Dr. John W. Kelley, monologue recorded for Joyce Butler

Series

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The “Wildfire Loose” Collection consists of a series of 37 interviews conducted by Joyce Butler in preparation for her book of the same title about the fires in Maine in October 1947. Donated in 1979.

Dates

Creation: 1976-1980

Creator

Butler, Joyce (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

For digitized items free from access restrictions, we are working to upload this material (pdfs, mp3s, jpgs) for public access, but it is an ongoing project. If you don’t find what you are looking for here, contact Special Collections (um.library.spc@maine.edu).

Extent

From the Collection: 37 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Abstract

1230 Dr. John W. Kelley, monologue for Joyce Butler, December 13, 1976, Ithaca, New York. Kelley talks about the fires of 1947; missing two weeks of high school to work as a volunteer firefighter; firefighting in the Waterford [likely Waterboro] area; description of a crown fire; driving through fire; spending the night in a muddy pond; trying to save cottages around Little Ossipee Lake; firefighting equipment; attitude to firefighting and what it taught him about accomplishing goals; backfiring near Kezar Falls and getting food from the Salvation Army; physical endurance needed to fight fires; fires that burned underground; people working together and helping each other; and the situation seeming like the entire state was burning.