroperationby1839.“It wasoriginallymannedbylocalfarm girls,”aconvivialvolunteerattheDyer Librarytellsus.“Bythesecondhalfof the19thcentury,theworkerswere,for themostpart,ofFrench-Canadian, Irish,Scots,orGreekdescent.By1900, men outnumbered women.” After changingthelandscapeofSacoIsland and changing the people who lived there,themillcloseditsdoorsin1958,
BelgradeLakesRegion HousekeepingCabins Withfullbathsandscreenedporches Boatincluded-RecRoom Greatfishing BeautifulFoliageinSept,andOct. Open May 15 to October 15
Tom & Jan Barton Tel. 207-465-2950 (summer) 207-453-7513 (winter)
ThelastlogdriveontheSaco RiverwenttothemillsonSpring Islandin1943.In1798,Seth Springbuiltathree-storyFederal mansionontheisland,whichin turnbecameSpring’stavern,apopular rest-stopalongtheKing’sHighway. Lafayettestoppedhereatthisbright yellow,green-shutteredmansionto waltz with the gentry on his tour throughMainein1825.Thenthesaw¬ millscame,turningSpringIslandintoa lumber kingdom. A family named Deeringstartedalumbercompanyat Spring’smansionbackin1866,and todayDeeringLumberstillthrivesin thesamespot,eventhoughthedaysof thegreatlogdrivesarelonggone.
Saco
Inthe1670s,agroupofdrunken sailorscameuponasquawwithher papoose,whoweretravelingpeace¬ fullydowntheSacoRiverinacanoe. Thesailorshadheardthatapapoose floatedwhenthrownintothewaterand wantedtotesttheassumption.Sothey placedbets,upsetthecanoe,andthe papoose sank. The papoose was the childofSquanto,SagamoreoftheSaco tribe.Thechiefwassogrief-stricken thathesethispeopleagainstsettlers fromSacotoPortland.Thecampaign for vengeance was so brutal and vigorousthatitdenudedtheareaofits white population until peace was madeintheearly1700s.
Althoughtheactiveviolenceagainst thewhitemanended,legendalsohas itthatSquantowroughtacurseonthe riverthatsurvivestothisday:“Aslong asthewhitemanlivestheSacowaters must each year drown three of his hatedrace,”relatesCeliaSturtevant. TheSacotodaylookslazyandharm¬ less,andmaybethatiswhypeopleare so surprised when the bodies wash ashoreeachyear.
HeadingnorthtoSacojustpastthe air-conditioning-chilledDairyJoy, looktotheleftandseeaforgettable late-FederalPeriodstructuremostof whose lawn has been engulfed by Route1.Itistheeasilyoverlooked homeofGovernorJohnFairfield,who ledthestatefrom1838-41.Itsbricks arepaintedyellow,theroofishipped, and it has four large chimneys. A congressmaninhisearlyyears,Fair-
Enraged by the death of Sagamore Squanto’schildandotheratrocities whichincludedthebeheadingofan Indianboyfortryingonasettler’stri¬ cornerhat,theSacotribeattackedthis quietsettlementinthe1680s,mur¬ dering18men,women,andchildren. Onlyonewhitesettlersurvivedthe wrathofSquanto’speoplebyescaping intothemarshes—perhapshidingin thetallmarshgrasswhereRoute1now runs.
Imaginegettingsosickofpaying tollsthatyoudecidetobuildyour own road. That’s exactly what stagecoachownerJohnPainedid in 1805. Formerly, the King’s Highway circumvented the marsh, veeringinlandtowardtheScarborough highlands,siteofpresentdigsfor woollymammoth(see“NiceDigs”in thisissue).Accordingtohistorian Wendel Whiton, Paine ran his road straightthroughthemarsh,beginning nearAnjon’sRestaurantandfollowing thecourseofmodernRoute1.Hence, thelowroadreplacedthehighroad andwaseventuallyincorporatedinto theKing’sHighway.Ifyouwantto knowmoreaboutthehistoryofthe highway or marshes, visit Wendel Whiton at Whiton’s Greenhouse, towardthewateroffRoute9,onDun¬ stanLandingRoadinScarborough. Areyouinthemoodforadventure? Good.ParkattheRoute1K-Mart,right beforetheentrancerampto1-295,and goinsideandoutfityourselfwithapair ofthicktrousersandwearamachete. Outside,hackyourwaythroughthe undergrowthbetweentheparkinglot andtheinterstateramp.Somewherein thereisanotherancientmile-marker fromRouteOne’stimeasapostroad, tellingthedistancetoBostonTown. Likeathird?TrySouthPortland MunicipalGolfCourse,WestbrookSt.
Iwastiredandmelancholywhen1 visited Collage Antiques and Crafts.ThenIfoundamintedition ofHalliburton’s TheFlyingCarpet, andsuddenlyIfeltverygood.The storeislocatedinthewood-shingled shoppingcenterjustnorthofthe1-95 ramponRoute1inYarmouth.Itisa newplacethatfeaturesverynicely pricedantiques—clocks,primitives, glass,furnishings,books—aswellas craftslikebasketsandcandles.Light poursintothestorefromthefront window, casting an aura on the treasureswithin.“Miserablepeople don’tcomeinhere,”saysownerJanice Lewis.Well,maybetheydo;butthey suredon’tleavethatway.
Freeport
The French countryside was warm andlush-greenlikeMaineisnowwhen theGermanpanzersracedacrossitin theSpringof1940.Bymid-June,France had surrendered. What wasn’t oc¬ cupiedbytheNazissetitselfupasa Fascistdictatorship—Vichy.TheRed WheelinFreeportstillhastwobottles of unopened Vichy mineral water, circathe1940s.Withinthisdustypine barnlieothertreasuresofwarspast— antiquepowderhorns,flags,service rifles,andothermemorabilia.Billy JoelandChristieBrinkleyhavevisited theRedWheel.Itisalsoextremely popularamongJapanesetourists,who come to reclaim Japanese military
relicscapturedduringthePacific campaign. Antiques aside, the Red Wheelhasthelargestcollectionof back-issuecomicbooksinthestate,a widerangeofnewhardware,andan open-airfleamarketonweekends.
AcrossthestreetfromtheLindal Cedar Home showroom- is a giant figureofanIndianrisingprepossess¬ inglyinfrontofLevinsky’sClothing, whereyou’llfindmajorbrandsatgreat prices. This, more than any other landmark,markstheentrancetothe HolyLand.Pilgrimshavetraveledup theKing’sHighwayforthree-quarters ofacenturytovisitL.L.Bean.Bean’s drewmoney,andthatdrewbusinesses thatwantedtomakemoney.Nowthere are innumerable retail and outlet stores here, nicknamed “Bean sprouts”bythelocals,andthetown stillhasasmallfeelingduetowise planning.
Brunswick
On the cruise toward Brunswick, youwillseerottingtelegraphpoles runningbesidetherailroadtracknear theroad.Onsome,theold,green,glass insulatorsstillremain—itemsthat somecollectiblesstoreshawkfor$12 apiece.
When Connie Chung and Maurie PovichpoppedintoAntiquesat184 PleasantStreet,afewdoorsdownfrom theDexterShoeOutlet,theybought mostofthestore’sE.Swasey&Co. crocks. Another customer strapped fourpressbackoakchairstothetrunk ofhisMGanddrovestraightdownto Florida.Youmightaswellstopand signtheguestregister.
InBrunswick,don’tmissthePejepscotHistoricalSociety,theHarriet BeecherStoweHouse,theMaineState MusicTheaterontheBowdoinCollege campus, Mike’s hot dog stand on Maine Street, and two ice cream stores—Vermont’sfinest,Ben&Jer¬ ry’s,andBrunswick’sbest,Cote’s.Grab aconeateachandcomparethem.
Bath
State Police around here are as tenaciousasblackfliesontheforestlined road between Brunswick and BathonRoute1,nearthereststop.
FrontStreetAntiquesislocatedat 190FrontStreet,aboutaquartermileto therightatthelastexitbeforethe bridge. The shop houses fifteen
Imagine a view where the Atlantic
rolls gently to the blue grav granite
and watch a great blue heron feed _ at low tide or gaze at the outer islands wrapped in pelts of fir and spruce. Where you can enjoy a candlelight dinner and a hearty breakfast. Where the hours between sunrise and sunset are filled with a special ambience. After you’ve come to the Craignair you'll promise to keep the secret. Clark
Riding north on the lovely sus¬ pensionbridge(withviewsofBath IronWorkstoyourright)towardWis¬ casset,looksouth(left)occasionally inthedeadbranchesofthedeadtrees forscruffy,protectedosprey. ForgetabouttheHesperandtheLuther Little—you can see those hulks when youdineatLeGarageRestaurant.The realexcitementisatNonesuchHouse Antiques.HeinrichSchliemann,How¬ ardCarter,andIndianaJoneswould havesoldtheirfindshere.AtNone¬ such,youmaybuythe3,500-year-old mummy of an Egyptian princess spiritedoutoftheValleyoftheQueens duringthe1920s,16thcenturySpanish conquistador'sspurs,1,000-year-old Andeanburialdolls,woodenlobster buoys,evenJapaneseglassfloats.
Finally,there’sCamden.Togetafeel fortherichnessofthispartofthecoast, visittheCamden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce’s 17th AnnualArtsandCraftsShow,featuring over 100 professional artists and craftsmen at the spectacular Bok Amphitheater in Camden. In town thereisalsolivetheateratthehaunted Camden Opera House. Leaving town formoreisolatedpointsfartherNorth, lookonyourleftfortheWhitehallInn, where Enda St. Vincent Millay deliveredherfirstdramaticreadingof “Renaissance,’’the poem that launchedhertointernationalacclaim.
Down here, out in the muck, she stands10feetattheshoulder,slightly largerthananIndianElephant.Spread overa30-footarea,thepreservationof thebonesissoexquisitethatapaleo¬ biologistfromtheSmithsonianInsti¬ tuteandtheUniversityofMichigan’s DanielFisher,anexpertonelephants withaspecialtyonwoollymammoths, willbehereinJulytofeeltheunique waxytextureofherbones,examine pollensamplesfromherteethtode¬ terminewhatplantlifeflourishedhere, andlookeverywhereagainsttheodds forremnantsofherhair. It’samurderinvestigationofsorts. Was she dumped here by an iceberg
At the Vail dig near the Quebec border,fivePaleohouseholdshave been discovered. Made of wood and coveredwithhideskins,eachhouse was10feetindiameterandhometoa nuclearfamily.Bigherdsofcaribou
Chased away by undetermined meteorologicalconditions,thePaleos disappearedfromMaineroughly9,000 years ago. When the weather im¬ proved,anewculturemigratedhere withavastlydifferentevolutionarypat¬ tern.Thesewerethepeopleofthe ArchaicPeriod,amongthemtheRed PaintPeoplefamousfortherichde¬ positsofironoxidepigment,calledred ochre,foundintheirburialgrounds.
Did they head out to the Grand Banksindugouts?Yes,butnotthatfar. The fish were considerably closer then.Bonedepositsinestuariestell thestory.Andofcoursethedangerous practiceofhuntingswordfishindeep watershaditsattendantritualsthatthe Indiansbelievedwouldsurroundthem withaprotectiveshieldthatkeptthem safeduringthedangeroushunt. By considerably closer, we mean that swordfish and sturgeon were
actually coursing up big-mouthed MaineriverssuchastheSaco,Penob¬ scot,andKennebec.Thisextraordin¬ ary situation came about because 5,000 years ago, the ocean rose, causingamagnificationoftidalwaters intheGulfofMaine.Thisproducedan overwhelming new natural resource alongthecoast.Richinnutrients,the tidal waters sparked off plankton growthintherivertributoriesanda resultantrichfoodchainwhichwasa magnetfortheswordfish.
Indiansmadetheirvillagesalong thesecoastalareas,enjoyingsword¬ fish,cod,andtonsofoystersthesizeof MichaelJordan’srightfoot.These oystershellheaps,or“middens,”have been found along the North Haven IslandareaandinDamariscottaas well.
The Glidden Point shell heap in Damariscotta sits along the ridge alongsideRoute1.Itis250feetlong,25 feethigh,and30feetdeep.Sittingon these heaps, Indians would shuck oystersduringcommunitygatherings wheretheirplatformwastheirtrash pile.Whaleback,anothershellheap acrosstheriver,wasevenbiggerbe¬ foreafarmerharvesteditforlimeinthe 1890s.
The Red Paint people had close economicandsocialtieswithother peoples throughout the northeast. Projectilepointsmadeofwhiterock and chert are evidence that these MaineIndianshadanelaborateecon¬ omictradesystemwithIndiansasfar westasLakeChamplain,Vermont,and tothenorthasfarasRamahBayin Labrador.
Then,after1,200yearsofundis¬ turbedandintensifiedgrowth,theRed Paint cultural network collapsed, about3,800yearsago.
I’mnotallowedtotellyouexactly whereitis,butIamstandingrightnow onaBrunswickridgebesidetheAn¬ droscogginRiverwhereBatesstudents havejustwalkeduptoDr.BruceBork withtwoprojectilepoints,orarrow¬ heads, which he judges to be from peopleroughly5,000yearsold.
They’re small, white, two-inch quartz,roughlyshapedbutpoignantly human-formed. They were found em¬ beddedinahearthwall.
Andwe’rethefirsttoseethemfor 5,000years,asuspendedperiodthat gives even necessary implements a
ThedisappearanceoftheRedPaint People3,800yearsagoconfoundsre¬ searchers.Bork’sguessisthatenviron¬ mentalconditionsreachedacritical threshold,causingthewatertemper¬ aturetodrop,scaringtheswordfishout to warmer waters such as the Gulf Stream.
Anextraordinarilydevelopedcivil¬ ization,uniqueinitsmaritimehabits, was gone (and the swordfish price wentthroughtheroof).
Recently,Mainearchaeologistshave discoveredveryinterestingevidence thataSusquehannatraditionofIn¬ dians came up here from the south around2,700yearsago.Ithadbeen thoughtthattheyhadclosetieswith theSusquehannacultureinNewYork andPennsylvania,butnewerdiscover¬ ieslinkthecultureasfarsouthasthe SavannahRiverinGeorgia.Tothisend, archaeologistshavecomparedskel¬ etalremainsexcavatedfromburial sitesintheBlueHillregionofMaine (Red Paint people) to those from TurnerFarmonNorthHavenIsland. Throughboneisotopeanalysis,re¬ searchersdiscoveredthatthelifestyles oftheBlueHillRedPaintpeoplewere closelyrelatedtothoseofthenorthern Eskimos,whileisotopesoftheSus¬ quehanna people from Turner Farm morecloselyresemblethoseofthe SusquehannapeoplefromGeorgia.
Susquehanna burial sites, with scarcelyanyredochrepresent,are shockinglydifferent.Itwascommon forabodytobeburiedforaperiod, then exhumed and dismembered. Bodypartswouldthenbeburiedin differentcombinationsandexhumed andrecombinedagain,finallytobe joinedinaceremonialcremationfire wherepeoplecametogethertomake religiousofferings.
ome of these ancient Indians were really healthy people, standingastallasfive-footsix and160pounds.Likenorthern Europeans, many were husky, withlargechestsandbroadshoulders. Someofthesepeoplelivedwellinto theirfifties.
Existingdigswhichmayholdsur¬ prises this summer include New MeadowsRiverinPhippsburg;Tops¬ ham,wherethereisa“sweet”site,asit isoneofthefarthestnorthernareasof Indianfarming;Brunswick;BlueHill; GreatDiamondIsland;CapeElizabeth; Falmouth(clamshellheapacrossthe beach from Underwood Stream); TurnerFarm,andothers.
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Hushang
ByMarkMickalide
Backintheearly80s,Hu¬ shang set the quality standard for Chinese cookingbydisavowingit¬ self from the viscous, corn-starch-richfoodmostof us grew up with. That depar¬ tureintoagreatervarietyof tastes and textures with a premiumplacedonfreshflav¬ orsandcleantastingsaucesis asevidenttodayasiteverwas. Recently,afterhavinggiven themenuacloserlookthanI have in a long time, I was surprised by how good every¬ thingsounded.Tostart,wehad freshspringrolls($2.95)and chicken wings ($3.95). The springrollswereahighlytex¬ turedcompositionofgelatin¬ ous noodles and crunchy bean sproutsinachewyricewrap¬ per,flavoredwithshrimpand coriander. They are served cool and uncooked (sort of likeatubesalad)witharich, nuttydippingsauce.Theyare possiblythebestspringrolls I’veeverhad.Thewingswerea must,too;crispandfresh,not theabominablere-friedsoften encountered.
Like most Chinese restau¬ rants,therearescoresofen¬ treeshere,withthemajorvar¬ iationsbeingofchicken,beef, pork,lamb,fish,andshellfish. Thereisalsoagoodselection of rice, noodles, and bean curd. We chose Chang Cha Fish($6.95),All-SpiceChick¬ en ($6.95), and Bean Curd
■ REVIEW"
Szechwan style ($5.95) The ChangChaFishfiredcrackling bitsoffriedfishintoasalty, sharp, shrimp-roe-flavored sauce.Theflavorswerebright andassertive,butnotunbal¬ anced.Theall-spicechicken, also served as deep-fried chunks, came in a fragrant honeysaucethatwasaharmonious blend of the sweet, savory,andspicy.Thegenerous arrayofscallionsandpepper flakes made the dish explode withflavorsthatleftfewtaste budsuntouched.Thebeancurd, unfried, was simmered in a brownsaucewithgroundpork, green and red peppers, and Chinese greens. The soothing silkinessofthetofu,themild, meatyflavorofthesauce,andthe freshness of the vegetables combinedtocreateasensation of comfort and wholesomeness oneonlyassociateswiththebest home cooking. First-rate. ■
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Inthesummerof1945,thewriter JeanStaffordandherhusband,the poetRobertLowell,cametoMaine insearchofahouse,andfoundit inthequiet,littlevillageofDamar¬ iscottaMills.Thecouple’sresidence provedbriefandanythingbutquiet,as their domestic drama played out towardseparationanddivorce.The tense, 13-month drama, witnessed, aided,orabettedbysomeofthena¬ tion’sbestknownliterarypersonal¬ ities,mightbeconsideredatragedy exceptthatlifeattheMillsprovedrich gristforseveralofStafford’sPulitzer Prize-winningstoriesandLowell’s longestpoem.
Inrecentyears,biographersofStaf¬ ford and Lowell have stressed the importanceoftheMaineinterlude,but nonetellsthefullstory.Perhapsitis impossibletodoso,fortherearestill
Roleplayingcomesnaturallytoboth writers.Stafford,anativeofCalifornia and daughter of a minor writer of Westernadventures,wasbornin1915. LongingfortheEasternliteraryscene, JeangotherB.A.andM.A.fromthe UniversityofColorado,spentayearin Germany,andgainedearlyrecognition asawriterofpromise.Lowell,of course,wasborninBostonin1917. Though both Robert and his mother alwaysplayeduptheprominenceof thefamily,theirparticularbranchwas atsomethingofaremovefromtherich
TheStafford-Lowellrelationshipgot offtoarockybeginning.Bothwere promisingyoungwriters,thoughStaf¬ ford,beingtwoyearsolder,hadmore ofastart.Perhapsshewasalittletoo impressedbytheLowellcachetand Bostonitself.Lowell’sparentsdidnot approveofJean,whowasolder,more experienced, and from the West. Complicatingmatterswasthefactthat onavisittoBostonin1938,Jeanhad beenbadlyinjuredwhenawell-lubri¬ catedLowelldrovehiscarintoawall.
Free-floatingfeelingsofresponsibility andblamemixedwiththoseoflove andphysicalattraction.Complications never ceased. Though a nominal RomanCatholic,Jeanwasshockedat Robert’sdecision,in1941,toconvert
Externaleventsalsointruded.At theoutsetofWorldWarII,Lowell registeredforthedraftandmade attemptstogotoofficer’strain¬ ing. By 1943, he underwent a change of heart and publicly an¬ nounced that he had become a con¬ scientiousobjector.Inhisnewroleof “fire-breathingCatholicC.O.,”Lowell wenttoprisonforfivemonthsin194344,anexperiencerecalledinhisbril¬ liantpoem,“MemoriesofWestStreet andLepke.”Inspiteofhavinglosther brotherintheWar,Staffordstoodby herhusband.In1944,theyproduced theirfirstbooks—Lowell’sLandofUn¬ kindnesswoncriticalapplause,while Stafford’snovel, BostonAdventuregar¬ neredcriticalacclaimandbestseller status.ItwasStafford’sbookthat broughtinmoney—about$20,000,or enoughtobuyahouseinMaine.
Though the decision to live and workinMaineatleastpartofeachyear seemstohavebeenajointone,itwas clearlyJeanStaffordwhowasthemost enthusiastic.Theyrentedacottagein Boothbaywhere,observedStafford, “Thenightsarecool,thesceneryis beautiful,andthesummerpeople,to thenumberof15,000,areatrocious.” AccordingtoLowellbiographerIan Hamilton, it was Jean who “dis¬ covered”thehouseinDamariscotta Mills.Asshebragged:“Itisabouta hundredyearsold,hasabarnattached toitwhichwearegoingtomakeinto twovaststudios,hasfineoldtrees,a 12-mile lake in the backyard, and withinastone’sthrow,theoldestR.C. churchnorthofsouthernMaryland.”
Apparentlythe“largeandgrandly Hellenic”residencedidnotholdmuch attractionforLowell.Moretothepoint, itmayhavebeentheideaofthesettled lifethatannoyedhim.Fromapoetic point of view, no Maine community couldhavesuitedthehistorically mindedLowellbetter.Indeed,itis almostimpossibletobelievethathe wasnottheonetoselectthisseed-bed ofCatholicisminNewEngland.
Lateinthe18thcenturytheCottrill and Kavanagh families immi¬ gratedfromIreland.Afterabrief stayinBoston,theywent“down” to the town of Newcastle and settledattheMills.Theyflourishedas merchantsandin1798builtachapel, St.Mary’softheMills,thefirstnon¬ French,non-NativeAmericanCatholic churchinMaine.Forafewbriefyears, NewcastlewassecondonlytoBoston as a Catholic center and played frequenthosttotheBishopofBoston. In1803,theyhiredarchitectNicholas CoddtodesignSt.Patrick’sChurch. Theneatbrickstructure,completedin 1808,istheoldestsurvivingCatholic house of worship in New England. Edward Kavanagh (1795-1844) was laterelectedtoCongressandservedas thefirstCatholicgovernorofMaine.
RobertLowellwouldhaveenjoyed thefactthatLongfellowwasadowneasterturnedHarvardDon,whilehe himselfwasaproperBostonianonthe way to becoming a down-easter. Lowellmusthavealsotakenperverse delightinanancientlinkbetweenhis family,Newcastle,andtheKavanaghs. Inhisbook,Luceynotedthatin1801 the Boston attorney James Lowell represented Newcastle in a case againstitsCatholiccitizens.James successfullyarguedthatwhileCath-
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olicshadtherighttoworshipfreely, theywerestillobligedtopaytaxesin support of their Congregational Church. This was rich stuff. Now RobertLowellwaspoisedtomakea very conscious impact on the same community.
LowellandStaffordmovedintotheir houseinAugust.Thoughtheplanwas tospendthewinterinTennesseewith theTates,theyendedupstayingin Maine.Staffordwasinanestingmood andthoughLowellbalked,shehired workmenandbegantotransformthe house.ItwasJeanwhoexploredthe village,visitedandtookteawiththe neighbors—whileRobertstayedclose tohisroomorwentbirding.Stafford becameparticularlyintimatewiththe Booth family of neighboring Grey Rock. Anna Booth, widow of the EpiscopalBishopofVermont,andher sixgrownchildrenwereanenergetic crew whose major requirement was thattheybeengagedinsomesortof usefulactivity.ThatStaffordwasdrawn tothiscuriousfamilyismadeclearin hertouchingshortstory,“PoliteCon¬ versation.”InhisbiographyofStafford, DavidRobertsnotesthatthewriter’s cramped work area gave her ample viewofthecomingsandgoingsofher neighbors.Thedesireforasnughome ofherownisequallyevidentinthe wonderful piece, “A Country Love Story.”Unfortunately,thegrowingre¬ motenessofherhusbandpervadedat thesametime.
Anumberofobservershavesug¬ gestedthatStafford’ssuccess with BostonAdventure, with 400,000copiessoldinthefirst sevenmonths,andsubsequent¬ lyherinterviewin Life coupled by several national honors, rankled Lowelldeeply.Inspiteofgoodreviews, his book of verse appeared in an editionof250.Increasingly,Lowell focusedonpoetry,religiousformality, andbegantoignorehiswifeandher work. She responded by working, drinkingheavily,visitingneighbors, andgettingacat.Therewereseveral visitorsthatfallatwhatcametobe known asLordWeary'sCastle,thetitleof Lowell’sworkinprogress.InOctober 1945,poet-criticRandallJarrellread themovementandfueledLowell’sego bywriting,“Ithinkyou’repotentiallya betterpoetthananybodywhowritesin English.”
Amongothervisitorswerewriters DelmoreSchwartzandCarolineGor¬ don,whohadjustleftherhusband AllenTate.ItwasGordonwhoasked JeanaboutTate’sromanticinvolve¬ ments,andhavinggottenanear-full, suddenly accused her hostess of gossip-mongeringandbeganthrowing thingsherway.Staffordfledacrossthe street,calledthesheriffandGordon spentthenightattheBooths.Lowell apparentlyfeltthatJeanhadover¬ reacted. When the pipes froze in December,LowellandStaffordvisited Schwartz in Massachusetts, where false rumors of an affair between StaffordandSchwartzledtoafistfight betweenthelatterandLowell.Soon afterward,Staffordheadedbackto Maine,andLowellwentonretreattoa Trappistmonastery.
Biographer Roberts also notes thatLowell’sviolenttemperwas againarousedwhenhissleeping wifecalledoutthenameofa formerlover.Lowellapparently beganstranglingStafford,anincident describedinadraftofhispoem,“Mills oftheKavanaughs,”andinadraftof herwork,“ACountryLoveStory.”More often,though,itseemstohavebeena relationshipofconstantquarrelling whenotherswerearoundandsilence when they were alone. By summer thingswouldreachfullboil.
Inherfictionalaccount,“AnInflux ofPoets,” (NewYorker, November 6, 1978),Staffordgetstotheheartofthe marriagebreak-up;‘Thatawfulsum¬ mer!EverypoetinAmericacameto staywithus.”Itwasnotfarfromthe truth.TheHomericlistincludedthe likes of Schwartz, John Berryman, RichardEberhard,PhilipRahv,Robert Giroux,aswellasafollowingofsig¬ nificantothersandhangers-on.As Staffordsawit,theywhined,drank, “readfromtheirownwork,”“never listenedtoothers,”andeventually driftedawaytobequicklyreplacedby others.Thefinalsummervisitorto “EdwardsMills,”herfictionalDamar¬ iscottaMills,wasMinnieZumwalt.In reallifethiswasGertrudeBuckman, ex-wifeofDelmoreSchwartz.Atthis pointitbecomesdifficulttoseparate personafrompersonality.
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veloped between Buckman and Lowell.Thetwopicnickedonthelake, leavingStaffordbehindandtakingher sandwiches. Indeed, most accounts suggestthatStaffordfannedtheflames ofwhatlaterdidbecomeanaffair.
divorce again and marry Harriet Winslowin1972.Stafford,whonever returnedtoMaine,wedOliverJensen in1950,divorcedtwoyearslaterandin 1959marriedA.J.Leibling.Although the“AgeofLowell”predictedbysome
ThehouseinDamariscottaMills,right.
Buckmanevenrecalledthatwhenshe triedtoleave,Staffordbeggedherto stay.ItwasasifStaffordwasplottinga novelwithrealpeople.Lowellmaybe seen as being equally culpable in actingthingsouttoaconclusion.In September,withthepoetsgone,Staf¬ fordandLowellclosedupthehouse, drownedtheircats,tookthetrainto Boston,andseparated. ubsequently, Stafford would suffer a break-down, Lowell would say that the Catholic Churchhad“serveditspurpose” forhimandrequestadivorce.In 1947, Stafford published her most successfulnovel,TheMountainLion,and LowellgarneredaPulitzerforhis secondbook,LordWeary'sCastle.Their marriagewasofficiallydissolvedin 1948.Lowell,wholaterlivedandwrote in Castine, would wed the superb writerElizabethHardwickin1949,
criticsnevertranspired,thepoetwent ontoadistinguishedcareer,wrote sixteen volumes and won a second PulitzerforTheDolphinm1974.Stafford continuedtowriteatherownpaceand withdrewfromthelimelight.Although notprolific,allofherwritingremained first-rate,withTheCollectedStoriesteddnga Pulitzerforfictionin1970.Shediedin 1979,twoyearsafterthedeathof Lowell.
oralltheconjugalpyrotechnics andveryrealemotionalpain,the MaineInterludeturnedouttobe remarkablyproductiveforboth writers.Fromaliteraryview,both cameofageinthatyear:Lowellwith LordWeary'sCastleandStaffordwith The MountainLion. Completed at Damar¬ iscottaMills,bothpublicationsrepre¬ sentedtheshiftintomaturestylesfor theirauthors.Staffordalsofinished twoshortstories,including“TheIn-
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teriorCastle”andbegananovelthat wasneverfinished.Lowellalsopro¬ ducedastringofbookreviews,in¬ cludinganotablesurveyofcurrent American poetry which appeared in SewaneeReview.
TheMaineInterludeprovidedboth authors with a seemingly endless supplyofscenicandemotionalsource material.Stafford’s“PoliteConver¬ sation,"basedonherrelationshipwith theBoothneighbors,isequallyin¬ formativeoflifeandoutlookinthe village.“ACountryLoveStory”ismore personallyfocusedonhernewhome andcoolingmarriage,while“AnInflux ofPoets”isevenmoreautobiograph¬ ical.Thelatter,theonlypublishedpart ofaprojectednovel,isawonderfully craftedfarewelltoLowell(asTheron Maybank)andthevillage(asEdwards Mills).
Lowell’sgrandsalutetoex-wife, village,andChurchcameearlierwith hislongest,mostproblematicpoem, “TheMillsoftheKavanaughs,”(1951). ThoughLowellcouldnotresistadding apatrician’s“u”totheKavanaghname andextendingthefamily’sarrivalback afullcentury,hebuiltonthefirm foundationoflocalhistory,witha literarynodtoLongfellow.Thehouse andgardendescribedbyLowellisthe great Federal Period home, “Kav¬ anagh,”(alsospelled“Kavanaugh”by architecturalhistorians),whichstill stands.Itslonelyresident,AnneKav¬ anaugh,isclearlymodeledonJean Stafford,inbothformandspeech. Itisonlyinthelastdecadeorso that the combined richness of Lowell and Stafford’s Maine writinghasbeguntobeappreci¬ ated.In RobertLowell:ABiography (1982),IanHamiltontracesmanyof the shared images, ideas, and in¬ cidentsthatcropupinLowell’sverse andStafford’sfiction.Furtherdiscus¬ siondevelopsintwoexcellentbooks, DavidRoberts’sJeanStafford:ABiography (1988),andAnnHulbert’s TheInterior Castle:TheArtandLfieofJeanStafford (1992).Rarelyinthecourseofhistory andliteraturedoimportantworksof twomajorwritersconvergeasclosely asthoseofStaffordandLowell.Their writingsproducedduringtheMaine interlude,andthoseinspiredbyit, constituteatreasureoflastingmerit, thescopeofwhichhasonlyrecently begun to be surveyed. H
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L-R: RogerWilliams.AllisonEduards.RonaldDemers. Attherecentannualmeeting ofGorhamSavingsBank’strus¬ tees,corporatorsandofficers,an oilpaintingofAllisonC.Ed¬ wards,chairmanoftheboard, was presented by the artist, RogerC.WilliamsofRogerWil¬ liamsAdvertising.
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Ifind a woman’s shoe on Smyrna StreetinDennis.1don’tknow whattodoexcepttakeitwithme to the hospital and spend the restofthedayfantasizingthat theownerof the shoe, lucky enough to have been kidnapped, is now being dragged across Mattawamkegg, down through Molunkus to Howland. Getting on Route 193 throughDeblois,akidnappercould travelasfarasSouthTrescottbefore runningintotheAtlanticOceanand havingtorentaboat.
Theshoeishighheeled,gold,and layered with what looks like the remainsofalizard.Itisnotashoe typicalofthisareaoranyareavery near here, which means that its owner is probably someone who passedhurriedlythroughonalong journey. Or she is someone who staysinsidemostofthetimeimagin¬ ingsheissomeoneelse.
Theshoeissosmallthatitprob¬ ably belongs to someone much younger than me who hasn’t fin¬ ishedgrowingyet.Ifinishedgrow¬ ingalongtimeagoandinfacthave justreachedtheagewhereifIdied, peoplewouldnotsay:“Struckdown inhisprime,”althoughtheymight say, “Too bad." As a relatively young, unmarried doctor sent here overayearagotoworkoffschool loans by touching and poking people,I’mautomaticallysuspect.If 1 died people would wonder what I didwithmysparetime.
The shoe marks my one year an¬ niversarywithoutadrink.Thelast time1drankwasthelasttimeIleft thetownlimitsofDennis.Oneyear agotoday1wenttoMolunkusfora beer.
My life has slowly taken on the regularityofariver.Everythinginmy life:people,objects,andsituations seem to hold no more significance than lawn furniture. On my way home from work this day, like any otherday,IpassBoynton’sAntiques at7o’clockasIcrossWaterStreet andheadupLitchfieldRoad.Even¬ tuallyIwillheaddownCentralStreet ablocktothe8o’clockAAmeeting in the basement of the Methodist church.Iseethesamepeopleatthe meetings. I pass the same guys in theirtruckstravellinghomeinthe oppositedirection.Wewavetoeach other.
Really,unlessone’spatientsstart dying, the reputation of a basic mechanics doctor like myself de¬ pends on what one does in public and how one touches people in the office.I’velearnedthatmostpeople aroundheredon’tliketobetouched at all; they want to know all the reasonswhybeforeyoudoit.Other peoplearelikecatsandlovetobe touched delicately at the ends of theirshouldersandjustabovethe hip.Thetruthisthat1hatetotouch most people—I don’t tell anyone this,butthefeelofotherpeople’s skinmakesmegaspforair.
Today, for instance, a young woman who had burned her chest withhotoilwasdroppedoffforme by ambulance. The nurses laid her downononeofthebeds,carefully peeledoffherblouseandthenher bra. She grabbed my arm, heaved herglistening,redchestupintheair andscreamedwithhereyesshut.I stood there, my hands down by my side. “Doctor,” one of the new nursessaid.“Doctor,”shesaid.
1couldn’tsayanything. I’msuddenlystruckwiththeidea thattheowneroftheshoeIfound thismorningwasreallywaitingbe¬ hindherwindowcurtainintheDen¬ nisHotei,pretendingallthewhile that she was somewhere else, like Nice, hoping someone like me wouldcomealongandpicktheshoe off the ground. Maybe she just wanted to see what the person would do. Or maybe she made a promise to herself: perhaps she decided that she would not eat, drink,orevensleepuntilsomeone camealong,pickedtheshoeup,and didsomethingdefinitewithit.Not justpickeditup,butpickeditupand went somewhere with it. When she saw me put it in my car and drive away,maybeshewenttoherkitchen and made a sandwich.
Maybe the owner of the shoe is unhappy. One of those people who iseasilytakenoverbydesires,likea small country whose military con¬ sistsoflibrarians.Theonlysadness of my happiness comes from want¬ ingtowantlikeIusedto.Thedesire that turns the body into a raw, hungrynerve.
WhenadetouratthetopofCen¬ tralStreetswingsmeintotheCorvilletownlimits,Istarteatingthe brownies I bought for everyone at theAAmeeting.BynowIdecideto stopatmyrentedhouse,changemy clothes,andbealittlelatetothe meeting. Harry, the owner of the house, whose wife has been diag¬ nosed with terminal cancer at the hospital where 1 work, stands out fronttrimmingthehedges.1stopa blockawayandwatchhisshoulders deliberatelysnappinglikelobster claws.
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AvoidingHarrywouldmeanswerv¬ ingbackintoCorvilleonOldHallowell RoadandthenuptoMarsHillwhere1 wouldhavetoattemptthelikesof Ellingswood, Montsweag, or Olaman RoadtogetbacktoDennisandtheAA meeting,soIeaseintomydriveway. I’vemissedmostoftheAAmeeting already and have eaten half the brownies.
“MeetmydaughterElizabeth,”Harry says."She’svisitingmefromNewYork. She’s gonna help me with your hedges—huh Betsy?” Worry has col¬ lectedindarksacksbeneathhereyes. Imanagetosmileandofferthem bothsomebrownies.Elizabethgrim¬ aces,herhandpressedagainsther stomach.Harrylickshislipsandglides hishandintothebox.
Sheburiesherhanduptoherwrist insidetheshoe,glidesitthroughthe air,walksoverbehindthepinetreeby the hedge and vanishes. After a second, the shoe and then her arm appearwalkingacrossthehedgelikea veryskinnylegthathasalifeofitsown, thattravelstheworldintinyforward leaps.Theshoekicksupintheairwith thelong,gracefulsnapofaRockette. ThentheshoevanishesandElizabeth reappears,laughingtoherselfand danglingtheshoeontheendofher fingerfrominsidetheheel.Shestarts towardus,spinningtheshoearoundin circles.Itridesuptotheendofher finger,fliesacrossthedrivewayinto the rhododendron bushes, and dis¬ appears.
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