In 1775, Captain Henry Mowat infamously ordered the burning of Falmouth--now Portland. That act cast him as the arch-villain in the state's Revolutionary history, but Mowat's impact on Maine went far beyond a single order. The Scottish Mowat began his North American career by surveying the Maine coast, capturing and confiscating colonial merchant ships he suspected of smuggling. Already feared by Mainers when the war broke out, his legacy was further tarnished when he was blamed for disman...

Join local author Harry Gratwick as he uncovers stories of adventure and bravery from the forts of Maine. Whether dotting the coastline, guarding the banks of the Kennebec or defending the Canadian border, Maine's many forts have sheltered its towns and people since the seventeenth century. Both Fort Kent and Fort Fairfield were built after the War of 1812 during the Aroostook War, when hostilities raged between Mainers and British Canadians over the region's rich timber stands. Portland H...

Too far north, the great state of Maine did not witness any Civil War battles. However, Mainers contributed to the war in many important ways. From the mainland to the islands, soldiers bravely fought to preserve the United States in all major battles. Men like General Joshua Chamberlain, a hero of Little Round Top, proudly returned home to serve as governor. Maine native Hannibal Hamlin served as Abraham Lincoln's first vice president. And Maine's strong women sacrificed and struggled to ...

The history of Maine has always been inextricably tied to its coastline. The sea first brought settlers, and the rich fishing and shipbuilding industries sustained growth. The Atlantic also connected Mainers to the rest of the world. Goods and ideas traveled the maritime routes that originated in populous Portland and more isolated places like Carver's Harbor and Deer Isle. From Searsport's sailing masters to the burning of Royal Tar, author Harry Gratwick relates the adventures of the ski...

An in-depth history of the Maine inlet's most historic and dramatic shipwrecks.Thousands flock to the beautiful coastline along Penobscot Bay every year, but the dark sea has often turned treacherous. Temperamental skies become stormy without notice; violent gales challenge even the most seasoned captains. Craggy rocks can be virtually invisible to oncoming vessels, like the Alice E. Clark, which simply strayed off course in good weather. Other ships, like...

Penobscot Bay is the jewel of mid-coast Maine, a landscape of close-knit communities and picturesque ports whose scenery is matched only by its rich history. Granite from the quarries on Vinalhaven has built bridges, banks and monuments in twenty-three states. Ships launched in Searsport and Belfast have traveled the world. Harry Gratwick explores these and other episodes in Penobscot Bay's past, from the first recorded solar eclipse in Islesboro in 1780 to a covert meeting between Frankli...

Discover 400 years of New England history you won't find in guidebooks in this collection of true stories and colorful characters from The Pine Tree State.Maine wouldn't be the magical place it is today without the contributions of little-known individuals whose inspiring and adventuresome lives make up the story of Maine's "hidden history." Journalist and Maine historian Harry Gratwick presents vividly detailed portraits of these Mainers, from the controversial mis...