For over a year [after the start of WWII] the Penobscot Bay islands had no regular ferry service. Local fishermen and boat owners filled in as best they could. Then, at a special town meeting in August 1942, Vinalhaven voted to raise $55,000 to build a powerboat. The result was a sixty-five-foot, diesel-powered “motorship” named “Vinalhaven II,” built in Southwest Harbor, Maine. The boat went into service in July 1943, and Charles Philbrook was her captain…” – “Stories from the Maine Coast: Skppers, Ships and Storms” by Harry Gratwick, The History Press, 2012, p. 54-55. "The “Vinalhaven II”, 57 gross tons owned by the Vinalhaven Port District, Inc. of Rockland was built [by Southwest Boat Corporation] in 1943 to serve the island of Vinalhaven with passenger and freight service to Rockland." - "Boatbuilding During World War II: MDI, Ellsworth, Stonington and Bluehill" by Ralph W. Stanley, p. 10 - 1997. “Vinalhaven II” was designed by Cyrus “Cy” Hamlin. “Clarence” Bennett, a fisherman, was one of the group that raised the money to build “Vinalhaven II.” – Ralph W. Stanley 2011.
Description: For over a year [after the start of WWII] the Penobscot Bay islands had no regular ferry service. Local fishermen and boat owners filled in as best they could. Then, at a special town meeting in August 1942, Vinalhaven voted to raise $55,000 to build a powerboat. The result was a sixty-five-foot, diesel-powered “motorship” named “Vinalhaven II,” built in Southwest Harbor, Maine. The boat went into service in July 1943, and Charles Philbrook was her captain…” – “Stories from the Maine Coast: Skppers, Ships and Storms” by Harry Gratwick, The History Press, 2012, p. 54-55. "The “Vinalhaven II”, 57 gross tons owned by the Vinalhaven Port District, Inc. of Rockland was built [by Southwest Boat Corporation] in 1943 to serve the island of Vinalhaven with passenger and freight service to Rockland." - "Boatbuilding During World War II: MDI, Ellsworth, Stonington and Bluehill" by Ralph W. Stanley, p. 10 - 1997. “Vinalhaven II” was designed by Cyrus “Cy” Hamlin. “Clarence” Bennett, a fisherman, was one of the group that raised the money to build “Vinalhaven II.” – Ralph W. Stanley 2011. [show more]
This photograph was taken before the Manset shore was filled in. – According to Ralph Warren Stanley (1929-2021), the White boat hauled up on shore in front of the William Spurling Newman house at 102 Shore Road, Map 17 – Lot 100 – was probably built by Leslie “Les” M. Rice (1883-1966) on Great Cranberry Island for William “Uncle Jimmy” Doane Stanley (1855-1950). She was built as a double ender. Someone bought her and put a square stern on her. Work was slow at Hinckleys for awhile so Bill Dunham (Wilfred Manson Dunham (1918-2001) and Lewis Tapley (Lewis Merton Tapley (1916-1985) bought her and went fishing, though not for long. Work picked up at the Hinckley yard soon afterward. The vessel was then bought by Abner W. Lunt (1908-1975), then she was bought by Luther C. Faulkingham (1901-1993) of Prospect Harbor, where she was the last time Ralph saw her. The wharf building with the false front was the building that Francis “Frank” Thompson Chalmers Sr. (1893-1985), F. Dwight Perkins (1902-1981) and Merton S. Alley (1904-1985) had a car dealership in. Almon Frank Ramsdell Sr’s (1873-1946) garage was there later. Hinckley may have owned the building when this picture was taken. James “Jim” M. Willis (1919-2006) later ran “The Boathouse” there. See SWHPL 9363
Description: This photograph was taken before the Manset shore was filled in. – According to Ralph Warren Stanley (1929-2021), the White boat hauled up on shore in front of the William Spurling Newman house at 102 Shore Road, Map 17 – Lot 100 – was probably built by Leslie “Les” M. Rice (1883-1966) on Great Cranberry Island for William “Uncle Jimmy” Doane Stanley (1855-1950). She was built as a double ender. Someone bought her and put a square stern on her. Work was slow at Hinckleys for awhile so Bill Dunham (Wilfred Manson Dunham (1918-2001) and Lewis Tapley (Lewis Merton Tapley (1916-1985) bought her and went fishing, though not for long. Work picked up at the Hinckley yard soon afterward. The vessel was then bought by Abner W. Lunt (1908-1975), then she was bought by Luther C. Faulkingham (1901-1993) of Prospect Harbor, where she was the last time Ralph saw her. The wharf building with the false front was the building that Francis “Frank” Thompson Chalmers Sr. (1893-1985), F. Dwight Perkins (1902-1981) and Merton S. Alley (1904-1985) had a car dealership in. Almon Frank Ramsdell Sr’s (1873-1946) garage was there later. Hinckley may have owned the building when this picture was taken. James “Jim” M. Willis (1919-2006) later ran “The Boathouse” there. See SWHPL 9363 [show more]
The ambulance is shown in front of Gordon & White Garage. The Southwest Harbor / Tremont Nursing Association ambulance is a 1966 Ford 390 and was a gift from Mrs. Richard Payne.
Description: The ambulance is shown in front of Gordon & White Garage. The Southwest Harbor / Tremont Nursing Association ambulance is a 1966 Ford 390 and was a gift from Mrs. Richard Payne.
The Claremont Hotel is a historic hotel on Claremont Road in Southwest Harbor, Maine. Built in 1883, the main hotel building is one of the only 19th-century hotels to survive on Mount Desert Island. “In 1883, Capt. Jesse Pease and his wife, Grace Clark Pease, hired Edward Glover to build a four-story hotel. The Claremont Hotel opened in June 1884.” - The Ellsworth American – October 24, 2002. "The Claremont Hotel was built in 1883-4 by Capt. Jesse H. Pease and was opened to guests in the summer of '84. After the death of Capt. Pease in 1900, his wife successfully conducted the hotel for some seasons and then sold it to Dr. J.D. Phillips, who, with his son. Lawrence D. Phillips, now conducts it as a summer hostlery. Some years after acquiring it [circa 1911] Dr. Phillips purchased the Pemetic Hotel or "The Castle" as it was sometimes called, a building which Deacon Clark erected about 1878 as a rooming house in connection with his summer hotel. This stood in the woods across the road and east of the Island Cottage. It was moved to the Claremont lot and made a part of the hotel. Dr. Phillips has greatly enlarged and improved the hotel during his ownership and it has always been a popular place, commanding as it does a splendid view of Somes Sound and the harbor, with the hills in the background. The fiftieth anniversary of the hotel was observed in 1934 with interesting excercises." - Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, p. 168 - 1938. The main building of the Claremont was built in 1883 by Jesse Pease, a retired sea captain, and was one of the first large hotels to be built on Mount Desert Island. It is a 3-1/2 story wood frame structure, finished in clapboards, with a cross-gabled hip roof and a stone foundation. The main (west-facing) facade is seven bays wide, with a simple port-cochere near the south end providing entrance to the building. A single-story porch wraps around the south and east facades (the latter facing Somes Sound). From the eastern facade a broad lawn extends down to the waterfront, where there is a boathouse. The interior has been modernized, but with attention to maintaining original Victorian features. On March 29, 1978 the Claremont Hotel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places - #78000162.
Description: The Claremont Hotel is a historic hotel on Claremont Road in Southwest Harbor, Maine. Built in 1883, the main hotel building is one of the only 19th-century hotels to survive on Mount Desert Island. “In 1883, Capt. Jesse Pease and his wife, Grace Clark Pease, hired Edward Glover to build a four-story hotel. The Claremont Hotel opened in June 1884.” - The Ellsworth American – October 24, 2002. "The Claremont Hotel was built in 1883-4 by Capt. Jesse H. Pease and was opened to guests in the summer of '84. After the death of Capt. Pease in 1900, his wife successfully conducted the hotel for some seasons and then sold it to Dr. J.D. Phillips, who, with his son. Lawrence D. Phillips, now conducts it as a summer hostlery. Some years after acquiring it [circa 1911] Dr. Phillips purchased the Pemetic Hotel or "The Castle" as it was sometimes called, a building which Deacon Clark erected about 1878 as a rooming house in connection with his summer hotel. This stood in the woods across the road and east of the Island Cottage. It was moved to the Claremont lot and made a part of the hotel. Dr. Phillips has greatly enlarged and improved the hotel during his ownership and it has always been a popular place, commanding as it does a splendid view of Somes Sound and the harbor, with the hills in the background. The fiftieth anniversary of the hotel was observed in 1934 with interesting excercises." - Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, p. 168 - 1938. The main building of the Claremont was built in 1883 by Jesse Pease, a retired sea captain, and was one of the first large hotels to be built on Mount Desert Island. It is a 3-1/2 story wood frame structure, finished in clapboards, with a cross-gabled hip roof and a stone foundation. The main (west-facing) facade is seven bays wide, with a simple port-cochere near the south end providing entrance to the building. A single-story porch wraps around the south and east facades (the latter facing Somes Sound). From the eastern facade a broad lawn extends down to the waterfront, where there is a boathouse. The interior has been modernized, but with attention to maintaining original Victorian features. On March 29, 1978 the Claremont Hotel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places - #78000162. [show more]
In 1940 Southwest Harbor Motor Co. was the only AAA filling station in Southwest Harbor. Their phone number was 51-2. The brick building was converted to offices to rent in 1986-1987. The U.S. Post Office opened in the building on June 2, 1987. Ralph Warren Stanley (1929-2021) attended school in the elementary school on the present ellipse (behind the Gilley Plumbing building on the left of this photograph) before it was moved across the street to become a fire station and now [2011] the police station/town office. When the bank was housed at the Southwest Harbor Motor Co. Ralph would take his penny bank there to be unlocked and have the money deposited in his bank account. The lady in the bank would show him the big safe where is money would be kept. – Ralph Warren Stanley 01/17/11 Marion E. Newman (1890-1976), Mrs. Frederick Walter Wescott at the time, owned a yellow Stutz Bearcat that was destroyed in the fire. Marion was known for having invested in Coca Cola stock and holding on to it when others thought it worthless and sold their stock. – Ralph Warren Stanley, 03/31/14
Description: In 1940 Southwest Harbor Motor Co. was the only AAA filling station in Southwest Harbor. Their phone number was 51-2. The brick building was converted to offices to rent in 1986-1987. The U.S. Post Office opened in the building on June 2, 1987. Ralph Warren Stanley (1929-2021) attended school in the elementary school on the present ellipse (behind the Gilley Plumbing building on the left of this photograph) before it was moved across the street to become a fire station and now [2011] the police station/town office. When the bank was housed at the Southwest Harbor Motor Co. Ralph would take his penny bank there to be unlocked and have the money deposited in his bank account. The lady in the bank would show him the big safe where is money would be kept. – Ralph Warren Stanley 01/17/11 Marion E. Newman (1890-1976), Mrs. Frederick Walter Wescott at the time, owned a yellow Stutz Bearcat that was destroyed in the fire. Marion was known for having invested in Coca Cola stock and holding on to it when others thought it worthless and sold their stock. – Ralph Warren Stanley, 03/31/14 [show more]
"Ped" Sargent's house is just visible to the rear of the gasoline station. The filling station was located in the space occupied by the Post Office parking lot in 2017.
Description: "Ped" Sargent's house is just visible to the rear of the gasoline station. The filling station was located in the space occupied by the Post Office parking lot in 2017.
Postmasters at Bernard were: George W. Billings (1859-?): Postmaster - 11/26/1906 Hiram H. Condon (1871-1957): Postmaster - 10/17/1914 Mrs. Harriet C. Hinton (1904-1984): Acting Postmaster - 10/31/1941 Mrs. Harriet C. Hinton (1904-1984): Postmaster - 03/25/1942 Mrs. Hilda Erclin Sylvia (1912-2006): Officer-In-Charge - 06/20/1974 Mrs. Hilda Erclin Sylvia (1912-2006): Postmaster - 10/26/1974 Alice Ann Tracy - Officer-In-Charge: 05/01/1987 Linda (Sawyer) Musson (1949-): Postmaster -10/10/1987 Harriet Hinton was the postmaster - then her son Paul Hinton, had the antique store in this building.
Description: Postmasters at Bernard were: George W. Billings (1859-?): Postmaster - 11/26/1906 Hiram H. Condon (1871-1957): Postmaster - 10/17/1914 Mrs. Harriet C. Hinton (1904-1984): Acting Postmaster - 10/31/1941 Mrs. Harriet C. Hinton (1904-1984): Postmaster - 03/25/1942 Mrs. Hilda Erclin Sylvia (1912-2006): Officer-In-Charge - 06/20/1974 Mrs. Hilda Erclin Sylvia (1912-2006): Postmaster - 10/26/1974 Alice Ann Tracy - Officer-In-Charge: 05/01/1987 Linda (Sawyer) Musson (1949-): Postmaster -10/10/1987 Harriet Hinton was the postmaster - then her son Paul Hinton, had the antique store in this building. [show more]