Charlotte Stewart, 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

1249 Charlotte Stewart, interviewed by Joyce Butler, April 20, 1977, Bar Harbor, Maine. Stewart discusses the fire of 1947 in Bar Harbor; reads something she wrote about the fire changing Bar Harbor; fire burning underground and reemerging; seeing the smoke from Hull’s Harbor; her daughter leading a couple to a safe place; working as a telephone operator during the fire; receiving food from a local restaurant; people fleeing to the wharf to evacuate; what kinds of phone calls she took; death of a young girl in an automobile accident; an elderly man who died of a heart attack; calling boats to evacuate the island; the telephone company receiving the Vail Award for their work during the fire; how the Bar Harbor Club changed after the fire; Bar Harbor before the fire in social makeup and physical appearance; and the charitable contributions of the wealthy summer people.