Dorothea (Mrs. Fred) Smith, interviewed by 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

1245 Dorothea (Mrs. Fred) Smith, interviewed by Joyce Butler, January 13, 1977, Goose Rocks Beach, Maine. Smith talks about the fire of 1947 in Goose Rocks Beach; how the fire sounded; taking refuge in a neighbor’s house; annoyance that effort was concentrated on saving a farm; thieves and looters; animals fleeing towards the water; fear that her daughter was lost when in fact she was safely asleep elsewhere; the neighbor reunited with his dog; Elliot O’Hara’s art studio losses; National Guard trying to keep sightseers and looters away; what parts of Goose Rocks Beach burned; lack of awareness that such a disaster could happen; cases of arson; what her house looked like after it burned; and the trend of insufficient insurance.