History/ES 247 Reading Guide

Deep-Sea Fisheries

  • Wayne M. O'Leary, Ch. 1, "The Rise of the Maine Sea Fisheries," Ch. 3, "The Industry at High Tide: The Fisheries," [skim Ch. 9, "Changing Markets in a Changing World," in O'Leary, Maine Sea Fisheries: The Rise and Fall of a Native Industry, 1830-1890 (1996), 5-39; 80-111; [252-292; 328-333]; endnotes: 299-303, 306-309; appendices: 344-363.  (e-reserve)

Further reading:

  • Charles A. Scontras, "Maine Lobstermen and the Labor Movement: The Lobster Fishermen' International Protective Association, 1907," Maine Historical Society Quarterly 29:1 (1989): 30-51.  
  • Edward M. Holmes, "Vinalhaven Lobstermen' Cooperative, 1938,"Maine Historical Society Quarterly 29:1 (1989): 52-57. 

Questions:

  • What does O'Leary's study contribute to our understanding of Maine's coastal ecology and of the communities (economic, social, cultural, and political) that developed along Maine's extensive shoreline?
  • How did the development of communities and economies on the coast compare and contrast to the development of the District and State as a whole?
  • How did Maine fishing "industries" differ from those in Massachusetts?  Why?  What were the implications of those differences for Maine fishing communities?
  • In what ways were deep-sea and inshore fisheries similar?  How did they differ?
  • Was there a viable alternative to a maritime-oriented economy on the Maine coast?

Postcards:

Casco Bay, Me.  "Baling out" the Fish after the "Haul"  (c.1910)

Hope Island, Me. Going Fishing.  (c.1910)

Casco Bay, Me., Shore Scene, Hope Island.  (c.1905)

Loading the Lobster Traps  (c.1920)

Dressing Fish, Biddeford Pool, Me.  (c.1905)

South Harpswell, Me., Shore Scene.  (c.1912)

Link to additional postcard images of Maine fish houses

Harpswell, Me.  Repairing the Lobster traps  (c.1910)

Bath, Me., Making Lobster Traps, New Meadows River.  [also printed as Portland Me., Making Lobster Traps, Cape Elizabeth.]  c.1908

Orr's Island, Me., The Three Fish Houses.  (c.1909)

Portland, Me.  East Side Long Island.  (c.1908)

Lobster Village, Wells Beach, Me.  (c.1908)

Fishing Cove, Wells Beach, Me.  (c.1912)

Swans Island, Me.  Harbor Scene  (c.1908)

Swans Island, Me.  Eastern Fish Co.  (c.1907)

Fishing Fleet, Near Eastport, Maine.  (c.1907)

The Fishing Boats, York Beach, Me.  (c.1913)

Portland, Me.—Fishing Vessels at the Dock.  (c.1908)

Bucksport Waterfront.  (c.1907)

Dock Scene, Portland, Me.  (c.1908);   Dock Scene Portland Harbor.  Greetings from Portland, Maine  (c.1907)