Description: A log of the Tracy visit from New York to Mount Desert island from July 30th - September 4th of 1855. Includes commentary by George B Dorr. Three documents.
Description: From "History of the City of Belfast in the State of Maine, Volume II, 1875-1900" by Joseph Williamson. Showing locations of streets and buildings in 1855.
Description: A freight bill for 3 casks of lime for Capt. James Long (1814-1895) signed by Jo. R. Freeman [John T.R. Freeman (1838-1916)] and paid at Mt. Desert on November 2, 1853. As can be seen from the account below, "Rockland" was supposed to have been built in 1853 and to have gone into service in 1854, but this bill of lading clearly shows that she was working in the Mt. Desert area as early as November 1853. She may have gone on the water in 1853 and done some freight work in the area before she started her career on the passenger route in 1854. The 1857 date may just be an error. [show more]
Description: Fitz Henry Lane painted one of the earliest views of Southwest Harbor, and seems to have studied the shore carefully. The view shows a lumber schooner loading its long cargo through a port in the bow of the vessel. The white house immediately to the left of the vessel probably shows an early version of the Seth Higgins Clark House. The white house at the center of the shore is the Nathan Clark II House. The white building at the far left is Deacon Henry Higgins Clark's Island House Hotel, early in its career, before it was expanded into several stories with a mansard roof. Clark descendants, and their houses, are still in Southwest Harbor. William Howe Witherle (1821–1906) accompanied Lane on his trip around Mount Desert Island and recorded many of their adventures in his diary. On August 21 he wrote, "… George, Joe & myself took breakfast this morning at the Island House – and a fine one it was – price 25 cts – Mr. Lane took 2 sketches here…” The sketches referred to were of the shore and harbor, not the hotel. See: Witherle, William Howe. William Witherle Diary (unpublished manuscript) (August 16–21, 1852). Personal diary in the collection of the Wilson Museum, Castine, Maine (A00060-1a-1h). [show more]
Description: Brown leather cover with embossed design and gold metal trim with clasp initialed with "MGWD". Page edges are gilded. Owned by Mary Gray Ward Dorr, George B. Dorr's mother.
Description: Andrew H. Haynes (1812-1896) - 133 Shore Road, Manset Ebenezer Fernald (1810-1884) - 110 Fernald Point Road Henry Higgins Clark (1811-1897) - Deacon Clark John D. Rich (1800-1875) Reuben D. Rich (1827-1863) - son of John D. Rich Samuel G. Rich (1808-1871)
Description: Certificate for repairs to the Factor (three pages), a ship built on GCI 1832, in for repairs in South Carolina in 1854, with cargo of molasses and other items, with transcription by donor.
Description: Two receipts: (A) Tremont March 10th, 1852, Received of William P. Preble seventy three dollars 80/100 in full payment for ballance doo me for wooden materials to build new Brig Abigail Maria of, furnished by me the last season as per agreement dated at Tremont December 5th, 1850. Signed by Henry W. [xxxx?]. And (B): William P. Preble's taxes 1878 = $1.10.
Description: Book. The American Coast Pilot containing directions for the Principal Harbors, Capes and Headlands on the Coasts of North and South America, etc. by Edmund M. Blunt, Seventeenth Edition by E. & G. W. Blunt, New York, May 1854. 678 pages including fold-out charts. Size: 6" x 9.75" x 3.5". Book is covered with loose tan canvas cloth hand stitched to keep it on the front and back covers. Inside the front cover, under the cloth cover flap is written: "Capt Nathan King 1854 bought book of East Trenton Maine." With several other pencil notations on first four pages. First one states: "Purchased this book from the Lewis Stanley Estate (Less White S. West Harbor) and paid $1.00 for same - Mrs. Mary Alice White, Cranberry Isles, ME June 18th, 1957." Second states: "Purchased of Capt. Nathan King Dec 20th 1866, M. J. Richardson." Third states: "This book belonged to Carrie (Stanley) Richardson daughter of Enoch B. Stanley and her son was Charles (Peter) Richardson Cranberry Isles, Maine." (This third note seems to be in the same handwriting as the first note by Mary Alice White.) There are several other notations, calculations, and also newspaper clippings pertaining to new lighthouses on the first several pages and the last two pages. Other notations:" Feb 23 1867 6 days out from NY bound for [Goanives?] St. Demingo Latt 27.45." "26th Jan 1867, 4 days out from Boston made Bermuda." "Wreck bears from Light Boat on [Cifs?] Rip WNW dist 3 or 4 miles." "May 5th 1872: Passed Hole in the Wall Fourteen days out from Portland. Made Moro Light Havana Sixteen days out from Portland." "Jan 25th [18]77, five days out from NY Latt 31:20 71:47 bound to [Havana?] made [Abeo?] light [five?] days out from NY." One newspaper clipping with header "Exports" includes mention of the schooner C. F. Young -449 box shooks. (GCIHS has a receipt for Meltiah carrying sugar aboard the Young.) Scans of notations made. [show more]
Description: Documents. Two documents: (A) The first is an undated note entitled "Early pictures made at 'The Ways' " (home of the Lea family 1960s) written by George Vaux in which he describes two ca. 1850 "wet-plate positives, backed by metal plates." Two digital images in GCIHS collection, the first (D) of the ship "Express, Cranberry Isles," and the second, a wide landscape view of the Thomas Bunker wharves (C), both taken from The Ways property, may be the photos described in Vaux's note. The scans were made from photos provided by Nancy Lea ca. 2000. (2013 correspondence re: unsuccessful investigation into the whereabouts of the two original wet-plate positives was saved.) Vaux also explains that they called the house The Ways "because timbers for ships' ways were found when excavating for the basement." 2014 email from Chuck Liebow explain the photos: "Zooming in you can see another vessel "Harriett", a pinky or near double ender which Victor claimed was built by Thomas Bunker (Harriet was Thomas Bunker's wife). A 2000 email from Liebow indicates he thinks the photo shows the Thomas Bunker wharves on the site where Mrs. Lea's house is, with the Richman house with the roof half covered in snow. Liebow adds: George Vaux dated the photo to about 1852 based on the ship "Express" at the same wharf. Islesford looks funny but the Fish Point house is right where it ought to be." The second document (B) is an undated copy of a plat map (with ball point pen marks) showing the George Vaux and Robert Lea properties, Lots #30 and 31 respectively. (See also 2013.257.1987 re: modern photos of The Ways.) [show more]