Maine

Guilford and Sangerville typify hundreds of small towns scattered across Maine, and this volume reveals the two towns' rich visual history. Each a beautiful community, and nearly self-sufficient until recently, they border each other with the beautiful Piscataquis River running between. Guilford sits on the north with Sangerville on the south. From the dawn of the Industrial Revolution to the advent of electricity, almost every river in the state spawned dozens of towns as waterpower was harnessed for a variety of mills. Railroads and the subsequent highways provided the needed transportation for importing raw materials and exporting finished goods. Rivers proved to be a blessing and a curse when severe floods washed away many businesses and homes, but the area remained vibrant. While Guilford and Sangerville are quieter now, they still boast strong and proud communities.

This fascinating collection of photographs brings to life the history of the community of Dexter--in its bounty and its bad times

Author Frank Spizuoco has collected over two hundred unforgettable images from the archives of the Dexter Historical Society which together paint a vivid picture of the community and its environs from the 1840s to the 1990s.

The town of Kennebunk split from the neighboring town of Wells on June 24, 1820, just three months after Maine became a state. Kennebunk's proximity to three large bodies of water--the Kennebunk River, the Mousam River, and the Atlantic Ocean--fueled its development over thousands of years. Kennebunk's waterways were home to Wabanaki hunters, settlement farmers, early lumber mills, and a booming shipbuilding business. The Maine coast soon brought tourists to Kennebunk and its beaches. By the 1930s, Kennebunk Beach and its surrounding area contained several hotels and beach cottages. Sites like the Wedding Cake House, Kennebunk Beach, Main Street, and Blowing Cave quickly reached new heights as well-known landmarks. Postcards played a part in fueling the powerhouse tourist industry that remains active to this day.