Eva O. (Curtis) Bowering, interviewed by Barbara Switzer

Series

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

A series of 51 interviews about the history of Portland, Maine with index and partial and full transcripts. The Victoria Society, fall 1992. Interviews concerning life in Portland during the 1930s to the 1940s, most interviewees are 75 years old or older.

Dates

1984-1988
1992

Creator

Switzer, Barbara (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

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Extent

From the Collection: 36 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Abstract

NA3125 Eva O. (Curtis) Bowering, interviewed by Barbara Switzer, April 3, 1984, at Eva’s home in Sebago Lake. Bowering, born on December 25, 1908, talks about sea captain grandfather’s days at sea; grandmother’s hard life in Harpswell; singing hymns in evenings; mother; maternal grandfather (bookkeeper for Portland-Rochester Railroad Company); Scotland, England, and Belgium; neighborhood growing up; Baby and cherry tree; Harry Marr (Portland’s Fire Chief); neighborhood Catholics, Jews, Protestants, blacks, and Italians; Howard Reiche; Reiche piano-playing; Reiche wife; Laura Knudsen; her father a policeman; mother’s church and politics; Principal Parmenter; Munjoy Hill stables; Riverton Park; Riverton Belt Line canoeing; Munjoy Hill’s July 4th; Halloween pranks; carman’s strike 1916; Clarence Skinner Whiskey; the Observatory; hobos; Walnut and Eastern Promenade Reservoir break; Maggie McCary; Charles Holden; Peaks Island; telephone operator; fishing; gardening; the ferry. Text: 3 pp. index; 12 pp. transcript. Recording: C 0985 90 minutes.

Subjects

Curtis, Clement Skolfield, Capt., 1845-1932
Curtis, Lavinia (Soule), 1840-1916
Family life Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Fourth of July Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Halloween Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Munjoy Hill (Me.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Oral history Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Portland (Me.) -- History -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Portland (Me.) -- History -- Anecdotes Subject Source: Local sources
Portland (Me.) -- Social Life and Customs -- 20th century Subject Source: Local sources
Ship captains Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Ship captains' spouses Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings