Features
City Awaiting a Renaissance?
Bangor, Maine’s third largest city and Penobscot River gateway to the northern two-thirds of the state, appears on the verge of regaining the prestige it enjoyed during the lumber boom of the last century. The city has survived the excesses of urban renewal, and now longtime residents have joined forces with new arrivals to revitalize the downtown quarter without sacrificing its historic aspect. By Gloria Hutchinson.
Environmental Award
This year’s winner of Down East‘s annual Environmental Award is James A. Dorso, of Gardiner, whose efforts on behalf of the wood duck have meant a dramatic comeback in Maine of the once-endangered species. By Robert Deis.
Maine’s Best-Read Community
Ever since Burrelle’s Press Clipping Service opened an office in Presque Isle, 200 residents of Aroostook County city have been following the news for a job. Paving the way for the unusual new industry was the high-energy State Development Office: An Agency on the Go. By Michael T. Kinnicutt.
Making It In Maine
The entrepreneurial skill of “finding a need and filling it” has long been a hallmark of Maine commerce, and Down East pays a visit to a trio of diverse undertakings that continue the tradition.
The Portland School of Art
Thanks to an energetic program of acquiring new classroom and studio space, attracting talented faculty, expanding its curriculum, and raising funds, the 100-year-old Portland School of Art has recently blossomed into one of the leading institutions of its kind on the East Coast, if not the nation. By Edgar Allen Beem.
Twelve Months Of Maine
In a twelve-page pictorial essay, photographer Kip Brundage chronicles the changing moods and visual subtleties of the Maine countryside and coast during the calendar year.
A Knack for Making Do
Seven of the entries in a recent statewide competition of architects reflect the profession’s talent for restoring or remodeling old landmarks for contemporary use, and for designing new buildings that incorporate traditional materials and modern energy efficiency. By Tucker Mann.
Tour de Force on the Kennebec
Bath Iron Works, for nearly a century builder of warships and other ships of steel, is riding high today on a near-billion-dollar backlog of orders. The state’s premier employer, with a work force of 6,700, BIW will soon expand its operations to Portland Harbor by building a $47 million repair and refitting facility made possible by state and city bond issues that were authorized by Maine voters last fall. John N. Cole tells the stirring story of the yard’s tenacious pursuit of excellence through war and peace, boom and bust, to today’s crest of prosperity.
Dining in Aroostook
Ma Dudley’s eating place bucks a trend with good old fashioned cooking — and plenty of it. By Mimi E.B. Steadman.
Environmental Watch
Robert Deis takes a resource-by-resource look at the ecological victories and defeats of the year just past.
Cover: “Towards Sea Point” (48″ x 48″), oil on canvas, by John Laurent.