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AY 125/Burwash and Lakenwild Project

 Collection
Identifier: MF134

Scope and Contents

This collection includes a series of interviews done by Margaret Owings conducted in 1981 for Ay 125 Oral History and Folklore: Fieldwork taught by Edward D. “Sandy” Ives at the University of Maine. The interviews focus on Burwash and Lakenwild, lakeside developments and recreational areas on Big Lake in Washington County. The Burwash project is one of the main subjects (Burwash is a lakeside development located near Machias, Maine).

Dates

  • 1981

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).

Conditions Governing Use

Rights assessment remains the responsibility of the researcher. No known restrictions on material.

Extent

7 items

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

NA1552 John Dudley, interviewed by Margaret Owings for AY 125, November 28, 1981, Alexander, Maine. Dudley talks about the development of Burwash and Lakenwild, lakeside developments and recreational areas on Big Lake in Washington County; no development on land; scamming on land plots sold; Mr. Reed developing Lakenwild; stories of people attempting to see their land. Also present: Mrs. Dudley and her friend Margaret.

Text: 11 pp. catalog Recording: mfc_na1552_t1656_01 39 minutes

NA1553 John Bacon and Alice Bacon, interviewed by Margaret Owings for AY 125, October 20, 1981, Wesley, Maine. The Bacons talk about Burwash, a lakeside development near Machias, mostly in 1926: pre-development plans of Burwash; selling of plots; scamming on plots sold; stories of people attempting to see their land; fraud. Also included: maps and aerial photos of Otter Lake, Long Lake, and Wesley, topography map of area.

Text: 20 pp. catalog Recording: mfc_na1553_t1657_01 63 minutes

NA1554 Maurice Roberts, interviewed by Margaret Owings for AY 125, November 29, 1981, Wesley, Maine. Roberts, talks about the Burwash project, a lakeside development near Machias; the land where he started the project and what the job entailed; how Burwash means beech nuts and the shores that the water washes; talks of gold prospects.

Text: 8 pp. catalog Recording: mfc_na1554_t1658_01 48 minutes

NA1555 Frank S. Dowling, interviewed by Margaret Owings for AY 125, fall 1981, Jacksonville, Maine. Dowling talks about the Burwash project: those that set it up; locals that bought property; use of Burwash property; tannery building; (includes 11 handwritten pages); (2 hand drawn maps: 1 of tannery; one of Burwash and surrounding lakes).

Text: 23 pp. catalog Recording: mfc_na1555_t1659_01 58 minutes

NA1556 By Margaret Owings for AY 125, fall 1981, Orono and Machias, Maine. 45 pp. Collection of note cards with information from the Calais Advertiser and the Machias Union Republican about the Burwash project: ads about Burwash; raffles; development on land; deeds on land.

Text: 11 pp. of copied note cards

NA1557 By Margaret Owings for AY 125, fall 1981, Orono, Maine. 13 pp. Correspondence dealing with the Burwash project: recommendations of individuals to talk to about the project; thank you letters to those interviewed.

Text: 16 pp. correspondence

NA1558 Margaret Owings for AY 125, fall 1981, Orono, Maine. Copy of appendix of Wayne O’Leary’s paper, "Planning for Washington County: The Historical Background"; looking towards future projects for Washington county area; copy of deeds connected with the Burwash project; release form.

Text: 8 pp. text appendix (copy)

Existence and Location of Originals

Located at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress: AFC 2012/047 https://lccn.loc.gov/2013655211

Materials Specific Details

Audio files are the primary source material. Transcriptions are the transcriber's best effort to convert audio to text, but should be considered secondary to the audio.

Title
Guide to AY 125/Burwash and Lakenwild Project
Status
In Progress
Author
Thomas Libby
Date
May 2018
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English.

Repository Details

Part of the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History Repository

Contact:
5729 Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono ME 04469-5729 United States
207.581.1686