October 29, 2025

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UM Machias Archives Project

We’re rolling up our sleeves to uncover, organize, and preserve

the story of UMaine Machias, and we’d love your help. Merrill Library has begun a long-term project to find, identify, care for, and ultimately digitize (read: put online for all to explore) the university’s records and archives.

(Image, left: Washington State Normal School students, 1930s)

In September, Library Coordinator Meg Colbert worked with Richard and Elsie Larson and Darlene Wheeler to identify people and places in a newly gathered batch of photographs. Their knowledge sparked connections we might never have found alone. This is exactly the kind of community sleuthing that brings history to life.

What’s in the trove

Materials span back to 1910, when the school was known as the Washington State Normal School at Machias. You’ll find:

• Photographs, letters, scrapbooks, yearbooks, programs, and correspondence

• Curriculum materials and campus ephemera

• Physical items like class pins, fencing gear, graduation robes, and sports uniforms

(Image, above: Washington State Normal School students, undated photo)

Think of it as a time capsule of campus and community life, waiting to be decoded.

Image: Undated list of rules for "Dormitory Girls" regarding the wearing of slacks -- "not in the library"(!)

How you can help

We are hoping to launch regular drop-in sessions for alumni, community members, students, staff, and faculty to help identify people, places, and moments captured in these materials, and to add the context only you can provide.

Drop-in schedule: Coming soon — watch this space!

(Image, above: UM Machias students and community, undated photo)

Have insights right now? Spot a familiar face?

Email ummlibrary@maine.edu with names, dates, locations, team rosters, or any details that can help us build searchable records for everyone to explore.

Help us prioritize

What would you like to see online first? Photos of athletics? Commencement programs? Student clubs? Tell us your digitization wish list, and we’ll use your feedback to guide our next steps.

Already online: yearbooks

Good news: All yearbooks from 1910 to 1999 are already digitized and available online. Browse the yearbooks: (link)

We’re serious about preserving UMM’s history, and we’re equally serious about the joy of discovery. Join us at a drop-in, send your clues, and help us turn a rich trove of materials into a living, searchable story of this place we share.

.............................................................................. (Image, above: UM Machias students playing basketball, undated photo)

The Mystery Writer from Whitneyville: Unearthing a Local Story

We love when research feels like detective work — and this one begins right here in Downeast Maine.



As part of the UMS Research and Innovation Speaker Series, Professor Bernie Vinzani, Director of the Art Gallery and longtime Professor of Art, Book Arts, and Papermaking at the University of Maine at Machias, will present “The Mystery Writer from Whitneyville, Maine: Ongoing Research with Possible Ties to the Abolitionists of the Underground Railroad.”

Monday, November 3

Noon–1 p.m.

On Zoom

(Open to all UMS students, staff, and faculty — no registration required!)

What began as a primary source lesson for book arts students has evolved into a fascinating research project uncovering local stories that stretch far beyond our region. Through a collection of addressed envelope artifacts, historical drawings, and family connections across Whitneyville, Attusville, Machias, and East Machias, Bernie and his students have begun to trace potential links to Civil War communications and the Underground Railroad.

The project is part historical research, part art practice, and part storytelling —reminding us how creative inquiry can illuminate the past in unexpected ways.

It’s a perfect example of how research, art, and local history intertwine to tell stories that might otherwise remain hidden.

Join the talk to explore how a "mystery writer from Whitneyville" is helping uncover new perspectives on Maine’s connections to the abolitionist movement —and how archival discovery continues to shape our understanding of history.



Join on Zoom (Monday, Nov. 3, Noon–1 p.m.)

MERRILL LIBRARY EVENTS

You are invited to Merrill Library's events! Stay up-to-date by following our social media accounts listed at the bottom of this email, and check out our website for a complete list of upcoming events.

Happy Halloween from Merrill Library 

Calling all ghouls, goblins, and phantom readers! Are you ready to have a *spooktacular* Halloween? Whether you're looking for fangtastic fiction, witchy research tips, or just want to creep around our cozy library corners, Merrill Library has it all!

This week, we’re celebrating Halloween with a spooky-themed book display that’s equal parts eerie, historical, and imaginative.

Whether you’re in the mood for ghost stories, classic horror, or the real history behind our favorite legends, our shelves have something to send a chill down your spine—or spark your curiosity. You’ll find everything from gothic novels and witch trial histories to eerie Maine folklore and mysterious true tales.

Online Salon event: “Mary and Molly” — Film Screening and Discussion

Fogler Library’s 2025–26 Salon Series kicks off on Wednesday, November 5 with “Mary and Molly,” a 20-minute animated film directed by Donna Loring and David Camlin, based on Loring’s 2016 play. The film follows Mary, a young woman who discovers her Penobscot ancestry and connects with her ancestor Molly Molasses to explore identity, heritage, and belonging. 

Following the screening, Darren Ranco, chair of Native American Programs at the University of Maine and a citizen of the Penobscot Nation, will moderate a discussion between Loring and Camlin, joined by writer/anthropologist Bunny McBride, and the audience.

Everyone is welcome to attend what promises to be an exciting and thought-provoking event, either in person in the Salon, Fogler Library, or via Zoom. 

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5703 Alumni Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).